A life that for more than the allotted three score and ten years had been devoted to the aid of his fellow men was brought to a close at 8:15 Saturday evening, when Emil C. Brendel passed away at his home, 315 Third Avenue West. Having become somewhat broken in health while serving his adopted country during the Civil War, he had been in failing health for a number of years and his death Saturday night was not entirely unexpected. The funeral services will be held at the residence Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock, and will be in charge of T. Z Cook post, G. A. R. Rev. W. A. Pratt, pastor of the Universalist church, will conduct the services.

Biographical

Emil C. Brendel was born in Erlangen, Germany, on New Year's Day, 1834. His boyhood days were spent in that place, and he later entered the Erlangen University, where he took up the study of medicine. He came to this country when twenty years of age, coming west with the hundreds and thousands of other young men who sought fame and fortune in what was then practically an unsettled country. Springfield, Ill., a city that at that time was looked upon as one of the future important trade and manufacturing centers of the west, attracted him, and it was here that he opened up an office and started on his professional career as a physician. His office in Springfield was in the same building as that of a young man who was destined to be the future president of the union, Abraham Lincoln, and he and Lincoln became warm friends. Dr. Brendel at this time spoke only his mother tongue, German, and was thus badly handicapped by being unable to speak English. He was frequently the butt of good-natured bantering on this account by the other occupants of the building, and after a while Lincoln took it upon himself to teach him what he could of the English language. As the great struggle for right came on between the north and the south, their sympathies solidified their acquaintance into a lasting friendship. At the outbreak of the war Lincoln was called to the presidency, and Dr. Brendel beame a surgeon in the Eighty-second infantry, Colonel Hecker's famous regiment. He served in this capacity for three months, and was then annexed to the medical corps of the regular army. He served at New Orleans, Vicksburg, Chattanooga and, in fact, all through the south. The strenuous duties, however, that were laid out for both he and the martyred president did not make either forget the other, and letters were frequently exchanged. The doctor also had in his possession a photograph of Lincoln which had been given to him personally.

At the close of the war he was sent to Andersonville prison, and had charge of the removal of the prisoners from that hotbed of disease and filth back to their homes in the north. Shortly after this he returned to Illinois and settled at Peoria, where in July, 1865, he was united in marriage to Miss Lena Denhart of that city. In August of that same year he migrated to Iowa and settled at Keokuk where he engaged in the practice of medicine. Some years later he again moved back to Peoria, where he lived until 1879, when he came to Cedar Rapids, occupying a home on Fourth Avenue and Sixth street. Four years later he moved to 315 Third Avenue West, where he resided until the time of his death. As a scientist, Dr. Brendel was always greatly interested in insects, and during his service in the army and his subsequent travels he collected scores of valuable specimens. Shortly after the war he was engaged by the government to make a special study of certain kinds of insect life, and in this capacity he visited practically every state in the union. After his removal to this city he compiled a book which was later published by the State University of Iowa, he making all the drawings of the different insects and writing the entire book. He also made drawings for a number of books which were published by European authors. In the Masonic library in this city may be seen a handsome and valuable collection of insects which was loaned by the doctor. He also had an extensive collection in his home at the time of his death. He was a member of several scientific associations, prominent among them was the Peoria Scientific association. The deceased was a member of T. Z. Cook post, G. A. R., of this city, and for a number of years was the post physician. Besides his wife, he is survived by two sons - Frederick, who is connected with the News-Press at St. Joseph, Mo., and who arrived in this city yesterday, and Emil, Jr., of this city; one daughter, Gertrude, also of this city, and one brother, Frederick C. Brendel of Peoria, Ill. The brother is 87 years of age and will not be able to be present at the funeral.