BRENTON. 49 



8. JAHLEEL BRENTON. 



JAHLEEL BRENTON was born August 22, 1770, in Rhode Island. He removed 

 to England with his Loyalist father in 1780. In 1781 he embarked as midshipman 

 in the armed Queen, of which his father was then commander, and in 1783-1785 

 he spent two years in a maritime school at Chelsea. In March 1790 he passed 

 his examination for lieutenant and, seeing no chance for active service in England, 

 enlisted in the Swedish navy against the Russians in the gulf of Finland, return- 

 ing to England in November of the same year. During the next ten years he won 

 distinction in minor actions. His most brilliant success was fought with a flotilla 

 of Franco-Neapolitan vessels outside of Naples in May 1801. Here he was severely 

 wounded. Thenceforth, unable to bear sea service, he did shore service and took 

 an active part in philanthropic work in association with his brother, Captain 

 Edward P. Brenton, a writer on naval and military history. 



Thalassophilia is a family trait. The propositus went to sea at the age of 

 11 years. His two brothers and their father were all naval officers, respectively 

 lieutenant at the time when killed in action, captain, and rear admiral in the 

 British navy. Jahleel's son Jervis "from his infancy expressed a wish to follow " 

 his father's profession "and had appeared confirmed in the resolution"; he went 

 to sea with his father at the age of 11 years; but this son died at 16 years. The 

 propositus, after being wounded, explored (in 1817) the country to the north of 

 the Knyzna, in South Africa. 



Brenton was a good administrator. With his brother Edward he organized 

 a reformatory for juvenile delinquents. Their great-great-grandfather, William 

 Brenton, was governor of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (1666-1669). 

 William Brenton's sons held important positions in the colony. 



There is evidently conservatism rather than radicalism; calmness under dis- 

 appointment; capacity for enduring hardships; firmness and self-reliance. "His 

 taste so refined, his manners so gentle, his kindness so constant, that much of what 

 the world calls goodness seemed to grow up in him spontaneously and cost him 

 nothing. He was amiable without an effort, benevolent without reflection, and 

 habitually thinking more of others than himself." Such a man would naturally 

 take an interest in reforms. Probably it was this same conservatism which was in 

 his father and led him to refuse the proffers of high rank in the colonial navy and 

 to abandon his property in America rather than his allegiance to his king. 



It appears that Jahleel was an artist also, and as a youth seriously con- 

 sidered becoming a painter, especially of landscapes, for scenery always awakened 

 an esthetic sense in him. 



FAMILY HISTORY OP SIR JAHLEEL BRENTON. 



II (F F F F), William Brenton, settled as a merchant in Boston in 1634, and was the 

 following year chosen a deputy of the general court. Later he removed to Rhode Island, of 

 which colony he was, in 1667-1668, governor. He died in 1674. 12 (F F F M), Mary Burton. 

 13 (F M F F), John Cranston, born in England about 1620, came to Rhode Island and was 

 appointed major and given command of the militia during King Philip's war. He served as 

 deputy governor and, in 1678, was elected governor, serving till his death in 1680. I 4 (F M F M), 

 Mary Clarke. I 5, Walter Clarke (1640-1714), was colonial governor of Rhode Island in 1676- 

 1677, 1686, 1696-1698, and frequently acted as deputy governor. 



Fraternity of F F F: II 1, Sarah Brenton. II 2, Joseph Eliot (see Foote family). II 3, 

 Ebenezer Brenton. II 4, Jahleel Brenton, collector, surveyor, and searcher of the customs 

 within the colonies of New England. II 6 (F F F), William Brenton. II 7 (F F M), Martha 



