BRENTON, Samnel, clergyman, born in Gallatin County, Kentucky, 22 November, 1810; died in Fort Wayne, Indiana, 29 March, 1857. He received an English education, and at the age of twenty entered the Methodist ministry and served as a preacher until 1848, when he suffered a stroke of paralysis. During his ministry he had studied law, and was admitted to the bar. He served for a year as registrar in the land office at Fort Wayne, and in 1851 was elected as a Whig to congress. He was defeated for the next congress, but in the mean time had been chosen president of Fort Wayne College and filled the office acceptably until 1854, when he was re-elected as a republican to the 34th and 35th congresses.