Branham's father was an alcoholic, and he grew up in "deep poverty" much like their neighbors.[4] As a child, he would often wear a coat held closed only by safety pins, without a shirt underneath.[6] Branham's neighbors reported him as "someone who always seemed a little different", but said he was a dependable youth.[4] His tendency towards "mystical experiences and moral purity" caused misunderstandings among his friends, family, and other young people; he was a "black sheep" from an early age.[10] Branham called his childhood "a terrible life."[9]