Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/443

 BROMWELL.

BROOKE.

trade as a merchant at Canton, invested his money in Boston, where he liberally dispensed it in assisting worthy charitable institutions. He endowed the Boston Athenaeum with the sum of twenty -five thousand dollars. His memoir, written by Josiah Quincy, was published in 1850. He died in Boston, Mass., Dec. 8, 1849.

BROMWELL, Jacob H., representative, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, May 11, 1847. He was graduated from the higli school in 1864, and subsequently taught in that city for seventeen years. In 1870 he was graduated from the Cin- cinnati law college, and for four years was as- sistant solicitor of Hamilton county. In 1894 he was elected a representative to the 53d Congress, on the Republican ticket, to fill the unexpired term of John A. Caldwell who resigned, and at the same time and b\' the same vote was elected to the 54th Congress. He was elected to tlie 55th, 56th and 57th congresses, serving 1897-1903.

BRONDEL, John Baptiste, first R. C. bishop of Helena, Montana, was born in the municipality of Bruges, Belgium, in 1842. He received his preliminary education at schools in the immediate vicinity of his native place, and later continued his studies in the American college of the Uni- versity of Louvain, and was elevated to the priesthood in 1864 at Mechlin. In 1866 he volun- teered for the missions in America, and went to Washington territory. The Rt. Rev. A. M. A. Blanchet was then bishop of Nesqually, and took the young priest under his charge. In 1867 he was appointed rector at Steilacoom. He re- mained at this post for ten years, acting as mis- sionary for all the surrounding country. In 1877 Father Brondel was transferred to Walla Walla, but after a year's service in this place was re- turned to Steilacoom. About this time there was a vacancy in the see of Vancouver Island, and Father Brondel was elected by the Pope to fill the vacancy. He was consecrated on Dec. 14, 1879, and served in this field until 1883, when he was appointed administrator of the vicariate apostolic of Montana, and in 1884 was made first bishop of Helena. He was particularly successful with the Indians under his charge, who came to look up to him as a father. His great popularity among the different tribes was of inestimable benefit, not only to the Catholic church, but to the United States government. He established various Indian schools scattered throughout his diocese, and placed them under the care of the Jesuit fathers, the sisters of charity, and the Ursuline sisters, while the sisters of Providence and the sisters of the Good Shepherd engaged in hospital and charitable work. Bishop Brondel placed his see in the city of Helena, and oflSciated at the cathedral of the Sacred Heart, where he had two assistants.

BRONSON, Greene Carrier, jurist, was born at Oneida, N. Y., in 1789. He practised law at Utica, N. Y., for many years, was elected surro gate of Oneida county in 1819, sat in the assembly in 1822, and from 1829 to 1836 filled the ofiice of attorney-general. In 1836 he was made a justice of sessions. In 1845 he was raised to the chief justiceship of the supreme court, and in 1847 be- came one of the judges of the newly established court of appeals. He afterwards removed to New York, where he practised his profession, and en- gaged in speculations which proved disastrous. In 1853 President Pierce made him collector of the port of New York. In 1856 he was the unsuccess- ful Democratic candidate for governor of the .state, and from 1856 to 1863 he was corporation counsel of the city. He died in Saratoga, N. Y,, Sept. 3, 1863.

BROOKE, Francis T., jurist, was born in Smithfield, Va., Aug. 27, 1763. His paternal grandfather came to Virginia about 1715. Fran- cis received a good education and was appointed 1st lieutenant in General Harrison's regiment of artillery in 1780; served under Lafayette in 1781; commanded a company in Colonel Febiger's regi- ment and joined General Green at Charleston, S.C. He returned to Virginia in 1783; was admitted to the bar in 1788, and practised in Mor- gantown, Va. He was attorney for the common- wealth and a member of the house of delegates, 1794. He removed to Fredericksburg, Va., in 1796 ; was elected state senator in 1800 and sub- sequently was speaker of the senate. He was elected judge of the court of appeals in 1804, was presiding judge eight years and was re- elected in 1831, serving vmtil his death. He was married in October, 1791, to Mary Randolph, daughter of General Spotswood and a niece of George Washington. Their son Francis J., born in 1802, was graduated from the U.S. military academy in 1826, and was kiUed at the battle of Okeechobee, Dec. 25, 1837. Judge Brooke died in Fredericksburg, Va., in 1851.

BROOKE, Francis Key, 1st missionary bishop of Oklahoma and Indian territory, and 165tli in succession in the American episcopate, was born in Gambler, Ohio, Nov. 2, 1852, son of John Thomas Brooke, D.D. He was graduated from Kenyon college in 1874; was ordained a deacon Nov. 21, 1875, and admitted to the priest- hood May 6, 1877. The early portion of his cleri- cal life was passed in his native state, where he served successively at Grace church, College Hill ; Christ church, Portsmouth; St. James's, Piqua; and Grace church, Sandusky. From 1886 to 1888, he was rector of St. Peter's, St. Louis, when he moved to Kansas, accepting the charge of Trinity parish, Atchison, where he remained until 1892. He was a lecturer on ethics and apologetics in the