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'''Francis Celestino Brent''' was a prominent citizen of Pensacola in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Brent was born in Pensacola on [[May 12]], [[1848]]. When Brent was sixteen years of age the [[Wikipedia:American Civil War|American Civil War]] broke out, and despite his age, Brent managed to enlist in the Confederate Army. Brent's father Thomas served as a captain in the Confederate Navy. After about a year of service, the junior Brent was taken as a prisoner of War by the Union and incarcerated at [[Wikipedia:Ship Island (Mississippi)|Ship Island]] off the coast of Mississippi. However, Brent was parolled at Vicksburg in May of [[1865]] and made his way back to Pensacola.
On [[July 9]], [[1872]], Brent married [[Mary Ella Brent|Mary Ella Shuttleworth]]. The two had twelve children.
In [[1876]], Brent together with [[L. P. Knowles]], established [[Knowles & Brent]], a banking organisation, which would later become [[F. C. Brent and Co.]]. In [[1892]], Brent purchased a controlling interest in the [[First National Bank ]] and folded his organisation into it. Brent also owned the [[Brent Lumber Company]] and an interest in the [[Cedar Creek Mill]] in [[Brewton]]. Brent's business interests varied; in at least [[1885]] he was on the board of directors of the [[Citizens' Hotel Company]].
==Civic leadership==