admin CAPTAIN HENRY W. BRENDEL, former Collector of United States Customs of the Port of Buffalo, is also an able lawyer. Of German extraction, his father, Peter Brendel, was born in Bavaria in 1835. Peter Brendel came to Buffalo in the 50’s, where he learned the cooper trade, which he followed for a number of years, later engaging in farming.
Henry W. Brendel was born in Buffalo December 10, 1857, and was educated in the public schools. He then entered the law office of Hawkins & Fischer, remaining one year, when he became a clerk in the office of Delavan F. Clark. He was admitted to the bar in January, 1879, and the same year he formed a law partnership with Gen. James C. Strong. When later this copartnership was dissolved, Mr. Brendel practiced alone until he became associated with exAssemblyman Frank W. Standart. After his retirement from the Collectorship in the spring of 1906, Mr. Brendel resumed the practice of law, entering into partnership with his former associate, Mr. Standart, and with Francis Bagot, under the present firm name of Brendel, Standart & Bagot. April 1st, 1878, he enlisted as a private in Company D, of the Seventy-Fourth Regiment, in the N. G. N. Y. Subsequently he was transferred to the Sixty Fifth Regiment, being commissioned Second Lieutenant in Company I, and later as Captain. He saw active service during the railroad strike in East Buffalo in 1893, in the Tonawanda lumber strike of ’93, and in the Spanish- American War. In August, 1895, he received a gold medal for twenty-five years of continuous service in the National Guard.
When the Spanish-American War broke out. Captain Brendel, then in command of Company I, 65th Regiment, volunteered and accompanied his regiment during the campaign, serving from May 1, 1898, until mustered out November 19th of the same year.
During the decade from 1885 to 1896 he was one of the recognized Republican leaders in Erie County, and is at the present time among the most prominent members of the party. For a number of years he served as a member of the Republican Executive Committee, and Treasurer for three years.
October 7th, 1897, Mr. Brendel was appointed by President McKinley Collector of Customs for the port of Buffalo. Mr. Brendel is interested in several leading Buffalo business enterprises. He is a Mason of the 32d degree. Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, a member of Modestia Lodge of Masons and of Lake Erie Commandery, Knights Templar. He is a Director of the Buffalo Orpheus, and a member of the Saengerbund, the Teutonia Maennerchor, and other singing societies. On the occasion of the Saengerfest of the North American Saengerbund, in 1901, Mr. Brendel was a member of the Board of Directors, served on the Finance Committee, and was Treasurer of the organization. He belongs to the Harugari, the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences, Treasurer of the German Society of Buffalo, Treasurer of the German Alliance of Buffalo, and St. Stephen’s Evangelical Church.
December 6, 1891, Mr. Brendel married Augusta Haupt, daughter of Frederick and Henrietta (Fuchs) Haupt. They have two daughters, Freda H. and Elsa Brendel.
SOURCE: Memorial and Family History of Erie County New York; Volume I