John Brooks (governor)

John Brooks
Portrait c. 1820
11th Governor of Massachusetts
In office May 30, 1816 – May 31, 1823
Lieutenant	William Phillips, Jr.
Preceded by	Caleb Strong
Succeeded by	William Eustis
Personal details
Born	baptized (1752-05-04)May 4, 1752 Medford, Province of Massachusetts Bay, British America
Died	March 1, 1825(1825-03-01) (aged 72) Medford, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political party	Federalist
Spouse	Lucy Smith
Signature
Military service
Branch/service	Continental Army Massachusetts militia
Battles/wars	American Revolutionary War Battles of Lexington and Concord Siege of Boston Battle of White Plains Siege of Fort Stanwix (relief) Battles of Saratoga Battle of Monmouth Shays' Rebellion War of 1812

John Brooks (baptized May 4, 1752 – March 1, 1825) was an American doctor, military officer, and politician from Massachusetts. He served as the 11th Governor of Massachusetts from 1816 to 1823, and was one of the last Federalist officials elected in the United States.^[1]

Trained as a doctor, Brooks was an officer of the Reading, Massachusetts militia when the American Revolutionary War broke out, and led his troops in the Battles of Lexington and Concord. He served under George Washington in the New York and New Jersey campaign of 1776, although he missed the Battle of Trenton due to illness. In 1777 he was part of the relief force for the Siege of Fort Stanwix, and led a successful assault against British positions in the key Second Battle of Saratoga. He played a significant role in the 1783 Newburgh Conspiracy, in which he helped quash ideas of mutiny in the Continental Army.

After the war he returned to medical practice, but continued to be active in the state militia, helping to put down Shays' Rebellion in 1787. He served in the militia during the War of 1812, after which he was elected governor. Brooks was popular and politically moderate, and came to personify the "Era of Good Feelings" that followed the war. He retired in 1823, and died two years later.