A prominent, influential citizen of the Milpitas district who has earned the right to leadership is Charles Brandt, a native of the Laguna district, just east of Milpitas, where he was born November 22, 1867, the son of Frederick and Euphemia (Palmer) Brandt; the former a native of Konigsberg, Germany, came to California in 1864, and settled in the hills east of Milpitas. Three children were born to this worthy couple: Edward, Charles and Euphemia, who became the wife of James Hansen, and died in 1917, and whose portrait appears elsewhere in this work. Frederick Brandt died when only forty-five years of age, while his devoted widow survived until 1906, when she passed away at the age of seventy-five.

Charles Brandt attended the grammar school in the Laguna district, although he also had to help with the farm work, commencing to milk when he was only seven years old. By the time he was fourteen he had become so experienced and capable that he left school to help his widowed mother, who had 160 acres of land taken upon a squatter's claim, devoted to grain and stock, and she also bought additional land. The year after her death Charles Brandt bought a farm of 140 acres on Capitol Avenue about one-fourth mile north of Cropley Avenue, whither he removed, and in 1907, his mother's estate was distributed. In that year Mr. Brandt built his home and farm buildings, and now he has six acres of prunes, while the rest is leased, and devoted to market gardening. In 1913 Mr. Brandt purchased an additional ranch of seventy-one acres on the Silver Creek Road, devoted to the growing of hay, but this fine place he sold in 1920. He has two wells, one of ten-inch bore and the other of fourteen-inch bore, which furnish an abundance of water, also an electric turbine pump capable of throwing an unusually large stream. Mr. Brandt also became the owner of twelve acres on Calaveras Road, adjoining Milpitas on the east. The Western Pacific bought five acres of this land in 1920; that company completed its new depot and laid out the Milpitas station yards early in 1922.

A stanch Republican, but properly nonpartisan in local affairs, Mr. Brandt served for thirteen years as a member of the school board in the Laguna school district, prior to his removal to Capitol Avenue. He is a representative man of affairs, enjoying the respect and confidence of rich and poor alike. While he leases out most of his land, he continues to a hard worker, and farms thirty acres himself. Although independently well-to-do, he continues to do personal work on his farm from day to day, being ably assisted by his loyal wife and helpmate. He has made a success of everything which he has undertaken ever since he was a boy. He is the secretary of the board of directors of the Bank of Milpitas, which institution he was monumental in starting; he was a prime mover in its organization in 1911, and was a member of its first board of directors, and was serving as such when it threw open its doors for business on the second day of January, 1912. He was appointed secretary of the board in 1918, serving continuously ever since.

At San Jose on April 27, 1912, Mr. Brandt was married to Miss Emma E. Katz, a native of San Francisco and the daughter of Alexander and Charlotte Katz. The father came to San Francisco in 1852 and for a time engaged in mining, and shortly after he returned to the Bay City where for ten years he was employed as foreman in the Pioneer Flour Mills. He removed to Santa Clara County in 1875, having the foresight to see the future prospects of this section, and settled on Capitol Avenue, at the corner of Cropley Avenue, and there they reared a family of seven children: Charlotte, Alexander, Emma, Gustave, Robert, William and Albert. Gustave and Charlotte are living on the home place, and Gustave is road superintendent of District Number Three, Santa Clara County, while he is also cultivating fifteen acres devoted to prunes. Robert and William live at Salt Lake City and Albert is at Stockton. Mrs. Katz passed away a number of years ago, Alexander Katz surviving until 1910. A son of honored California pioneers, Mr. Brandt stands in the line of preferment, belonging as he does to Santa Clara's first generation. He grew up under conditions of self denial, diligence and frugality to become the successful and upright man that he is. Our commonwealth is honored by such native sons, and stands in need of men of his honesty, mental calibre and strength of character.

From Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 1066