My Brooks Great Grandparents-Brooks Genealogy

Nicholas Brooks, Jr. 1832-1918

Ok, lets go back a generation. My great grandparents were Nicholas Brooks, Jr. and Eliza Rebecca Dye. Family tradition says that Nicholas left home at an early age "to fend for himself" and went to live with Samuel Dye, an uncle of his future wife. Considering the fact that his father was 80 years old when Nicholas was born might have had something to do with it!! (But more about Nick Sr. in another post). Nicholas was the son of Nicholas Brooks, Sr. and Sarah Ice. He was one of 9 children. He did have some half brothers and sisters but I'm not sure how many. Apparently Nicholas Jr. served in the Civil War when he lived in Wheeling, West Virginia for several years.

Eliza Rebecca Dye was the daughter of Amos Dye and Maria Taylor. She was one of 11 children. The Dye line was one of my favorite lines to research early on. I collected tons and tons of material on them. Eliza Rebecca played the organ at the Moss Run Church in Washington County, Ohio. I inherited the little brass lamp that she used to carry to church and place on the organ. I also inherited some monogrammed silverware and a stoneware pitcher belonging to Nicholas and Eliza Rebecca.

Nicholas Brooks Jr. Born January 15, 1832 Washington County, Ohio Died May 19, 1918 Washington County, Ohio. You would hardly recognize this good looking gent as the same one with the long white beard at the top of this page, would you?

Eliza Rebecca Dye born December 28, 1835 Washington County, Ohio Died June 21, 1904 Washington County, Ohio. Notice that she is pregnant in this picture. I like to think she is pregnant with my Grandpa.

Nicholas and Eliza Rebecca are buried in Eddy Cemetery in Washington County, Ohio

Nicholas and Eliza Rebecca were married in Washington County, Ohio November 9, 1854 and they had 8 children.

#1 My grandfather, Edwin Amos Brooks, was born July 23, 1855 in Washington County, Ohio and died January 24, 1940 in Parkersburg, Wood County, West Virginia. He married Amanda Jane Sayers April 12, 1877 in Ritchie County, West Virginia. She was born December 16, 1856 in Marshall County, West Virginia and died November 21, 1919 in Clarksburg, Harrison County, West Virginia.

#2. Their second born was John Henry Brooks born January 24, 1859 in Washington County, Ohio and died May 19, 1918 in Washington County, Ohio. John Henry never married. He apparently died of Epilepsy.

#3. Anna M. Brooks was born April 3, 1862 when the family lived in Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia. She died August 12 of that year in Wheeling.

#4. Dudley William Brooks was born August 14, 1864 in Wheeling, West Virginia and died March 23, 1932 in Washington County, Ohio. He married Lucinda Jane Hood September 5, 1904 in Washington County. They had 4 sons-Nicholas James, Gerald Walter, Clarence Elmer, and Delbert Ira.

#5. Charlotte Brooks was born about 1866. It is not clear when she died. Family tradition said that she was engaged to be married and died before her wedding. However, I never found her in the 1870 census.

#6. Elmer Nicholas Brooks was born February 3, 1868 in Washington County, Ohio and died May 22, 1937 on Cow Run, Washington County, Ohio. He married April 1, 1899 to Lillie Fredonia Knutty. They had 3 children-Eliza, Merl, and Lulu.

#7. Maria Brooks was born and died in 1869 in Washington County, Ohio

#8. Era (a boy) was born February 2, 1872 on Cow Run and died February 8, 1872.

This was the Brooks homestead where all 8 children were born. I took this picture in the 1960's sometime. It has since been torn down.

In my next post I will talk about Nicholas Brooks, Sr. or "Old Nick" as we lovingly call him. He has to be one of my all time favorite ancestors. He lived to be 108 years old, was apparently married 4 times, fathered I don't know how many children, and had his last kid when he was 99 years old!!! I've always wished that I could go back in time and meet him and find out so much more about him.