Elwood O'Kane Brandenburg was born two miles southeast of New Palestine on September 22, 1856, the son of James Oliver and Maria (Snodgrass) Brandenburg. James Oliver Brandenburg was born in Butler county, Ohio, on April 5, 1822, and died in February, 1912. He was the son of Henry and Nancy (Bennett) Brandenburg. Henry Brandenburg was from Pennsylvania and was of German descent. He was born on January 3, 1807. His wife, Nancy (McCullem) Bennett, was born on August 12, 1807. Henry Brandenburg died on October 29, 1862, and his wife died in the fall of 1880. They were married on September 14,1826. Henry Brandenburg and family came from Butler county, Ohio, in 1836, and settled about two miles southeast of New Palestine, where they bought an eighty-acre farm. Henry Brandenburg also was the owner of another eighty acres to the south, where Elwood Brandenburg now lives, and eighty acres northeast of the original eighty, making him owner of two hundred and forty acres in all.

James Oliver Brandenburg, the father of the subject of this sketch, was but eight years of age when he came with his parents from Butler county, Ohio. As a boy he grew up on the old homestead of his father in what was then a wilderness. Here he received his early education and here he was married to Maria Snodgrass, daughter of Robert Snodgrass and wife, who were also early pioneers of Sugar Creek township. After his marriage, James Oliver Brandenberg moved to the south eighty of the old home place and here be built a log house and a log barn. The latter building is still standing. He started in life for himself and cleared up his land. He later bought forty acres, which he also cleared. In later years he built a good frame barn and a splendid brick residence of eight rooms. This was along about 1875. James Oliver Brandenburg spent his last years with his son here. He died at the advanced age of eighty-four years in February, 1922. His wife had died several years previous on May 22, 1884. James Oliver Brandenburg was the father of the following children: Jasper, who died in infancy; James Henry, who is now deceased, and Elwood O., who is the subject of this sketch.

Elwood O. Brandenburg was born on the old homestead in the old log cabin that was built there by his father. Here he spent his childhood days and attended the old Wagner school After he finished school he continued to assist his father on the home place until he was twenty-two years of age. On January 29, 1880, he was married to Arminda Murnan, who was the daughter of George and Matilda Murnan, pioneer settlers of Sugar Creek township. To this union was born one child, who died in infancy. About two years after his first marriage, in the early spring of 1881, his wife died, and on February 29, 1883, Mr. Brandenburg was married to Marcella Gunn, who was born in Hancock county on October 7, 1863, and who was the daughter of William and Jane (Morford) Gunn. William Gunn was a son of Robert Gunn, who came from Ohio and settled as a pioneer in Hancock county. Jane Morford, his wife, was born on May 11, 1836, in Clermont county, Ohio. She was the daughter of Joseph B. and Margaret (Morehead) Morford, who were also pioneer settlers of Hancock county. About ten years after his marriage, William Gunn, in 1866, moved to Tazewell county, Illinois, where he lived for a year and where he met his death through a stroke of lightning on August 28, 1871. After his death his widow returned to Hancock county, where a few years later she was married to James T. Murnan. She spent the remaining years of her life in Sugar Creek township. She died on December, 1883. Through the first marriage she became the mother of nine children and through the last marriage she is the mother of two children. After his first marriage Elwood O. Brandenburg moved to George Murnan's farm, south of New Palestine, where he lived until after the death of his wife. He then returned to the home place, where he resided for two years or until his second marriage in 1883. He then moved to the farm of Mr. Snodgrass, just southeast of the old home place, and there he resided two years and then shortly after his mother's death, in the fall of 1885, he moved back to the old home farm, where he still resides. Mr. Brandenburg is the owner of a one-hundred-and-twenty-acre tract comprising the old home place, a part of which he heired, and the remainder of which he purchased from the other heirs. He is the father of two children: Virgil Ray, who married Lulu Weston and resides in Detroit, Michigan, and Anna Luella, who resides at home. Mr. Brandenburg is a successful farmer and stock raiser. Both himself and wife and children are members of the Christian church. Mr. Brandenburg is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of New Palestine and also a member of the Court of Honor. He is a Democrat in politics and has been supervisor for his township.

Transcribed from History of Hancock County, Indiana, Its People, Industries and Institutions by George J. Richman, B. L., Federal Publishing Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1916. Page 964-966.

Submitted by Sylvia (Rose) Duda, Laingsburg, MI October 15, 2001.

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