Background
Brent was born at Portuguese Tobacco, Maryland, on 1784 February 20, the nephew of Virginia congressman Richard Brent.
United States representative politician
Brent was born at Portuguese Tobacco, Maryland, on 1784 February 20, the nephew of Virginia congressman Richard Brent.
He studied law and was admitted to the bar of Maryland and moved to Louisiana about 1809 and commenced the practice of law there.
Brent was appointed by President James Madison as Deputy Attorney General for the western district of the Territory of Orleans. In 1822 he was elected as an Adams-Clay Republican to the Eighteenth Congress and as an Adams Republican to the Nineteenth, and Twentieth Congresses. He served from 1823 March 4 to 1829 March 3.
Brent resumed the practice of law in Louisiana and in Washington, District of Columbia He died in Saint Martinville, Louisiana, on 1848 July 7.
He is buried there in Saint Martin’s Catholic Cemetery.
Representative Brent was a founding member of Louisiana"s Whig Party, but was not again a candidate for public office.