Thomas William Brent, (father of Daniel Gonzalez Brent); born Washington, D.C, in 1808, appointed from Florida; son of William and Catherine Brent; previous service in the United States Navy, entering the service on March 1, 1825; married Merced Gonzales, of Pensacola, Florida, and the couple had eight children born between 1842 and 1858; resigned, January 19, 1861, and entered the Confederate States Navy, June 26, 1861; ordered, on March 18, 1861, to proceed to the Navy Yard at Warrington, Florida, and to report to captain Randolph, for duty as commander of the Yard; involved in the action (assisting in the transportation of Confederate Army troops), at Santa Rosa Island, Florida, October 8 and 9, 1861; appointed commander, October 23, 1862, to rank from March 26, 1861; commander at the Pensacola Navy Yard, Florida, 1861 – 1862; commanded the Georgia and South Carolina Naval station, based at Savannah, in 1862; served in the Mobile Squadron, 1863-1864; commanded CSS Savannah, Savannah Squadron, 1864; after the destruction of his vessel, December 21, 1864, he proceeded on a march to Hardeeville, and then to Charleston, South Carolina, where he arrived December 23, 1864; sent aboard the receiving ship at Charleston; captured and paroled aboard the flagship Stockdale, at Mobile, Alabama, May 22, 1865; died November 10, 1875. [Florida Confederate Card File; Hartman's Florida Rosters, 1, 76; Register1863; ORN 1, 15, 732; 1, 16, 484 and 2, 1, 320 & 323; ORA 1, 6, chapter 16 and 1, 44; 36th Congress Report 24; Charleston (South Carolina) Mercury dated Wednesday, December 18, 1861; Confederate Navy subject file, R – Prisoners and Prisons, RL - Paroles, A-W, page 15; Confederate Navy subject file, X – Supplies, XN- Naval stores afloat, Stores for ships (April, 1862 – December, 1863), page 359; Confederate Navy subject file P – Bases, Naval (including Navy Yards and Stations; PB – Administration of stations; Columbia - Pensacola, page 766; The Critic (Richmond, Virginia) dated Sunday, April 14, 1889, page 3.]

Thanks Terry Foenander #46909316 for the above information.

Thomas W. Brent wed Miss Merced Gonzalez -- 12 Jul 1841 S. Y. Guinand, Prêtre Officiating -- Rites of Catholic Church (St. Mich); Book A-137.
Source: "Transcribed Marriage Records of Escambia County, Florida from 1820 through 1900". Published in 2009 by the West Florida Genealogical Society.