Noah Brooks

Noah Brooks was born in Maine in 1830 and started his career writing for newspapers in Boston. He continuously went on business ventures west, and eventually became friends with President Abraham Lincoln. His business ventures took him to California where he worked for Marysville Daily Appeal in 1859.

After his wife died in childbirth, Brooks went to work for the Sacramento Union in 1862. They sent Brooks to cover politics and the Civil War from Washington. His friendship with Abraham Lincoln flourished during this time because he was able to have full access to the White House. Many reporters were jealous that Brooks got the first hand account and points of view of everything that Lincoln did. Abraham Lincoln eventually appointed Brooks to be his private secretary and looked upon him for political intelligence. The Lincoln family trusted Brooks with their lives and Brooks always respected President Lincoln’s privacy. Brooks was also able to write about the life of the Lincoln family and share small stories about them to the world. One of Brooks’ greatest accomplishments is his biography of Abraham Lincoln.

However, when President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 15, 1865, Brooks’ life as a private secretary changed. President Andrew Johnson took Brooks job as private secretary and appointed Brooks as customs official in San Francisco. Sadly, that job didn’t last long and Brooks had to find work elsewhere. He worked at the Ala California for 5 years and then worked in New York for the New York Tribune and New York Times. He worked in New York and then worked for the Newark Daily Advertiser until 1892 when he finally retired from his long career in journalism. Brooks was retired for 11 years before he died in 1903.

 

Works Cited

"Abraham Lincoln and Friends - Noah Brooks (1830-1903)." Abraham Lincoln and Friends - Noah 

           Brooks (1830-1903). The Lincoln Institute, n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2013.

"Noah Brooks." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 09 Dec. 2013. Web. 01 Oct. 2013.

"Notable Visitors: Noah Brooks (1830-1903)." Mr. Lincoln's White House. The Lincoln Institute,

n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2013.

Ritchie, Donald A. American Journalists: Getting the Story. New York: Oxford UP, 1997. 158-

59. Print.