Lorenzo Brentano

Lorenzo Brentano (November 4 1813 - September 18 1891) was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.

Born as "Lorenz Peter Carl Brentano" in Mannheim, Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany, Brentano studied jurisprudence at the Universities of Heidelberg and Freiburg. He practiced before the supreme court of Baden.

Brentano was elected to the Chamber of Deputies and in 1848 to the Frankfurt Parliament. He served as president of the provisional republic of Baden established by the revolutionists in 1849. He was sentenced to imprisonment for life after the failure of the revolution, but sought refuge in the United States. He settled in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1859. He was admitted to the bar in 1859 and commenced practice in Chicago. He became editor-in-chief and principal proprietor of the "Illinois Staats-Zeitung". He served as member of the Illinois House of Representatives in 1862. He served as member of the Chicago Board of Education 1862-1868. He served as delegate to the 1864 Republican National Convention. He was appointed United States consul at Dresden in 1872 and served until April 1876.

Brentano was elected as a Republican to the Forty-fifth Congress (March 4 1877-March 3 1879). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1878. He engaged in literary pursuits. He died in Chicago, and was interred in Graceland Cemetery.

References

*CongBio|B000804