Chattahoochee County  Georgia Bios Brooks Family

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Margie Daniels mdaniel3@midsouth.rr.com


Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/crawford.htm
Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm

Brooks ancestors arrived in 1860-1861
By Curtis Thomasson

The Andalusia Star-News

Author Wyley D. Ward’s book, “The Folks from Pea Ridge,”
includes an informative section on the Brooks family of
Conecuh and Covington counties. His book titled
“Covington County Alabama History” also has significant
references to this family. Today’s column will present
the main family genealogy with additional descendants
through some of the earlier generations. (Ward’s books
are available for purchase at his office in Andalusia.)

Ward reports that John S. Brooks and four of his sons
moved from Chattahoochee County, Ga., to Covington and
Conecuh counties sometime between 1858 and 1861. John and
his wife, Elizabeth, appear to have begun their family in
Houston County, Ga.

The couple had the following known children: James M., b.
1822, m. (1) Eliza Gray (2) Louisa ?; Benjamin C. F., b.
1827, d. 1889, m. Eliza Bagley; William D., b. 1828, d.
1908, m. (1) Sarah J. Scott (2) Arnassie Dupree; Henry
A., b. 1833, m. Virginia ?; Nancy A.E., b. 1835, m.
Bryant Howell, Jr.; and Mary A.J., b. 1841.

The families of William D. and Henry A. were enumerated
in the 1860 Covington County Census. Later that year
there was a record of Benjamin C. having witnessed a
marriage license. James M., the oldest son, arrived in
1861 and settled near Brooklyn in Conecuh County. James
M. and William served as Captains for Co. Beat Number 6
Company, 60th. Reg’t (Covington County) 8th Brigade,
11th. Div., Ala. Militia. 

In 1868, James was elected to serve as Commissioner of
Revenue and Roads. He and his first wife, Eliza, reared
the following children: Elizabeth, b. 1843; William A.,
b. 1846, m. Eliza Beck; Frances, b. 1850; James W., b.
1853; Mary P., b. 1854; Sarah G., b. 1856; Benjamin, b.
1859; Louisa J., b. 1862; and Calidonia, b. 1865. The
last two children were born after the move to Alabama.

Unfortunately, Eliza died during the early 1870s; and
next James was married to Louisa, a native of Alabama.
They reared the following known children: Terrill S., b.
1877; Ida E., b. 1878; and Marion, b. 1880. Benjamin C.
and his wife, Eliza, daughter of Dread and Elizabeth
(Jones) Bagley, reared the following children: Sarah E.,
b. 1862, m. Ephraim; Mary E., b. 1864; Nancy Elizabeth,
b. 1866, d. 1918, m. William A. Hassell; and Toab, b.
1867. 

The family lived in the Fairfield community, and Benjamin
practiced medicine in the surrounding area.

William D. was married first to Sarah J. Scott, and they
reared the following children: John S., b. 1855; Benjamin
Perry, b. 1856, d. 1913, m. Rebecca Wishum; Nancy J.E.,
b. 1859, d. 1945, m. Richard Knowles; Sarah Emily, b.
1860, d. 1921, m. James Smith; Eveline Loudeskie, b.
1862, m. Henry King; and Willie, b. 1864, d. young.
Sadly, Sarah died in 1868 and left William with six young
children.

William D. next married Arnassie Dupree, daughter of
Jacob and Amanda Dupree. They had the following children:
Mary Alfus, b. 1869, d. 1941, m. Willie Diamond; James
Madison, b. 1870, d. 1938, m. Mary Ellie Wishum; Martha
Surilla, b. 1874, d. 1957, m. John Henry Williams; Eliza,
b. 1877, m. Sam Kirkland; Jacob Zedock, b. 1879, d. 1946,
m. Mollie Lunsford; Amanda V. “Mandie,” m. William
Garrett; Augusta “Gustie,” m. Henry B. Little; Missouri,
b. 1887, d. 1916, m. J. Dudley Barron; and Lena Nora, b.
1892, m. Alcus Compton.

The youngest son, Henry A., was 43 years of age in 1864
when he enlisted as a private in the Company of Cov. Co.
Militia (Second Class). He and his wife Virginia, a
native of Alabama, lived in the Fairfield community and
had the following children: Jane E., b. 1859; Charles, b.
1861; George S., b. 1863; Levi, b. 1867; Caroline, b.
1868; and Vallery, b. 1869. Eveline Loudeskie, daughter
of William D., and her husband, Henry L. King, reared the
following children: Sarah E., b. 1879, m. Tommy Cassady;
John D., b. 1881, m. Carrie Lee Chambless; Benjamin T.
“Tommy,” b. 1883; Froney Beatrice, b. 1885, d. 1973, m.
Thomas Preston Wishum; Herbert H. “Hub,” b. 1887, m.
Bessie ?; Henry Foster, b. 1889, m. Ethel Miller; Lillie
D., b. 1891, m. ? Sanders; Frank A., b. 1894, m. Minnie
?; Jessie Mack, b. 1896, ? Barron; Lena Mae, b. 1898, m.
Ben Locklier; Fannie Lue, b. 1900, d. young; Vellia Arzo,
b. 1902, m. ? Phillips; and Rosey Manetti, b. 1905, m.
Roy Lunsford.

James Madison, son of William D., and his wife, Mary
Ellie, daughter of James M. and Mary Elizabeth (Potts)
Wishum, reared the following children: Ada Almeda, b.
1895, d. 1963, m. Lonnie Williams; Car Stella, b. 1897,
d. 1902; Dovie Elizabeth, b. 1899, d. 1957, m. Eddie
Mullen; Vangie Lou, b. 1902, d. 1978, m. William “Dick”
Vivan Garrett; Harvey Tress, b. 1904, d. 1904; Jewell
August, b. 1905, m. William Frank King; Queenie Mae, b.
1909, m. Ezra Zimmeriah Davis; William Arthur, b. 1911,
d. 1974; m. Esther B. Faye Kirkland; Bonnie Ruth, b.
1913, m. Clyde Harrison; and Jessie Carl “Billie,” b.
1916, m. Mittie Edna Huggins.

There are many other descendants of these families who
have lived and reared their families in Covington County.
It is hoped that someone researching this family will
record all the generations for future reference.
Appreciation is expressed to two descendants in this
family, Helen (King) Weant and the late Rosie (Mullen)
Bundrick, for contributing their family’s history and to
Wyley Ward for his valuable historical publications.

Anyone who might have corrections to the above or
additional information on this family is requested to
contact Curtis Thomasson at Route 9, Box 97, Andalusia,
AL 36420 or Email: chthom@alaweb.com.


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