Representative Isaac Brandt View All Years

HON. ISAAC BRANDT.

MR. SPEAKER—Your committee appointed to draft resolutions commemorating the life, character and public services of the Honorable Isaac Brandt of Des Moines, Iowa, a late member of the House, beg leave to report the following memorial:

Isaac Brandt, born April 7, 1827, in Fairfield county, Ohio, died at the capital of this state September 12, 1909. Mr. Brandt was the youngest of a large family, the head of which, David, had immigrated from the state of Pennsylvania in 1813. The father of the latter came to America from Germany in 1756. His wife, Isaac Brandt’s mother, was a Hamilton, and of Scotch stock, on her father’s side though, with an admixture of French. On her mother’s side she was of Celtic race. Isaac worked on a farm during his early boyhood, going in winter to the district school. At the age of sixteen, he was apprenticed to learn boot and shoe making, and in accordance with the custom of the time without other compensation for the first two years than the instruction imparted. The day he was of age he went into business for himself, and soon got into a fair share of patronage. In his twenty-third year he was united in marriage with Miss Harriet Wisely. Shortly afterwards, he and his young wife removed to the county of DeKalb, Indiana. A few years later, he was elected sheriff, serving therein two years. About the close of his term in that office Mr. Brandt visited Iowa, seeing much of the young state, and walking from Des Moines to Council Bluffs and return. That visit conspired to make him wish to live in this state, and in the year 1858 he brought his wife and their three children to Des Moines, to be thereafter their home. He at once entered actively into mercantile business, which he followed for several years, when he went into the real estate business. In 1867, he became deputy treasurer of state, which office he held for six years. The year he left the treasury, he was elected a Representative in the General Assembly from the county of Polk. In that capacity he was as ever active. He was made by Speaker Gear, who had a high appreciation of Mr. Brandt’s ability, chairman of the two important committees of Ways and Means, and Cities and Towns. The man’s natural leadership was soon manifested. One of the measures he got through increased the appropriation for the construction of the capitol to warrant the capitol commission to make the cornices, the capitals of the columns, and the staircases of stone. The board in order to keep the cost of the edifice within the limit set by the appropriation act of 1872, had planned, much against the wishes of its members, to make those parts of the building of iron. Mr. Brandt’s tact was seen in the management of the business of that legislature. This was the famous Grange legislature, the one chosen in 1873, just after the financial crash of that year, and one which came to the capitol strongly prepossessed against most of the state officers and decidedly averse to making any .appropriations except those most needed. Before its adjournment that spirit was largely overcome, and mainly through the tactful leadership of Mr. Brandt.

In 1890 Br. Brandt was appointed postmaster of Des Moines, and as usual was a most efficient officer.

One in writing of Mr. Brandt nearly forty years ago, said of him: “He is full of life and activity; has a spare frame, but well supported with muscles. His carriage is erect; his step quick and firm, indicating energy and determination, coupled with impetuosity. Whatever he undertakes to do he does with his might, and, with well developed order, works to successful ends. He is always looking ahead—onward and upward—devoting his energies to the well-being of others, not neglecting himself!” At the close of his long and useful life another said of the man, “Here was a unique character, so well known, in spite of his advanced years so active, so vital a part of the community, so potent a factor in its upbuilding and in perpetuating memorials of men and events, that one could hardly think of him in connection with physical death.” Thus the man sustained to the end a character of usefulness in the largest sense.

Mr. Brandt was heartily in sympathy with the great reforms of his time. The first piece of money he ever earned, a quarter, which he had kept under his pillow every night, he gave to a poor runaway slave to help him on his way towards the north star. With the family of the famous John Brown he kept up a steady correspondence. The cause of temperance was another to which he devoted means and energy.

His work in securing a place for the location of the state fair must not be overlooked. His part in that undertaking was that of chief promoter, keeping at it unceasingly until the tract was secured and the fair definitely located. That location is, moreover, added evidence of the man’s excellent judgment.

Resolved, That in the departure from the earth of Isaac Brandt, the state, as well as the community he helped to energize, had a distinct loss, and it may well feel, as was said of him, that his place in both is one that may hardly be filled.

Resolved, That a copy hereof, duly executed and attested, be communicated to the family bereaved by his loss, with an expression of the sympathy of the House in that bereavement.

W. S. FRALEY,

F. J. LUND,

J. M. C. HAMILTON,

Committee.

Adopted April 14, 1913.