Benjamin H. Brewster

Benjamin Harris Brewster, born on October 13, 1816, and deceased on April 4, 1888, was an American attorney who held the office of United States Attorney General from 1881 to 1885. His career spanned several decades in both state and federal government, culminating in his appointment by President Chester A. Arthur to the highest legal position within the Department of Justice.

Early life and career

Brewster entered the world in Salem, New Jersey, but he was raised primarily in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He came from a family with deep roots in American history; his mother, Maria Hampton, descended from Dr. John Thomas Hampton, a Revolutionary War soldier who had been close to Thomas Jefferson. His grandmother, Mercy Harris‑Hampton, was the daughter of Benjamin Harris, known as the “fighting Quaker” of the same war. The name Benjamin Harris Brewster honored this ancestor.

His father, Francis Enoch Brewster, traced his lineage back to William Brewster, a Mayflower passenger. A prominent Philadelphia lawyer, Francis had abandoned Maria for another woman and left two children from that relationship. In the family’s will, Francis named his sons Frederick Carroll Brewster and Enoch Carroll Brewster as sole beneficiaries; Benjamin fought in court to secure a share of the estate for his sister Anne Hampton Brewster, an early female foreign correspondent who defied social conventions by refusing marriage, converting to Catholicism, and living independently.

Brewster received a classical education at Princeton College, graduating in 1834. He earned the degrees of A.B., A.M., and LL.D. Afterward he studied law under Eli Kirk Price, a noted Philadelphia lawyer and legal reformer who led the local bar association. Brewster was admitted to practice on January 5, 1838.

In 1857 he married Elizabeth von Myerbach de Reinfeldts, the widow of Dr. Shulte of Paris. Elizabeth died in 1868; thereafter Brewster spent many vacations with her parents near Cologne, Germany. He remarried on July 12, 1870 to Mary Walker, a woman born in Mississippi who was descended from several prominent American families, including the Baches and Dallases. Mary had previously been married to Adrien Deslonde; after their divorce she bore Benjamin one son, Benjamin Harris Brewster, Jr., born October 22, 1872.

Brewster’s professional life began with a federal appointment in 1846 when President James K. Polk named him commissioner to adjudicate claims of the Cherokee against the United States government. In 1867 Governor John W. Geary appointed him Attorney General of Pennsylvania, a position he held until his elevation to the national stage.

During his tenure as state attorney general, Brewster served as chief prosecutor in the case involving the U.S. Postal Service’s Star Route Frauds. The case was significant for its investigation into fraudulent postal delivery contracts, though specific outcomes are not detailed here.

Cabinet tenure

In 1881 President Chester A. Arthur appointed Benjamin H. Brewster to serve as United States Attorney General. His appointment was confirmed by the Senate, and he held the office until the end of Arthur’s term in 1885. As attorney general, Brewster led the Department of Justice during a period marked by post‑Civil War reconstruction and industrial expansion. The role required oversight of federal prosecutions, legal advice to the executive branch, and coordination with other federal agencies. While specific policy initiatives or landmark cases from his tenure are not listed in the available records, his service spanned four years of national governance.

Brewster’s term coincided with a broader effort by the Arthur administration to strengthen federal law enforcement and address corruption. His background as a seasoned prosecutor and former state attorney general positioned him to manage complex legal matters at the national level. The confirmation process reflected Senate confidence in his qualifications, though vote tallies are not recorded here.

After completing his service as attorney general, Brewster returned to private practice and continued to be involved in public affairs until his death in 1888.

Legacy

Benjamin H. Brewster’s legacy is rooted in his long career of legal service at both state and federal levels. His work as a commissioner for Cherokee claims demonstrated early engagement with Native American issues, while his role as Pennsylvania Attorney General showcased his commitment to upholding the law within his home state. As United States Attorney General, he presided over the Department of Justice during a formative era in American legal history.

Brewster’s family connections extended into subsequent generations of public service. His great‑grandson Daniel Baugh Brewster served as a U.S. Senator from Maryland and held positions in both the House of Representatives and the state legislature, illustrating a continued tradition of civic involvement within the family line.

He died on April 4, 1888, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was interred at Woodlands Cemetery. His burial site remains a point of historical interest for those studying the era’s legal figures. Through his various roles—commissioner, state attorney general, chief prosecutor, and federal attorney general—Brewster contributed to the development and enforcement of American law during the late nineteenth century.