Henry Sands Brooks

Henry Sands Brooks (September 8, 1772 – December 21, 1833) was an American clothier and businessman. He founded the company that would eventually become Brooks Brothers. His 4 sons (Daniel, John, Elisha, and Edward) transformed the company into Brooks Brothers the oldest surviving clothing firm in the United States which began the trend of the ready-made suit.

Early life Henry Sands Brooks was born on September 8, 1772, in Queens New York. His parents were David Brooks and Hannah Brooks (maiden name Sands). His parents married on November 30, 1770, with David being twenty-two and Hannah at fifteen years old. Dr. David Brooks was a physician whose practice was in New York on the northwest Corner of Cherry Street and Catherine Street. He died on October 14, 1795, at the age of 47

Henry was the oldest of four siblings. His younger brother David was born around 1774, with sister Ann born on October 25, 1778. Henry married Lavinia Brooks (maiden name Lyon) and they had nine children, six boys and three girls between the years 1802–1821. His six sons names are David (1804–1805), Henry A., Daniel Hamilton, John, Elisha, and Edward Brooks. Henry's daughters were named Ann, Hannah, and Lorreto Brooks. Even with such a specialization of outfits, Henry, unlike other competitors such as Burk and Whitmarsh at the time, sold his products for far cheaper while still retaining fair quality. Henry's prices were normally around $15 to get a nice coat unlike the Broadway competition selling around $22–32 for a cheap coat. Henry's materials were made from cheaper cotton and mixed cloths that were identified as city's less genteel elements. Regardless, Henry was taking advantage of the same business practices as his competition even if they had more refined materials. With so much success in 1825 he opened his second store two blocks away next to James Slip, and by now his original store is now profiting $50 thousand a year.

Henry's death and exchange of ownership In 1833, Henry Sands Brooks passed the ownership of his business to his eldest son Henry A. Brooks. Later the same year on December 21, 1833, Henry Sands Brooks died at 61 years old being buried at Sands Point North Hempstead, Nassau New York. In 1850 Henry A. Brooks passed on the business to his 4 younger brothers and died later that year on May 5, 1850, at 43 years old. The four brothers who took ownership of the business after Henry A. Brooks were Daniel Hamilton Brooks, John Brooks, Elisha Brooks, and Edward Brooks.

With the death of the founder Henry Sands Brooks, Henry's four sons decided to change the company's name from H. & D.H. Brooks & Co. to Brooks Brothers. The decision for the name change is because of rapid growth, changes within the business, and new management. In 1854, four years after the brothers gained ownership of the company, they signed a billhead for $35 where the name H. & D.H. Brooks & Co. was official changed to Brooks Brothers.