US Congressman, Entrepreneur. He was a United States Representative from the State of New York. He was born one of six children to Captain Charles W. Brodhead (1729-1789), and his wife Mary W. "Polly" Oliver Brodhead (1740-1814), in Modena, New York, on October 27, 1780. He was educated locally and attended the common district schools. He then engaged in mercantile pursuits and agricultural pursuits before taking an interest in politics. He was then elected to public office and served a term as Supervisor for the Town of Plattekill, New York, and a term as the Sheriff of Ulster County, New York, from 1825 to 1828. He then decided to run for a seat in the United States Congress and was elected to succeed the outgoing United States Representative Charles Gerrit DeWitt (1789-1839), on March 4, 1831. A Member of the Jacksonian Party, he then served New York's 7th District (Twenty-Second Congress), in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1831, to March 3, 1833. He was not a Candidate for re-election in 1832. Following his first term in the United States Congress, he was succeeded in office by the incoming United States Representative Charles Bodle (1788-1835), on March 4, 1833. After leaving the United States Congress, he returned to his mercantile pursuits and agricultural pursuits. He then decided to run for another seat in the United States Congress and was elected to succeed the outgoing United States Representative Nicholas Sickles (1801-1845), on March 4, 1837. A Member of the Democratic Party, he then served New York's 7th District (Twenty-Fifth Congress), in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1837, to March 3, 1839. While serving in the United States Congress, he also served as Chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of the Navy representing the Twenty-Fifth Congress. He declined to be a Candidate for renomination in 1838. Following his second term in the United States Congress, he was succeeded in office by the incoming United States Representative Rufus Palen (1807-1844), on March 4, 1839. After leaving the United States Congress, he once again returned to his mercantile pursuits and agricultural pursuits. He was also a slaveowner. He passed away in Modena, New York, on January 2, 1859, at the age of 78, and he was buried in Modena Rural Cemetery in Modena, New York. He never married nor had any children. His first cousin, Matthew Oliver (1780-1865), served as the Supervisor of the Town of Marbleton, New York, from 1829 to 1837. His son, James Oliver (1806-1893), also held the position of Supervisor of the Town of Marbleton, New York, from 1839 to 1840.