Harry Russell BRUTSCHÉ, Jr.

Harry — Dorothy Marie ALLEN. Dorothy was born 31 Oct 1913; died 18 Dec 2002, Athens, Henderson, Texas. [Group Sheet]

1. Harry Russell BRUTSCHÉ, III was born 1 Jan 1945, Biloxi, Mississippi.
2. Stephen Allen BRUTSCHÉ was born 20 Sep 1948, Dallas, Dallas, Texas; died 8 Oct 1991, Dallas, Dallas, Texas; was buried Restland Memorial Park, Dallas, Dallas, Texas.

Harry — Coralie GREEN. Coralie was born 5 May 1890, Texas; died 5 Oct 1985, Dallas County, Texas. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

1870 US Census in Campbell, Green, Missouri. Parents' birth places were not shown.
1872 Arrived in Denison, Texas
1880 US Census in Denison, Grayson, Texas, Occupation Express Agent, parents both born in France !!
1900 US Census in Denison, Grayson, Texas, parents born in Germany, Switzerland



"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

Joseph married May Augusta LEGATE 1878, Denison, Grayson, Texas. May (daughter of Sidney Smith LEGATE and Hannah Wiggin SMITH) was born 9 Sep 1856, Stratham, Rockingham, New Hampshire; died 1 Nov 1935, Brownsville, Cameron, Texas; was buried Fairview Cemetery, Denison, Grayson, Texas. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Dallas Morning News
Nov 28, 1968
Sec. 2. pg 13

Deaths
Brutsche--- Denison, TX
Mrs. May Brutsche, formerly of Denison, died Friday morning at Brownsville. The body arrived here Saturday and funeral services will be held Sunday at St. Luke's Episcopal Church. Mrs. Brutsche, the former May Legate, was a teacher in the public schools of Denison until her marriage. She was a charter member of St. Lukes Episcopal Church and of the XXI Club. Surviving are one son, Sidney Brutsche of Brownsville and three daughters, Mrs. John Gregg and Mrs. James Brown of Brownsville and Mrs. Frank Hobart of Los Angeles.

Notes:

Joseph's surname was spelled "Bruotschi" in the birth record, pronounced "BROOT-she" in German. We do not know how the pronunciation changed to "bru-SHAY" here in the United States. One possibility is because Jeanette Brutsché consistently advertised offering the finest in 'French Millinery,' she felt the need to be seen as being from France. It should also be noted that in the 1880 Census Joseph Brutsché, the son of Joseph and Jeanette, living in Denison Texas, listed both of his parents as having been born in France instead of Germany and Switzerland. This could have related either to his mother's business, or his own situation in Texas, where Germans were disliked because of their Civil War pacifism and reluctance to fight for the Confederacy.

The Philadelphia Business Directories listed J. Brutsche as a merchant for the years 1833 - 1836, a boarding house owner in 1837, and then for the years 1838 - 1853, J. Brutsche was listed as a milliner, so likely Jeanette. Then Joseph was listed from 1854 - 1877 as a water color manufacturer.

Joseph, Jeanette, and their son Henry were originally buried at Monument Cemetery in Philadelphia. Their remains were relocated to Lawnview Cemetery in Rockledge in 1956 upon the closure of Monument Cemetery and its acquisition and redevelopment by Temple University.


Name spelled 'Brütschi' in 1833 Vater Fenderich letter, 'Brutshi' on 1837 burial record of daughter Carolina Jeanette, and arguably 'Brutschi' on the Ship's Manifest.

Joseph's year of birth was variously recorded as follows: Birth Record 1801, Ship's Manifest 1802, Naturalization 1804, 1850 US Census 1805, Death Certificate 1801.


The leading Brutsche genealogist in Germany for many years was Armin Brutsche from Murg, a town on the Rhine about 14 kilometers from Dogern. On Jun 22, 2019 Armin wrote, "Hello Gary - I've reviewed your data. I think your conclusions are correct. Your Joseph must be the Joseph Bruotschi born in 1801 in Dogern." Tragically, Armin died in an automobile accident on February 25, 2021.

Joseph married Jeanette LEHMAN 2 Feb 1832, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jeanette (daughter of Samuel M. LEHMAN and Catharina PIAT) was christened 6 Apr 1806, Aarau, Aargau, Switzerland; died 27 Feb 1894, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; was buried Monument Cemetery, Philadelphia removed to Lawnview Cemetery, Rockledge, Pennsylvania, Susquehanna Lawn, Section 64, Grave 51 . [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Jeanette Lehman advertised in 1828 as a milliner, and J. Brutsche was listed in the Philadelphia business directories as such for the years 1839 through 1853. Beginning in 1854 she was no longer listed, and listings began for Joseph Brutsche, water color manufacturer.

Joseph, Jeanette, and their son Henry were originally buried at Monument Cemetery in Philadelphia. Their remains were relocated to Lawnview Cemetery in Rockledge in 1956 following the acquisition of Monument Cemetery by Temple University and the subsequent re-purposing of the cemetery grounds for parking lots and sports facilities.

'Anna Veronika' on birth record, simply 'Anne' on the Ship's Manifest, and 'Jeanette' thereafter

Notes:

Sidney Smith Legate was born on May 5, 1830 in Leominster, MA. He was the son of Capt. William Morris Legate and Nancy Hadley Legate. Around 1850 Sidney moved to New Hampshire to teach school. There he met Hannah Wiggin Smith (b. 1830) and they were married 4/8/1852. They went on to have four children, Walter Scott (b. 5/9/1853), Russell Smith (b. 9/9/1855), May Augusta (b. 9/9/1956), and Anna Louise (b. 5/28, 1862). Hannah died a few months after the birth of Anna on 8/7/1862. After his wife's death, Sidney disappeared from his children's lives for a while and they were brought up by various relatives. In 1873 we find Sidney working as a contractor and builder in Denison & Sherman, Texas. His son, Russell, joined him there as did his daughter, May in around 1876. He briefly lived in Fort Worth, TX in 1877. On May 10, 1882 he married Catherine V. Turner in Chicago, IL. He returned to Texas to work as a builder because we find him back in Denison in 1887. He and Catherine eventually settled in Pinconning, MI where they bought a farm. They lived the remaining years of their life there. Sidney died on May 29, 1913. (Information contributed by Lisa Brutsche Morrow)

Sidney married Hannah Wiggin SMITH 1853, Stratham, Rockingham, New Hampshire. Hannah was born 1834, New Hampshire; died 7 Aug 1862, New Hampshire. [Group Sheet]