Biography/History:
Realf Ottesen Brandt was born near Jefferson Prairie, Rock County, Wisconsin in 1859. His father, Nils Olsen Brandt, was born in Slidre, Valdres, Norway. His Mother, Diderikke Ottesen Brandt, was born in Sande Parish, Norway. Nils Brandt was President of Luther College. Realf Brandt graduated from Luther College in 1877, and Luther Seminary in Madison, Wisconsin in 1883.
Realf Ottesen was ordained in 1883 by Rev. U.V. Koren. Throughout his 44 years in Lutheran ministry, he served Deuel County, South Dakota, and McFarland, Wisconsin. Beginning in 1906, he was one of the first editors of the Lutheran Herald. Realf Brandt married Thalette “Lettie” Mathilde Galby in 1880.
Scope and Content:
The R.O. Brandt papers consist of various notebooks he kept from 1876-1900, copy books of letters he wrote from 1887-1901, letters from 1906-1907, and a scrapbook created by Lettie Brandt called “Reminiscences of Seventeen Years in the West as a Pastor's Wife” that includes photographs. Also includes letters and documents of Diderikke Brandt.