Jacob Brinkerhoff
Encyclopedia
Jacob Brinkerhoff was an American
jurist, Congressman, and author of the Wilmot Proviso
.
Brinkerhoff was born in Niles
, Cayuga County
, New York
. He was schooled at the academy at Prattsburgh, New York
, and studied law in the office of Howell and Bro. Two years later he moved to Mansfield, Ohio
, where in 1837 he was admitted to the bar and began to practice in partnership with Thomas W. Bartley
. In October of that year he married Carolina Campbell, who died in 1839. He married, secondly, Marian Titus, of Detroit, Michigan
, by whom he had two sons and two daughters.
He was prosecuting attorney for Richland County, Ohio
, from 1839 to 1843, and was then elected as a Democrat
to the Twenty-eighth and Twenty-ninth Congresses (March 4, 1843 - March 3, 1847), where he was chairman of the Committee on Invalid Pensions (Twenty-eighth Congress). He became affiliated with the Free Soil party
and drew up the famous resolution known as the Wilmot Proviso
; the original draft in his handwriting is in the Congressional Library.
Several copies of this resolution were made and distributed among the Free Soil members of Congress
, with the understanding that whoever among them should catch the speaker's eye and get the floor should introduce it. David Wilmot
chanced to be that man, and, therefore, the proviso bears his name instead of Brinkerhoff's.
At the close of his Congressional career, he resumed his law practice at Mansfield. In 1856, he was elected to Ohio Supreme Court, where he served as Chief Justice
from 1859 until 1871, being succeeded by Josiah Scott. He became affiliated with the Republican Party
on its formation in 1856, and was an alternate delegate to Republican National Convention from Ohio in 1868. He died in Mansfield, and was buried in Mansfield Cemetery.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jurist, Congressman, and author of the Wilmot Proviso
Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso, one of the major events leading to the Civil War, would have banned slavery in any territory to be acquired from Mexico in the Mexican War or in the future, including the area later known as the Mexican Cession, but which some proponents construed to also include the disputed...
.
Brinkerhoff was born in Niles
Niles, New York
Niles is a town in Cayuga County, New York, United States. The population was 1,194 at the 2010 census. The Town of Niles lies in the eastern part of the county southeast of Auburn, New York.- History :...
, Cayuga County
Cayuga County, New York
Cayuga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Its county seat is Auburn.- History :...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was schooled at the academy at Prattsburgh, New York
Prattsburgh, New York
Prattsburgh is a town in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 2,064 at the 2000 census.The Town of Prattsburgh is in the northeast part of the county, north of Bath, New York.- History :...
, and studied law in the office of Howell and Bro. Two years later he moved to Mansfield, Ohio
Mansfield, Ohio
Mansfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Richland County. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio in the western foothills of the Allegheny Plateau, approximately southwest of Cleveland and northeast of Columbus....
, where in 1837 he was admitted to the bar and began to practice in partnership with Thomas W. Bartley
Thomas W. Bartley
Thomas Welles Bartley was a Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Ohio. He served as the 17th Governor of Ohio...
. In October of that year he married Carolina Campbell, who died in 1839. He married, secondly, Marian Titus, of Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, by whom he had two sons and two daughters.
He was prosecuting attorney for Richland County, Ohio
Richland County, Ohio
Richland County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 124,475. It is included in the Mansfield, Ohio, Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Mansfield–Bucyrus Combined Statistical Area....
, from 1839 to 1843, and was then elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the Twenty-eighth and Twenty-ninth Congresses (March 4, 1843 - March 3, 1847), where he was chairman of the Committee on Invalid Pensions (Twenty-eighth Congress). He became affiliated with the Free Soil party
Free Soil Party
The Free Soil Party was a short-lived political party in the United States active in the 1848 and 1852 presidential elections, and in some state elections. It was a third party and a single-issue party that largely appealed to and drew its greatest strength from New York State. The party leadership...
and drew up the famous resolution known as the Wilmot Proviso
Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso, one of the major events leading to the Civil War, would have banned slavery in any territory to be acquired from Mexico in the Mexican War or in the future, including the area later known as the Mexican Cession, but which some proponents construed to also include the disputed...
; the original draft in his handwriting is in the Congressional Library.
Several copies of this resolution were made and distributed among the Free Soil members of Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, with the understanding that whoever among them should catch the speaker's eye and get the floor should introduce it. David Wilmot
David Wilmot
David Wilmot was a U.S. political figure. He was a sponsor and eponym of the Wilmot Proviso which aimed to ban slavery in land gained from Mexico in the Mexican-American War of 1846–1848. Wilmot was a Democrat, a Free Soiler, and a Republican during his political career...
chanced to be that man, and, therefore, the proviso bears his name instead of Brinkerhoff's.
At the close of his Congressional career, he resumed his law practice at Mansfield. In 1856, he was elected to Ohio Supreme Court, where he served as Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
from 1859 until 1871, being succeeded by Josiah Scott. He became affiliated with the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
on its formation in 1856, and was an alternate delegate to Republican National Convention from Ohio in 1868. He died in Mansfield, and was buried in Mansfield Cemetery.