Robert Brent

Brent was born in 1764, on the Woodstock estate in Aquia, Virginia, to parents Robert Brent and Anne Carroll Brent. In 1789 or 1787, Brent married Mary Young—the daughter of Notley Young, a plantation owner in Prince George's County, Maryland.[2] The couple resided on the Young family property after their marriage, and a few years later, Young's property was among those annexed by the Federal government for the new national capital, making Brent one of the first residents of the newly created Washington City. He soon took over his father's businesses, selling sandstone to the U.S. government for the White House, U.S. Capitol, and other early construction projects in the District of Columbia and thereby becoming one of the capital's most prominent merchants.

In 1802 Congress officially incorporated the city, including in its incorporation a directive for a mayor to be appointed annually by the President of the United States. On June 3, 1802 Thomas Jefferson wrote to Brent,[3] informing Brent of his intention to appoint Brent as mayor of the city. Brent replied accepting the appointment that same day: "Altho I feel great diffidence in the talents I possess for executing that duty, in a manner which may afford general satisfaction, yet feeling it a duty to contribute my feeble aid for the public service, I will venture upon its duties."[4]

Brent was reappointed to the position seven times by Jefferson and three times by James Madison, finally relinquishing the position in June 1812. During his tenure, he essentially created the city government from the ground up — establishing markets, public schools, a police department, a fire department, and a system for taxation. In addition, since city planner Pierre L'Enfant had been dismissed before completion of his design, Brent was responsible for laying out many of the streets in the new city.[5] In ten terms as mayor, Brent took no salary.[6]

During his lifetime, Brent also served as Paymaster-General of the United States Army,[7] Judge of the Orphan's Court for Washington County,[8] and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Public Schools. He was the first president of the Patriotic Bank and of the Columbia Manufacturing Co.[2][9]

Brent's home was located on the southeast corner of the present 12th Street and Maryland Avenue SW in Washington, DC, but he owned land throughout the region, including parts of Montgomery County, Maryland, and Washington County. His landholdings were largely inherited through his father's family, his mother's family (the Carrolls of Maryland), and his father-in-law.

In 1817 Brent had the Brentwood Mansion constructed in Washington County (the mansion site - Florida Ave and 6th Street NE is now part of the Gallaudet University campus in Northeast DC) as a present for his daughter Eleanor on her marriage to Congressman Joseph Pearson (Federalist - N.C.). Brentwood was designed by one of the Capitol's architects, Benjamin Henry Latrobe. The Prince George's County, Maryland, towns of Brentwood and North Brentwood and the DC neighborhood of Brentwood (which formed most of the original estate) take their names from his home.

Brent died in Washington, DC, on 7 September 1819.

Robert Brent Elementary School in Washington, D.C. is named in his honor.

• Robert Brent: Friend of Thomas Jefferson and Washington City's First Mayor