Anna and Joseph Brandl II

Anna and Joseph Brandl II died in one of Sheboygan's most tragic and gruesome accidents. The tragedy of their deaths was compounded by the number of children left behind after their passing. Both Anna and Joseph are buried at the Calvary Cemetery, where they were laid to rest after a closed casket service. They were survived by their 13 children.

Joseph was born in New Ulm, Minnesota on June 10, 1906, as one of sixteen children. His family moved to Manitowoc, where he later met his wife Anna. Anna was born in Manitowoc County on February 15, 1909, one of nine children.

Joseph and Anna were married on January 18, 1926 and moved to Sheboygan soon after. Joseph worked as a foreman at the Garton Toy Factory. The Garton Toy Factory still stands but has been converted into an apartment complex.

Both coming from large families, they had thirteen children, who at the time of the accident were the following ages:

• Earl, 25
• Donald, 24
• Dorothy, 23
• Joseph Jr., 21
• Betty, 19
• James, 17
• Robert, 16
• William, 15
• Eugene, 14
• Nancy, 12
• Jackie, 11
• Daniel, 9
• Dale, 8

On Sunday, October 21, 1951, Joseph and Anna left for an afternoon drive in the country. They took these drives often, and usually enjoyed them with their youngest children along, but they decided to go alone that day. At 3:28pm, their 1941 two-door sedan was hit by the Milwaukee Road’s passenger train, “the Chippewa,” when it was crossing County Road N, one mile north of Waldo.

Their car ran into the side of the engine – the impact was so strong it sent the motor flying out of the sedan, 225 feet into an adjoining field. Due to the lack of seatbelts, which would not become mandatory by law until 1968, Joseph and Anna were thrown out of the vehicle and into the side of the speeding passenger car. Joseph was thrown 33 feet from the crash. Anna was decapitated by the impact.

The train engineer said that the proper intersection signal was sounded but the car did not slow down and stop until it was too late. A closed casket funeral was held that following Wednesday at Gerend’s Funeral home. Anna and Joseph were survived by 13 children and 3 grandchildren. 

"Parents of 13 Children Die Sunday." Sheboygan Press (Sheboygan) October 22nd, 1951.