Robert Brooke was a soldier and Virginia political figure who served as the tenth Governor of Virginia.
Background
Brooke (England) AND Taliaferro (Venice, Italy)
Father Richard Brooke, b. 1732
Mother Ann Hay Taliaferro, b. 7 September 1731
Robert Brooke (c1761—d 27 February 1800, Fredericksburg, Virginia)
Married 1786 Mary Ritchie
Children: Richard Brooke, b.
14 August 1787
Descendants: Many living 2009.
Related to Washington family.
Descended from Patrick Henry"s family (John Fontaine m Martha Henry). Patrick Henry"s family descended from General
Alexander Spottswood"s family of Virginia, of "Knights of the Golden Horshoe" history.
Education
He was educated at Edinburgh University, and on returning home at the beginning of the revolution was captured by Howe, British admiral, and sent back to England, whence he went to Scotland, then to France, and reached Virginia in a French vessel carrying arms for the continentals.
Career
About 1795, Robert Brooke built his home upon Federal Hill, which looked over Sandy Bottom to Marye"s Heights, a thousand yards away. He joined Captain Larkin Smith"s company of cavalry, was captured near Richmond by Simcoe in 1781, was exchanged, and rejoined the army. In 1794 he represented Spotsylvania county in the house of delegates, and on December 1, of the same year, was elected governor and served two years.
He was a Democratic-Republican, and in 1798 was elected attorney-general of the state, over Bushrod Washington, nephew of General Washington.
Brooke was a Freemason in Virginia, 1795-1797. and in November 1795 succeeded John Marshall as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Virginia. He died while still attorney-general.
The county of Brooke, formed from Ohio county Virginia., now in West Virginia is called, Brooke County, West Virginia, and was named in his honor.