Brande, Thomas

BRANDE, BRUISTER

Posted By: Gary Norris (email)
Date: 1/9/2013 at 08:17:36

BRANDE, THOMAS—Grinnell Twp—pg 887. Baptist minister, Grinnell. Was born in Lestershire, England, on the 1st day of July, 1810, where he resided until he was thirteen years of age and where he acquired a complete English education. At the early age he came alone to America to live with his uncle, John Yates, of Lansingburg, New York, with whom Mr. Brande learned the trade of a jeweler and continued to live with and labor for him until his death, in the year 1830. After the death of his uncle he went into the ministry, which calling he has followed for fifty years. After he left school he acquired an education in the classics, which has enabled him to sustain himself as a minister in such a town as Grinnell without any difficulty, and this he got by the side of his work-bench and without assistance from any one. He preached for eleven years in northern New York, at Ticonderoga and other places, one year in the city of New York. In 1859 he came West; spent one year in this city in the early settlement of the place and was the first pastor of his denomination in this place. He then removed to Wisconsin, where he preached in different places until 1868, when he returned to Oskaloosa, where he was permitted to stay but one year, when he was called upon to take charge of the college of his church at Des Moines. After one year’s labor there he was called to the pastorate of this church, which place he has ever since filled, except one year. Mr. Brande is emphatically a self-made man. Has been a man of great energy and industry. Has broad and liberal views on all subjects relating to the welfare and happiness of mankind and is the friend of the poor. He was married, in 1833, to Miss Parly Bruister, by whom he had one child, Mary. He married a second time in 1858. She is still living, is a lady of refinement and culture and devotes her time to the care of her family and making home comfortable. By this last union they had one child, Edmon P., who is now in the high school of this city.