Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1921-08-17
PIONEER BURIED
HERE SATURDAY
Rev. Nils Brandt, Pioneer Lutheran
Pastor DEBORAH, Aged 81,
Died at st. Paul Last
Week.
ONE OF ORGANIZERS
NORWEGIAN SYNOD
For Number Years Was Connected
With Luther College. Per-
formed First Marriage
Ceremony Recorded
In Winneshiek.

49, ~NAAS @@'eP0S1 ScCN 80 NfN~-N
Norwegian Lutheran pastor in the
United States, died at the St Paul
hospital Tuesday, Aug. 8, at 1880
p. m.
The remains were brought to De-
corah and the funeral services were
held from the F. n. E. L. church
Saturday afternoon, the funeral SER
vices being conducted by the pastor,
Rev. |. B. Torrison, with interment
in the Norwegian cemetery.
Rev. Brandt is survived by three
SOS, Dr.. o. Z. Brandt, vice president
of Luther Theological Seminary, St.
Paul; Rev. r. o. Brandt, Mcfarland,
Wis; j. A. Brandt, Hayti, S. D.; also
two daughters, Mrs. L. s. Rogue, and
Mrs. Gisle Bothne, Minneapolis.
Rev. Nils Brandt was born in West
ern Slidre, Valders, Norway, on jan
uary 20, 1924.
His father, grandfather, and great
grandfather had taught the parish
schools and lead the singing in the
Slidre church, as was the custom CT
that time.
He became a student at the Chris
tiania University in 1874, and passed
the theological examination there in
1S49. When this university cele-
brated its seventy-ffth anniversary
not long ago, they sent Rev. Brandt a
cablegram of congratulation on being
the only member Of that class then
living.
In 1851 he was ordained to the
ministry, having accepted a call from
Rock River and Pine Lake congrega-
tons located 40 miles west Of Mil
waukee, Wis, arriving there to take
UP his work in the fall of the same
year.
Besides serving his congregations,
he made long tours, often on foot to
preach to his pioneer countrymen in
Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota be-
| ing the first pastor educated and or
dained in Norway TO cross the Mis-
sissippi. On these mission trips he
organized congregations as far inland
as Goodhue and Dakota counties,
Minnesota. He held services under
trees when the log cabins of the
settlers were TOO small to hold the
audiences, on occasions baptizing
over 20 children at one gathering.
In Winneshiek county he preform-
ed the first marriage ceremony re-
corded and visited DEBORAH when it
contained only two. dwelling houses
and mill.
In 1858 he was one Of the seven
pastors that organized the Norwegian
Synod. OF these seven members he
was the last.
In 1857 together with Rev. ]. A.
Ottesen he visited German theologi-
cal school in this country, and it was
on their recommendation that stu
dents of the Norwegian synod were
later, for several years, sent to st.
Louis, No, to complete their theolog-
ical education.
He visited Norway in 1856 and was
there married TO Dederikka Ottesen,
a daughter of "Provst" Ottesen OF
| Sande, who became a faithful, effici-
ent helper to him in rapidly growing
demands.
In 1865 he was called as paste,
to DEBORAH. Here he served two con
gregations and instructed in religion
and song at Luther college. He pos
sessed a fine tenor voice and his eff
Gent leadership at that time made
the Luther college "Mandskor" fam
Gus.
He was member Of the "churcl
council" and also vice president O.
the Synod for several years.
After his wife's death in Cleveland
Ohio, in 1885, he has made his hom'
alternately with his children, the las
years with mis- oldest daughter, Mrs
L. s. Reque, now OF Minneapolis.
His eyesight and hearing were poo
the last years, but he was mental,
active and clear, although within tw
and one-half years of reaching on
L-~I~oJ