Brooks Family History

The BROOKS Family History

These pages are dedicated to the memory of Eleanor Shy, 1915-1997. My Aunt Eleanor researched and compiled this family history with the help and support of her husband and driver, Paul Shy. The main part of her research was completed in the late 1970's. Pictured at left is Eleanor, Paul, their children and grand-children about 1975.

The family history that Eleanor wrote is below.

Surnames: BROOKS, DICKERSON, ECKHARDT, FELDMANN, HARDMAN, HEDGE, MCROBERTS, MARTIN, MITCHELL, RAYFIELD, SCHNARR, SHELBY, SHY, SMITH, TREAT

Images from the Past

The BROOKS family came to the American Colonies in 1727. They came to the colonies from Ireland but were of English descent. Their native state was Georgia but eventually they came to Missouri.

   
      First Known Generation
      
      I.  Robert BROOKS - Born		Died
          A. Married
          B. Robert BROOKS came to the Colonies in 1727.  He was the father of
          Richard  BROOKS who was about 4 years old in 1727.

Second Generation Note*

II. Richard BROOKS - Born 1723 Died Oct. 7, 1805
A.Married
B.Richard was a farmer. He was the father of 7 children. He probably
married late in life since he was 48 years old when his oldest son Thomas was
born. Richard BROOKS lived to be 82 years old.

Third Generation Note*

III. Thomas BROOKS - Born Jan. 29, 1771 Died Oct. 3, 1840
A. Married - Elizabeth Hardman - Jan. 29, 1801 More*
B. Thomas and Elizabeth BROOKS were the parents of 11 children as follows.
1.Cebert or Robert BROOKS - Born March 19, 1802 Died Aug.25, 1817,
aged 15 years 5 months and 6 days

2.Marcia or Marla BROOKS - Born Nov. 27, 1803 Died

3.Lucia BROOKS - Born Apr. 17, 1806 Died May 20, 1837. Aged 31 years
1 month 3 days

4.Allie or Alley BROOKS - Born May 19, 1808 Died

5.Bailly BROOKS - Born June 10, 1811 Died More*

6.Hannah BROOKS - Born Jan 16, 1814 Died

7.Elizabeth MARTIN BROOKS - Born July 19, 1816 Died

8.Thomas Hardman BROOKS - Born Mar 2, 1819 Died 8/17/1896
Aged 77 years 5 months 15 days

9.Francis BROOKS - Born Mar 2, 1819 Died

10.John Calvin BROOKS - Born July 7, 1824 Died Feb 3,1867 Aged 43 years
6 months 27 days

11.Benjamin Franklin BROOKS - Born Aug. 22, 1828 Died July 7, 1870
Aged 41 years 11 months 16 days

Fourth Generation (Go to Menu)

IV. Thomas Hardman BROOKS - Born Mar 2, 1819 Died Aug 17, 1896
A.Married Deucilla McPeak on Tuesday August 11, 1840. He was 21 years old.
Thomas and Deucilla were the parents of 10 children as follows.
B.Thomas was the son of Thomas BROOKS and Elizabeth Hardman.
He was a farmer. He also served as Postmaster of Reynolds Co. for 4 years.
Note*
1.James Thomas BROOKS - Born Dec 5, 1841
a.James BROOKS got up one night during the Civil War; Took his gun and
left home. He was last heard of in Cape Girardeau, MO. It is presumed
that he was killed in the war.
2.Sarah Elizabeth BROOKS - Born Aug 25, 1843 Died Mar 11, 1897
Aged 54 years 6 months 14 days
a.Sarah BROOKS married Jefferson Dickerson. They were the parents of
7 children as follows:
(1)Louise Dickerson
(2)Rose Dickerson
(3)Thomas Dickerson
(4)Nannie Dickerson*
(5)Edna Dickerson*
(6)Jimmie Dickerson
(7)Nora Dickerson*
(*our Mother remembers these)
3.George Franklin BROOKS - Born Jul 22, 1845 Died June 3, 1929
Aged 84 years 10 months 12 days
a.George married Mary Elizabeth Polk on April 14, 1869. They were the
parents of 11 children as follows:
(1)William BROOKS - Born July 15, 1870 Died July 12, 1922
(a)William was born in Reynolds Co. MO. He married Josie
Hardin April 2, 1899. They had 2 children.
i)Orrin BROOKS- Born Mar 3, 1900 Died May 29, 1901
Aged 1 year 2 months 26 days
ii)Clyde BROOKS Born April 18, 1902
(b)Josie Hardin BROOKS died on Jan. 21, 1904.
(c)William BROOKS remarried in 1905. He married Ollie Goings
in October 1905. They had 2 children.
i)Harold BROOKS Born Feb. 16, 1907
ii)Margaret BROOKS - Born July 17,1909 Died Feb. 25,
1912 Aged 2 years 7 months 8 days. Margaret had a twin
that died at birth. Margaret burned to death.
(d)William BROOKS was 52 years old when he was killed in a
steam engine explosion on June 12, 1922. He was an engineer
for the Missouri Pacific Railroad and lived in E. St. Louis, IL.

(2)Oliver Nathanial BROOKS - Born Dec.4, 1873 Died Feb. 10, 1928 Aged 54 years 10
months 6 days Never married.

(3)Lucy Arminnie BROOKS- Born Aug. 30, 1875 Died Dec. 1877
Aged 2 years 4 months

(4)Mcdora (Dora) Jane BROOKS - Born Mar. 11, 1878 Died 1959 Aged 81 years

(a)Dora BROOKS married William hedge on Nov. 25, 1900. They
were the parents of five children.
i)Pansy Hedge
ii)Virginia Hedge
iii)Cortez Hedge
iv)Wilba Hedge *
v)Margaretta Hedge
*(Wilba has the Bible these records came from)

(5)Samuel Walter BROOKS - Born Oct. 19, 1880 Died Oct. 14, 1934
Aged 53 years 11 months 25 days.
(a)Walter BROOKS married Hattie Rainwater. They had 5
children as follows:
i)Guy BROOKS - Navy Career
ii)Mary BROOKS -
iii)Edward BROOKS -
iv)Alma BROOKS -
v) ?
(b)Walter BROOKS was out with my father (Arthur MARTIN-
who was squirrel hunting) when he died of heat prostration at
Greenville, MO. Aug. 6, 1932. Walter died of infirmities suffered
from a gas attack in W W I.

(6)Benjamin Franklin BROOKS - Born Jan. 27, 1883 Died Nov. 27, 1899
Aged 16 years 10 months. Benjamin was born at Annapolis, MO. He
died at Greenville, MO.

(7)John Gordon BROOKS - Born Nov 3 1885 Died
(a)Born in Bunker, MO, married Pearl Sheets early in 1912,
had 1 son
1 Paul Gordon BROOKS - Born Dec 31 1912
(a)Paul was born in E. St. Louis, Ill, Returned with his parents to
Ellsenore, MO. He became an agent for the Missouri
Conservation commission.

(8)Osa Ethel BROOKS - Born Feb. 12, 1888
a)Osa was born at Bunker, Mo.
b)She married John W. Wilson on April 14, 1904. They had a big
beautiful farm near Greenville, MO, close to the St. francis River.
The original Greenville is now under Lake Wappapello and the farm
is part of the area. Osa was allowed to live there until her death.
Osa and John Wilson had 3 children.
i)Paul Gordon Wilson - Born Feb. 16, 1906 Died June 17, 1907
Aged 1 year 4 months and 1 day
ii)Edith Merle Wilson - Born July 3, 1908 Edith married
Herbert Young Jan. 14, 1929. They had one child.
a)Billy Young
iii)DorothyLee Wilson - Born Dec. 10, 1910

c)When John Wilson died Osa married Edward Williamson. They
had 4 children.
i)Wayne Williamson
ii)Margaret Williamson
iii)Edward Williamson
iv)Patsy Williamson

(9)Oscar Luther BROOKS - Born July 15, 1890 Died Oct. 14, 1910 Aged 20 years 3 months. Oscar fell
out of a tree and broke his neck.

(10)Bessie Mae BROOKS - Born Feb. 25, 1893 Died ? Bessie
married and had 2 daughters.

(11)Marion Polk BROOKS - Born Feb. 4, 1895 Marion probably died shortly after birth.

4.John Leevia BROOKS - Born Oct. 19, 1847 Died ?
a.John married Margaret Gallagher. They had 6 children.
(1)Munson BROOKS
(2)Anne BROOKS
(3)Laura BROOKS
(4)Thomas BROOKS
(5)Rose BROOKS
(6)Joe BROOKS
b.John left his family and disappeared about 1887. He was last heard of in
Fredericktown, MO.

5.Joshia Bailey BROOKS - Born July 18, 1850 Died 1924 Aged 74 years.
a. Joshia married Margaret Bailey. They had 4 children.
(1)Jessie BROOKS
(2)Charles BROOKS
(3)Lizzie BROOKS
(4)Ollie Brooks

6.William Cebert BROOKS - Born Oct. 18, 1851 Died Dec. 14, 1921
Aged 70 years 2 months 6 days. Note*
a.William married Emily Hill . Dec 13, 1874 They had 6 children.
(1)Thomas BROOKS
(2)George BROOKS
(3)Charles BROOKS
(4)Eula BROOKS
(5)Robert BROOKS
(6)Lillie BROOKS

7.Mary Jane BROOKS - Born Jan. 7, 1854. Died Jan 1928 Aged 73 years
5 months. She died in Colorado.

8.Frederick McNeal BROOKS - Born Feb. 18, 1857. Died Mar. 29, 1859
Aged 2 years 1 month 11 days.

9.Martha Isabelle BROOKS- Born Feb 16, 1859 Died Dec. 3, 1878 Aged
18 years 9 months 17 days.
a. Martha married John Dillon March 17, 1878. She probably died in
childbirth.

10.Amos Leander BROOKS - Born Jan. 24, 1863 Died April 20, 1940.
Aged 77 years 2 months 27 days. Amos was born in Lesterville, MO.

C.After the death of Deucilla, Thomas Hardman BROOKS married Obedience
Flippa on Jan. 7, 1875. There were 3 children born of this marriage.

Fifth Generation (Go to Menu)

V. Amos Leander BROOKS - Born Jan. 24, 1863 Died April 20, 1940 Aged 77 years 2 months 27 days.

A. Amos was born in Lesterville, MO. He was 12 years old when his mother died.
When his father remarried Amos ran away from home and worked for farmers as a
laborer. During these years he evidently married and fathered one son. No one
seemed to know much about this period of his life. Either this wife died or they were
divorced. Even my mother knew nothing about this until her father died and she
received a letter from this son. At any rate at 27 years of age Amos BROOKS married
Elizabeth Rayfield, daughter of John Carter Rayfield and Nancy Mann. More*

B.Elizabeth Rayfield was born May 3, 1871. She died Jan. 8, 1929. Aged 57 years 8
months and 5 days. She died of cancer of the colon. Amos and Elizabeth were married
on July 3, 1890. They were the parents of 6 children.
1.Mable BROOKS - Born Mar. 21, 1891 Died Oct 15, 1937 Aged 46 years
6 months 25 days
a)Mable had one child
(1)Ralph BROOKS McCaffery - Born 1911 Died ?
Ralph married an Italian woman in 1934. He had one child named
Michael born in 1938.
b)Mable BROOKS was married and divorced 3 times.
(1)Clyde Sandifer
(2)Neal McCaffery
(3)William Ziesor
c)Neal McCaffery was a good man and adopted Ralph. William Ziesor and
Mable were divorced in the early '30's. She disappeared for a
while, and when next heard from was caring for Neil McCaffery who was dying
of Tuberculosis. Mable contracted pneumonia and died before Neil did.

2.Clarence BROOKS - Born Oct. 8, 1892 Died July 6, 1922 Aged 29 years
7 months 28 days
a.Clarence married Florence Kick on April 26, 1917. They had one child.
(1)Louise Elizabeth BROOKS - Born Mar.23, 1918
Louise Married Kenneth Dunford June 19, 1937. They had 3 children.
(a)Kenneth BROOKS Dunford
(b)Patricia Louise Dunford
(c)Elizabeth (Beth) Dunford
b.Clarence contracted tuberculosis while working in a meat packing plant in
Detroit, Michigan. He went to Arizona to fight the disease but didn't get
much better. He was probably worried about his wife and child who were
living with Florences' parents in Kirkwood, MO. Clarence came home to his
Father and Mother's home on Genevieve Ave. in St. Louis, MO. In the
summer he stayed in a tent in the backyard. (Drs Orders) On July 4, 1922 a
skyrocket came down and set his tent afire. He was not hurt but he died in
the early morning of July 6, 1922. He is buried in the Masonic Plots of
Valhalla Gardens Cemetery in St. Louis County, MO.

c.His daughter Louise lost her husband Kenneth Dunford in June of 1976.
He had decided to ride a bicycle to and from work to save gas and for
exercise. He was coming home one evening in January and was crowded
into a curb. His foot was caught on the curb and he was thrown over
the handlebars and knocked unconscious. He never regained consciousness.

3.Bessie Mae BROOKS - Born Aug. 7 1894 Died Feb. 28, 1975
Aged 80 years 6 months 21 days Bessie was born in Reynolds Co. MO.

4.Emmet BROOKS - Born 1896 Died 1898 Aged 2 years

5.Grace Estelle BROOKS - Born March 24, 1898 Died April 26, 1948
Aged 50 years 1 month 2 days
a.Grace married James Henry Merker on Feb. 28, 1917. They were the
parents of 2 children.
(1)Janet Estelle Merker - Born Sept.28 , 1919
(a)Janet married Henry Eugene Stephenson Jan 21, 1939. They
were divorced during World War II.
Later Janet married Frank Reveira. They have 5 children and
make their home in Calif.
(2)James Henry Merker Jr. - Born Jan. 9, 1923
(a)James married Mary Holt. This marriage did not work out and
they were divorced after World War II. Jimmie was in the Navy.
Had rating of Lieutenant Jr. grade. He had service somewhere in
Hawaii and was a Naval Postal Censor.
He has never remarried; and after holding down good jobs all over
the West has now returned to Ca where he lives close to Janet.

b.Henry Merker was a water inspector for the railroad and he and Grace
lived in Topeka, Kansas, Denver, Colorado and lastly, in Portland, Oregon.
c.Grace died of cancer and was cremated and buried in Portland, Oregon.
Henry Merker died of a heart attack on May 1, 1948, less than a week after
the death of his wife. He too, was cremated and is buried in Portland, Oregon.

6.Merle BROOKS - Born Feb. 6, 1909 Died Jan. 6, 1985
a.Merle grew up in the Walnut Park area of northwest St. Louis. She
graduated from the Walbridge School in June 1923. She spent the next 6
months living with her sister Grace and Henry in Topeka, Kansas. After she
returned home, she went to work with some of her friends in a syrup factory.
b.Merle married Hester (Heck) Shelby (son of neighborhood friends) on
Nov. 23, 1926. Hester was about 9 years older than Merle. He had a twin
sister named Esther. She married a man named Arthur Repple. Hester
also had a much younger brother named Samuel Merler Hester. Merle and
Hester had one child.
(1)Daughter Shelby - Born Oct. 29, 1927
(a)married Smith on June 26, 1948. They have two children.
i)Son Smith Jr. - Born Mar. 29, 1951
a)married F Feb. 1973. This marriage ended in divorce
and he remarried L K, later divorced
b)Son Smith - Born

ii)Daughter Smith - Born April 15, 1959 Married C D E. They
have 3 children.
a)Son Estes
b)Daughter Estes
c)Son Estes

c.Hester had been a traveling salesman selling piece goods. At the time he
and Merle were married he was working for Ford Motor Parts and was a s
salesman. Hester was the last man laid off by this company and this was a
contributing factor to the mental breakdown he suffered. He and Merle were
divorced in 1933. He died about 1948.

d.Merle married William H. MITCHELL Nov. 4, 1933. They have one child.
William died Jan. 26, 1990.
(1)Son MITCHELL Born - Dec 31. 1934
(a) married N F on Feb. 1955. They had 2 children.
i)Daughter MITCHELL - Born Dec.31, 1957 married in 1977,
to K J B. They have 3 children.
a)Son Bell
b)Daughter Bell
c)Son Bell

ii)Daughter MITCHELL-Born Feb.1,1961 married S D Ball in 1976. They have 2 children and
are divorced.
a)Son Ball Jr.
b)Son MITCHELL Ball

(b)were divorced and T stayed single for a number of years. He
married P T. A on April 14, 1973.
e.William H. MITCHELL was born on Nov. 21, 1912. Died Jan. 26, 1990.
Bill retired from Carlstrom Food Company in 1974. He had been a s
salesman for this company for more than 40 years. He and Merle lived
in Ferguson, MO.

   (Go to Menu)

C.Amos Leander BROOKS was a farmer and lived in various paces in South Central
Mo. His eyes were very bad (due to whole family having bad siege with Pinkeye)
and in 1908 he moved his family from Greenville, MO. to St. Louis to try to get help
for his eyes. There were no glasses for his eye condition and he went 96% blind
before his death. He worked in the building trades in St. Louis. He helped to build
the Chevrolet and Fisher Body plant on Union and Natural Bridge Rd. He also
worked on t he Union Ave. viaduct over the railroads in North St. Louis. He did
mostly concrete finishing work. Elizabeth Rayfield BROOKS died of cancer on
Jan. 8, 1929 at the Missouri Baptist Hospital on Taylor Ave. She was buried at
Laurel Hill Cemetery. Amos died of a series of strokes on April 24, 1940, in
Christian hospital of St. Louis, Mo. After the death of her husband, Arthur MARTIN
in 1932, Bessie bought a 6 grave lot in Memorial Park cemetery at Lillian and Lucas
and Hunt Rds. She buried her father there and had her Mother moved and buried at
his side. At the time of his death Amos was survived by three daughters, Bessie
MARTIN Carr of St. Louis, MO, Grace Merker of Portland, Oregon, Merle MITCHELL
of St. Louis, MO, 9 grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild.

Sixth Generation

VI. Bessie Mae BROOKS - Born Aug. 7, 1894 Died Feb. 28, 1975 Aged 80
years 6 months 21 days.
A.Bessie was born in Reynolds Co. Mo. She was raised on various farms in same
general area. She came to St. Louis with her family in 1908 when she was about 14
years old. She did not return to school but went to work for a label factory. She
married Arthur Earl MARTIN on Nov. 12, 1913. Arthur was the son of John Otha
MARTIN and Mary Bennett. After Arthurs' death in 1932, Bessie went to beauty
school. She attended the Marinello School of Beauty from September of 1932 to
May of 1933. She had her own shop for several years. In 1937, Bessie married LeRoy
Carr on Sept. 1. She bought a rooming house in 1939, and kept it until 1947. Bessie
broke her hip in Dec. of 1970, and moved to a small house on her daughter Eleanors'
property at 1414 Smizer Mill Rd. in Feb. of 1972. Bessie and Arthur were the parents
of 3 children. *More

1.) Eleanor Marie MARTIN - Born Oct. 3, 1915 Died Aug. 20, 1997 Aged 81 years
10 months and 17 days

2.)Wayne Chouteau Arthur MARTIN - Born Aug. 18, 1918 Died Nov. 8, 1978 at
Normandy Ostheopathic Hospital in Normandy, MO, of lung cancer Aged 60 years,
3 months

3.)Daughter MARTIN - Born April 14, 1923

Seventh Generation (Go to Menu)

VII. Eleanor Marie MARTIN Born Oct. 3, 1915 Died Aug. 20, 1997
A.) Eleanor grew up in what was known as the Walnut Park area of
St. Louis, Mo. She attended Walbridge Grade School and Beaumont High
School. When her father died in summer of 1932, she went back to school
for a time, but finally decided to get a job. That was during the worst
depression the U.S. has had and jobs were hard to find. She worked mainly
as a nurse-girl. She was baptized in Oct. 1932 in Calvary Baptist church
where she kept her church membership until about 1949.

B.) Eleanor married Paul Francis SHY, son of William S. SHY and Bertie F.
Shanks, on Aug. 7, 1936. They were married by Rev. A. J. Johnson, pastor
of Calvary Baptist. Paul was a bus boy at Miss Hullings Restaurant, but he
became a skilled baker before too long. Paul was in the army during World
War II. He served 11 months at Jefferson Barracks, MO; 11 months at Fort
Warren, Wy.; and 11 months overseas on the island of Luzon in the
Phillipines. He was discharged on Mar. 28, 1946. Eleanor and Paul had
2 children. Paul died Aug. 4, 1985.

(1)Daughter SHY Born Jan. 26, 1947

(2)Son SHY - Born May 12, 1948

VII.Wayne Chouteau Arthur MARTIN - Born Aug. 18, 1918 Died Nov 8, 1978
A.)Married Fern Thelma Eckhardt, daughter of Charles Herman Eckhardt and
Edna Louise Feldman on Nov. 7, 1942.

B.)Wayne grew up in Walnut Park area of St. Louis, attended Walbridge elementary
school and Beaumont High School. Wayne (often called "Bud"), went to Louisiana in 1934.
He came back for a visit in 1936, staying with his Grandfather MARTIN, about the time
of his sister Eleanor's marriage. When he was 18 he came home to stay. His Mother had
remarried and he didn't get along with LeRoy and moved to several different places.
He moved into his Mother's rooming house after she bought it and stayed there until
after his marriage. Spent army career at Ft. Knox, KY. Was discharged Sept.,1947.
Returned to St. Louis and opened TV repair shop. In 1964 went to work for U.S.P.S, as
had his father. Wayne and Fern had 3 children.
(3)Laurel Ann MARTIN - Born Aug. 10, 1953
(a) Married 1973. Divorced.
(b) Married R. Greer 1975. One child, Divorced 1982.

(c)Laurel Married Jeffrey L. Treat on Nov. 30, 1988.

(4)Gail Lynn MARTIN - Born May 27,1956

(5)Alan Wayne MARTIN - Born Sept 11, 1957
(a)Married V L M on April 15, 1978 Alan and V had 2 children, divorced
1999
VII. Daughter MARTIN - Born April 14, 1923

A.).Daughter M was raised in the Walnut Park area of St. Louis. The family lived at
5042 Beacon. She attended Grade and Junior High school at Walbridge.
(6)Son SCHNARR - Born Oct. 2, 1947
Oct. 2, 1981
B.)M was married to D for about 11 years. They were divorced in 1958. She married
E. H. Hografe on April 10, 1959. Edward died July 19, 1989.
C.) M worked for Bettendorf SuperMarkets and K-Mart for about 15 1/2 years.
The stores were sold in 1956. She retired from K-Mart about 1976. She worked for the
Rockwood School District from 1980 to 1984. She retired when E retired from his
profession of carpentry.