David Brooks (1756 – August 30, 1838) was an officer in the Continental Army in the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...

and a United States representative from New York. Brooks was born in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

in the Province of Pennsylvania and attended the public schools there. In 1776, he entered the Continental Army as a lieutenant. He was captured at Fort Washington on November 16, 1776. He was a prisoner-of-war for over three years, finally being exchanged in January 1780. As a parolee, he was not allowed in combat again, so he was appointed assistant clothier general. During the 1780s, Brooks studied law, was admitted to the bar, and began practicing law. He was an original member of the Society of the Cincinnati upon its founding in 1783. He moved to

New York County, New York New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

(modern-day Manhattan) and was a member of the New York state assembly from 1787 to 1788. Brooks then moved to

Dutchess County, New York Dutchess County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 295,911. The county seat is the city of Poughkeepsie. The county was created in 1683, one of New York's first twelve counties, and later or ...

and again was a member of the New York state assembly from 1794 to 1796. In 1795, Brooks was also made a judge of Dutchess County, a job he would keep until 1807 in spite of the fact that, at various times, he would be concurrently a state or federal legislator or a federal officer. In 1796, Brooks was elected to the House of Representatives, serving from March 4, 1797, to March 4, 1799. He ran failed campaigns for reelection in 1798 and 1800. In the 19th century, Brooks was appointed as a commissioner to negotiate a treaty with the Seneca people. In 1807, Brooks finally left his job as judge of Dutchess County to become clerk of Dutchess County, a job he held from June 5, 1807, to January 25, 1809, from February 9, 1810, to February 11, 1811, and again from February 23, 1813, to February 13, 1815. Brooks was also served on the New York state assembly again in 1810. Brooks was later appointed an officer in the United States Custom Service. He died in

Poughkeepsie, New York Poughkeepsie ( ), officially the City of Poughkeepsie, separate from the Town of Poughkeepsie around it) is a city in the U.S. state of New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsi ...

on August 30, 1838.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brooks, David 1756 births 1838 deaths Politicians from Philadelphia People of colonial Pennsylvania People of the Province of New York Continental Army officers from Pennsylvania Prisoners of war held by the United Kingdom Federalist Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state)