History of William Brookfield

WILLIAM BROOKFIELD

MANY of the most prominent citizens in the Empire State are men who, while they have attained recognition in commercial circles through close attention to their business affairs, with patriotic spirit have yet found time to interest themselves in the cause of good government in city, State and nation. Of such men in Republican Party in the Empire State claims as one of its most prominent representatives William Brookfield, who, while he has never consented to accept the nomination for an elective office, and has held no political office save that of Commissioner of Public Works under Mayor Strong, (and that even was resigned by him in a few months) has been honored by his party with many marks of its esteem, and has frequently lain aside his private business to devote himself to political affairs.

WILLIAM BROOKFIELD was born at Greenbank, New Jersey, May 24, 1844, and is the son of James M. and Catharine A. Brookfield. His great-grandfather was born in Norway, of Irish parents, but came to New Jersey while still a young man. His grandfather was born in that State, as was also his father. After a preliminary education in the common schools of his native town, followed by a course in the academics at Bethany and Honesdale, Pennsylvania, he entered the Cayuga Lake Academy, at Aurora, New York, and remained there until 1861. The six months following were spent as a clerk in a country store. Being then but sixteen years of age, he entered business with his father in the State Street Glass Works, and later in the South Brooklyn Glass Works. In September, 1864, they started the Bushwick Glass Works, at Williamsburg, to which Mr. Brookfield has since given the greater part of his attention, and of which he is now the sole proprietor. Besides his connection with this establishment, Mr. Brookfield is President of the Sheldon Axle Company, Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, the Franklin Loan and Improvement company of New Jersey; is Vice-President of the Addison and Pennsylvania Railway Company, and a Director in the Augusta Manganese Company, the Greenwich Insurance Company and the Kings County Fire Insurance Company, besides holding membership in the New York Chamber of Commerce, the Consolidated Stock and Petroleum Exchange, the Board of Trade and Transportation, and the New York Produce Exchange. Mr. Brookfield's prominence in the business to which he devotes the bulk of his attention was ably demonstrated when he was elected to the Presidency of the National Association of Glass Manufacturers, which he held for five years.

Mr. Brookfield is a Trustee of Wells College, ex-President of St. John's Guild, to which he has devoted a great deal of his time and energy. He is an attendant of Rev. Dr. John Hall's Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, taking a deep interest in and being a large contributor to a number of the most worthy benevolent and charitable institutions in the city.

Always actively interested in political affairs, Mr. Brookfield has long been prominent in the Twenty-first District, and has held a leading position in Republican politics in New York City. He has never consented to accept an elective office, but was, however, Presidential Elector in 1888. Mr. Brookfield has been Vice-President fo the Union League Club; Delegate to the Republican National Conventions of 1888 and 1892; four times Chairman of the Republican State Committee; three times President of the Repubican County Committee of New York City; has been President of the Republican Club, holding the Chairmanship of the State and the Presidency of the County committees, as well as the executive office of the Republican Club during the same year.

In the citizens' movement in New York City in 1894, which resulted in the nomination and the election of William L. Strong for Mayor, Mr. Brookfield's part was a prominent and consistent one. He was a member of the Committee of Seventy, and was one of the earliest to appreciate the distinct advantages of a Union ticket. While, as a Republican, he demanded that the nominee for Mayor should be of that political faith, he was earnest and successful in his insistance that all the elements represented in the fusion should be recognized on the ticket. Mr. Brookfield, it is generally known, was the actual manager of Mr. Strong's campaign, and, after the election, in so far as his private business duties would permit, he was the adviser of the Mayor in many of the projects which marked the administration. He accepted the Commissionership of Public Works at the urgent request of the Mayor, though in doing so he sacrificed a plan for a trip abroad. He retained the office until it was in good working order and then resigned. Mr. Brookfield's interest in politics has continued to the present day. He is of that class which regards activity in politics as a duty, and not either as a profession where it is apt to assume a selfish hue or as a recreation, in which latter event it may be alloyed with an unthinking eccesntricity. In the earnest discussion of a pure primary bill by the Legislature of the State of New York last winter, Mr. Brookfield was one of the most valued advisers.

Mr. Brookfield hold membership in the Union League Clubs of New York and Brooklyn, in the Down-Town Association; is ex-President of the Fulton Club and the Republican Club, is a member of the Lotus, New York Athletic and Barnard Clubs. He was married, June 23, 1870, to Miss Kate Morgan, of Aurora, New York. They have four sons living, Henry M., Frank, J. H., and Edwin Morgan.