Oscar Broady

Oscar Broady (1832–1922), was a petty officer in the Swedish navy who emigrated to the United States. During the Civil War he rose to the command of a brigade in the Union Army. After returning to Sweden as a Baptist missionary, he became the first president of the Swedish Baptist Bethel Seminary.

Oscar Broady
Birth name	Knut Oscar Brundin
Born	(1832-05-28)May 28, 1832 Uppsala, Sweden
Died	March 13, 1922(1922-03-13) (aged 89) Stockholm, Sweden
Place of burial	Norra begravningsplatsen
Allegiance	Sweden United States
Service/branch	Royal Swedish Navy Union Army
Years of service	1848–1854 1861–1864
Rank	Petty officer, RSN Lieutenant colonel, USV Brevet colonel, USV
Unit	61st New York Vols. Inf.
Commands held	Fourth Brigade, First Division, Second Army Corps, Army of the Potomac.
Battles/wars	American Civil War Battle of Yorktown Battle of Fair Oaks Seven Days' Battles Battle of Antietam Battle of Fredericksburg Battle of Chancellorsville Battle of Gettysburg Battle of Bristoe Station Mine Run Campaign Battle of the Wilderness Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse Battle of Cold Harbor Second Battle of Ream's Station. WIA
Awards	D.D. 1877 LL.D. 1916

Early life

Broady was born in Uppsala, the son of a niterworker, went to school in Stockholm, and began clerking in a store at the age of 13. At age 16 he enlisted in the Swedish navy, becoming a petty officer in 1852, and married the same year. Two years later he and his wife decided to emigrate to the United States, but his wife died at sea. In New York Broady became a convinced Baptist, and enrolled at Madison University in New York State, today's Colgate University, where he pursued his studies at the same time as preaching to a local Baptist congregation. Broady graduated with a B.A. in 1861, and entered into his second marriage shortly thereafter.[1] [2]

Civil War

When the American Civil War began, the students at Madison University raised a volunteer company, and offered it to United States service. In September 1861 the company became Company C, 61st New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, and Broady became its captain. A year later Broady was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and in the spring of 1863 he became, as lieutenant colonel, commanding officer of the regiment. In the summer of 1864 Broady became, still a lieutenant colonel, a brigade commander in the Army of the Potomac. A month later he was wounded in action at the Second Battle of Ream's Station, and had to leave his command. He was subsequently mustered out of United States, outside of Petersburg, Virginia. In 1865 Broady was brevetted colonel, United States Volunteers.[1] [3] [4]

Baptist pioneer

In 1866 Broady returned to Sweden, under his American name, as a missionary in the service of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society of Boston. In Sweden he became the first president of the Swedish Baptis Bethel Seminary, a predecessor of the Stockholm School of Theology, a position he held until 1906. Broady held a number of positions of trust in the Swedish Baptist movement, and was an avid temperance advocate. In 1877 Madison University honored him with the degree of Doctor of Divinity, and in 1916 the degree of Legum Doctor was conferred of him by its successor, the Colgate University.[5] [6]

References

1. "Knut Oscar Broady". Svenskt Biografiskt Lexikon. Retrieved 2016-10-17.
2. Hedman, Jörgen (2012). Historien om Tyska Skolan Stockholm inför 400-årsminnet av det kungliga privilegiebrevet 1612. Stockholm: Tyska Skolföreningen. p. 106-107.
3. Welcher, Frank J. (1989). The Union Army 1861-1865. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. Vol. 1, pp. 334, 856, 872.
4. "Lt. Col. Oscar K. Broady". New York State Military Museum. Retrieved 2016-10-17.
5. Meijer & al., Bernhard (1904–1926). Nordisk familjebok. Stockholm: Nordisk familjeboks förlag. Vol. 4, p. 202.
6. Byström, Jakob (1926). Betelseminariet 1866-1926. Stockholm: Föreningen Betelseminariet. p. 5-6.