Joseph BRUTSCHÉ

1844 - 1909  (64 years)

• Name	Joseph BRUTSCHÉ
  Birth	10 Sep 1844	Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  Gender	Male
  Death	4 Feb 1909	Denison, Grayson, Texas
  Burial	Fairview Cemetery, Denison, Grayson, Texas
  Notes	1850 US Census in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania age 7 1870 US Census in Campbell, Green, Missouri. Parents' birth places were not shown. 1872 Arrived in Denison, Texas 1880 US Census Main Street, Denison, Grayson, Texas, Occupation Express Agent, parents both born in France! 1887 Directory 525 W. Chestnut St., Denison, Grayson, Texas 1891 Directory 525 W. Chestnut St., Denison, Grayson, Texas 1893 Directory 525 W. Chestnut St., Denison, Grayson, Texas 1900 US Census 522 W. Chestnut St., Denison, Grayson, Texas, parents born in Germany, Switzerland 1907 Directory at 525 Chestnut St., Denison, Grayson, Texas "One of the saddest events that have happened in Denison for many years was the sudden death of our pioneer townsman, Joe Brutsche, Thursday. Mr. Brutsche died at home. When stricken down he was engaged in doing some work in the back yard. Death was instant. It was a flash from time into eternity. We think it a good way to step behind the veil, for long suffering is not the wish of any one. Mr. Brutsche was one of the old guards of pioneer Denison, casting his lot here in 1872. His whole life had been a very busy and useful one. His first business venture was with the Adams Express Co., of which he was agent. He was better known as City Assessor and Collector. When he retired from that office he took up fire insurance and was conducting that business at the time of death. As a business man he was not surpassed in Denison. In March l878, was married to Miss May Legate, the sister of Russ Legate, who was a teacher at the time in the public schools. To the union six children were born. He is survived by the following relatives: His wife, Mrs. May A. Brutsche; children: Mrs. John Gregg, Sherman; Mrs. Frank G. Hobart, Fort Worth; Sidney Brutsche, Oklahoma City; Harry Brutsche, Denison; Miss Eugenia Brutsche, Denison; Joseph Brutsche Jr., Denison. We are sorry that Joe Brutsche is dead, and that sorrow is shared by thousands who loved and esteemed him. His character and disposition were of the sort that he made friends and held them." The Sunday Gazetter, Denison Texas, February 7, 1909
  Person ID	I85653	Zentmeyer Main Tree
  Last Modified	5 Jun 2026

  
  

  Father	Joseph BRUTSCHÉ,   b. 17 Jun 1801, Dogern, Baden, Germany d. 28 May 1888, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Age 86 years)
  Mother	Jeanette LEHMAN,   c. 6 Apr 1806, Aarau, Aargau, Switzerland d. 27 Feb 1894, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Age ~ 87 years)
  Marriage	2 Feb 1832	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  Family ID	F23696	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	May Augusta H. LEGATE,   b. 9 Sep 1856, Stratham, Rockingham, New Hampshire d. 1 Nov 1935, Brownsville, Cameron, Texas (Age 79 years)
  Marriage	26 Mar1878	Denison, Grayson, Texas
  Children	1. Lily BRUTSCHÉ,   b. 04 Mar 1879, Denison, Grayson, Texas d. 06 Feb 1964, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California (Age 84 years) + 2. Jeanette BRUTSCHÉ,   b. 20 Dec 1880, Denison, Grayson, Texas d. 07 Oct 1978, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California (Age 97 years)   3. Sidney Legate BRUTSCHÉ,   b. 26 Apr 1883, Denison, Grayson, Texas d. 1950, Denison, Grayson, Texas (Age 66 years) + 4. Harry Russell BRUTSCHÉ, Sr.,   b. 30 Jul 1885, Denison, Grayson, Texas d. 8 Dec 1920, Brownsville, Cameron, Texas (Age 35 years)   5. Eugenia BRUTSCHÉ,   b. 18 Jan 1891, Denison, Grayson, Texas d. 05 Nov 1974, Thousand Oaks, Ventura, California (Age 83 years) + 6. Joseph Sherwin BRUTSCHÉ,   b. 28 Jul 1894, Denison, Grayson, Texas d. 28 Mar 1932, San Antonio, Bexar, Texas (Age 37 years)
  Photos		Marriage record for Joseph Brutsche and May LeGate
  Family ID	F23143	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	17 Apr 2025

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Joseph Brutsché
  		Joseph Brutsché Family From the Zentmyer Collection. Top row: Sidney, Lily, Harry, Jeanette Bottom row: Joseph, Joseph, May, Eugenie
  		1880 US Census record for Joseph Brutsché. In Denison, Grayson, Texas. Both of Joseph's parents are recorded as having been born in France, instead of Germany and Switzerland, their true places of birth. This could have been driven by antipathy towards Germans in Texas following the Civil War, during which many Germans refused to fight on behalf of the Confederacy. This was because many Germans emigrated to escape conscription, and were opposed to slavery on religious grounds. According to his obituary, Joseph arrived in Texas in 1872, when Civil War memories were still very fresh. Another data point is the fact that Joseph's mother Jeanette Brutsché had advertised as early as 1828 in Philadelphia selling the finest in 'French Millinery,' so perhaps the desire for the family to appear French began with Joseph's mother. This desire to be non-German could also explain the change from the German pronunciation 'BROOT-shee' to 'bru-SHAY,' as bru-SHAY might more easily have been seen as a French surname, especially with the addition of the acute é. Our grandmother, Jeanette Brutsché, led us to believe she was of French ancestry, perhaps she did not even know of her German heritage. This is not as strange as it might seem, we have found others in our tree who have misidentified their origins.
  		1886 aerial image of Denison, Texas Joseph and May's house is circled. The property is now occupied by the Denison Senior Center and a parking lot.
  		Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from 1908 This map shows Joseph and May's house in 1908, the year before Joseph died. It's important to note the address is shown as both 525 and 523 Chestnut St., as earlier Sanborn maps indicated 523 as the address, and the 1900 US Census had them at 522 Chestnut St., an address which never existed. Sanborn maps are an invaluable resource for examining early real estate development.
  		Joseph and May LeGate Brutsche's home at 525 W. Chestnut St., Denison, Grayson, Texas A recently discovered artifact from the Zentmyer Collection. If you compare the image to the 1908 Sanborn map, it matches exactly.
  		Legate Genealogy From the Zentmyer Collection. Mailed by Joseph Brutsche b.1844 to 'Mrs. M. A. Brutsche' (his wife), in Pinconning, Michigan in 1899. (we have the envelope) May Augusta (LeGate) Brutsche was visiting her father, Sidney LeGate, who had moved to Pinconning with his second wife Catherine Turner. It is not clear why Joseph needed to send her own genealogy to her in Michigan, unless perhaps she had forgotten to bring it.
  		Invoice from J.BRUTSCHE Insurance Agent dated 11 Jan 1900 Fire, Lightning, Plate Glass and Tornado signed by Joseph Brutsche from the Zentmyer Collection
  		Headstone of Joseph Brutsché In Fairview Cemetery, Denison, Grayson, Texas Photo courtesy Sandy