Born near Lancaster, Ohio, April 7, 1827. He was reared on a farm, receiving only a common school education. He came to Iowa in 1856, locating in Des Moines, where for several years he was engaged in selling dry goods. During antislavery days he was a friend of John Brown and cooperated with him in aiding slaves to freedom by the "underground railroad." In 1867 Mr. Brandt was appointed deputy State Treasurer, serving six years. In 1873 he was elected a Representative in the House of the Fifteenth General Assembly, serving on the committees of ways and means and cities and towns. In 1883 he was appointed by the President one of the commissioners to inspect fifty miles of the North Pacific Railroad, and was chairman of the commission. In 1890 Mr. Brandt was appointed postmaster of Des Moines and during his term of four years introduced many reforms in the service. For more than thirty years he has been one of the influential working members of the Republican party, exercising large influence in State and congressional conventions. It was through his untiring personal efforts that the permanent State Fair grounds were secured in Des Moines. He has long been an officer of the Pioneer Lawmakers' Association.