The Death of Charles Branham
Life Story: Introduction • Early Life • First Pastor • The KKK • Father's Death • Ministry
Video - The death of William Branham's father
William Branham said that he did not receive a proper education because he had to leave school as a young man to care for his siblings as a result of his father’s untimely death.
How old was William Branham when his father died?
Here are the ages of the Branham children at the time of Charles’ death:
- William - (Married to Hope and had two children at the time of Charles’ death) - 27-29 years old depending on his birth date.
- Edward - Deceased. Had he been living, he would have been 27.
- Melvin - 26. (Married to Ruth and living at 805 7th St with Charles and Ella)
- Edgar - 22.
- Jesse - 20.
- Charles Jr. - Deceased. Would have been 15.
- Henry - 14.
- Howard - 13.
- Donald - 9.
- Delores - 7.
Based on newspaper reports and the death certificate, Charles Branham was 53 years old at the time of his passing after fighting an illness for 10 months.
William Branham was married at the time of his father's passing. While his stories on the tapes make it sound like his brother, father, wife, and daughter all died within two weeks of each other, the actual timeline is as follows:
- William Branham’s brother Charles died in an accident on August 5, 1935.
- Billy Paul Branham was born to William and Hope on September 13, 1935
- Sharon Rose Branham was born to William and Hope on October 27, 1936.
- William Branham’s father Charles passed away for real on November 30, 1936.
So two children were born to William and Hope between his brother's passing and his father's passing. Hope and Sharon Rose both passed away in July 1937.
Quotes of William Branham about his father's passing
- First thing, I lost my daddy. I run over to the house to see him, picked him up in my arms like that, he looked up at me like that, he smiled. A doctor had give him a dose of medicine that killed him. One overdose of strychnine for his heart, and it killed him. ‘Course, there’s nothing said about that. The undertaker covers up the doctor’s mistakes many times. Nothing I got against doctors, but I say there’s nothing said about that.[1]
- And my daddy, just before he left, he–he–he called for me. He’d been… He’d… Poor old fellow, I hate to say this. It just kills me to say it here; he died hungry. That’s right. My daddy died hungry. And he… It was during the time of the depression. We work–couldn’t work, and couldn’t find nothing to work, and he was sickly, and we was just barely making on it, just–just dividing what we could divide. But I know he was hungry, ‘cause we hadn’t eaten since the day before. [2]
- My father died early, fifty-two, with a heart attack. [3]
- When I was a boy, my father died. I had ten children to take care of, and I had to work and support my mother and the children. Then since the Lord has sent me out, why, I have–haven’t had a chance.” (53-1129)
- My father died young.” I said, “I had to work and take care of ten children.” And I said, “I–I didn’t get much education, just the seventh grade.” [4]
- I said, “Yes, sir, that’s right.” I said–I said, “I know my grammar’s awful.” I said, ”I’m sorry about that.” I said, “I was raised in a family of ten, and I was the oldest. And my daddy died, and I had to take care of ten children, and my mother…” I said, “I didn’t get a chance to get an education.”[5]
- My poor old dad that died on my arm...I was a single man. [6]
- But my father died at fifty-two; drinking killed him.[7]
- And seeing dad come down the street with Mrs. Kelly, Mr. Kelly’s house over there crying with his old black hat in his hand… In a few days later holding him in my arms as he was dying… I stood there and watched the old rocking chair without anyone in it, begin to rock back and forth as Ruth, my sister-in-law, was going to meet God.”[8]
- What do you think about Him? Your daddy died about a–two weeks ago in your arms. A doctor killed him with a dose of medicine.” Said, “Your brother, less than a month ago...Said, “There lays your wife down here in the morgue. And now, He’s taking your baby out of your arms.” Said, “You still love Him?”[9]
- Some time ago, there was a–a fellow at Fort Wayne, Indiana, said to me, he said, “Brother Branham…” And he was behind the stage at the Fort Wayne Gospel Tabernacle. He said, “It’s a shame, your grammar.” I said, “I know it’s awful.” I said, “I didn’t get an education, there’s ten of us children. And dad died, and I had to take care of the other nine.”[10]
- Brother, my daddy died drinking." [11]
- The next one to go was dad, went in a heart attack, died in my arms. I committed his soul to God: went suddenly, quick.[12]
Video Transcript
Did William Branham embellish the stories he told, or do his stories accurately represent the events as they happened?
Let’s look at just one story – here Bro. Branham explains the origins of his hillbilly English…
- He said, "Why, the people that you speak before," said, "you ought to be ashamed of that grammar."
- I said, "I am, but it doesn't do me any good. I just don't know no better."
- And he said... "Well," he said...
- I said, "When I was a boy, my father died. I had ten children to take care of, and I had to work and support my mother and the children. Then since the Lord has sent me out, why, I have--haven't had a chance." (November 29, 1953 – The Faith that was once delivered).
It’s very clear that his poor English was from a lack of education, which was a direct result of his father passing away when he was a child.
Or is it? Let’s look at the facts…
William Branham said that his father died at the age of 52:
- But my father died at fifty-two; drinking killed him.(January 22, 1956, Junction of Time)
And William Branham said that he was born when his father was 18 years old:
- ...Daddy was eighteen years old; mama was fifteen when I was born, just children. (April 15, 1951, Life Story).
So if William Branham was born when his father was 18, then he was 34 years old when his father died at the age of 52 in 1943.
Let’s call a spade a spade: William Branham did not have poor English because his father died when he was a child. It’s just not true.
So why did William Branham feel it necessary to invent the story that he was a boy when his Dad died?
Was it to make people feel sorry for him? Or do you feel that he was being completely honest with this? If he wasn’t honest regarding his childhood, how do we know he was honest about other things?
And Please don’t get mad at us, we are just letting you know what he said.
Footnotes