BRENTS, Thomas Hurley
(1840—1916)
BRENTS, Thomas Hurley, a Delegate from the Territory of Washington; born near
Florence, Pike County, Ill., December 24, 1840; attended the common schools,
Portland (Oreg.) Academy, Baptist Seminary, Oregon City, Oreg., and McMinnville
(Oreg.) College; justice of the peace in 1862; engaged in the general mercantile
business at Canyon City, Oreg., 1863-1866; postmaster of Canyon City in 1863 and
1864; clerk of Grant County, Oreg., 1864-1866; delegate to the Union-Republican
convention of Oregon in 1866; member of the State house of representatives in
1866; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1866 and commenced practice in San
Francisco, Calif., in 1867; moved to Walla Walla, Wash., in 1870; city attorney
of Walla Walla in 1871 and 1872; presided over the Republican Territorial
convention at Vancouver in 1874; elected as a Republican to the Forty-sixth,
Forty-seventh, and Forty-eighth Congresses (March 4, 1879-March 3, 1885);
unsuccessful candidate for
renomination in 1884; resumed the practice of law; judge of the superior court
of Walla Walla 1896-1913; died in Walla Walla, Wash., October 23, 1916;
interment in Blue Mountain Cemetery.
Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present;
Contributed by A. Newell.