Old Nick-Brooks Genealogy

I promised in my last post that I would talk about my great great grandfather, Nicholas Brooks Sr. I would love to go back in time and meet many of my ancestors but Nick is the guy I would most like to meet. He must have really been a character.

Nicholas Brooks, Sr. was born in 1751 in Delaware and died in 1859 in Washington County, Ohio at the age of 108. We have never been able to prove who his parents were. My first cousin's daughter hired a professional genealogist at one time and that person felt that his father was John Brooks who died in 1790 in Kent County, Delaware. John was the son of James Brooks who died 1727 in Kent County, Delaware. His children besides John were Moses, Benjamin, Arthur, James, Elinor, and Mary.

I was always told that Nick was married 4 times and had 9 children by each wife. Well he might have been married 4 times but he only had 9 children by his last wife, my g.g.grandmother. A Nicholas Brooks married Edith Trego before 1786 in Pennsylvania. It hasn't been proved but we think this is our Nick. We haven't found any children from this marriage. Then Nick married a Sarah (last name unknown) about 1800 in Rockingham County, Virginia. He had at least one son by Sarah--Alexander William (or Williams) Brooks born about 1802 in Rockingham County. He died in 1870 in Harrison County, West Virginia. Alexander was married 3 times and had several kids but I can't find any descendants of any of them.

Nicholas and Alexander moved to Harrison County before 1810 as I find him in the census there. He is listed as over 45 years of age, his wife is between 26-46 (probably closer to the 26 end) and a son age 0-10 (this would be Alexander). Then I find him in Tyler County, WVa in 1820 with just himself (again over 45--well duh!) and a female (I'm assuming it is Sarah) age 26-45. Probably closer to mid thirties now. No Alexander listed so I'm assuming he had moved out (Kind of like my great grandfather did when he left home at an early age to "fend for himself").

Either Sarah died or she left to fend for herself too, because Nick married a Catherine Fitz in Harrison County in 1824. I never thought they had any children but I later found a Mary born 1826. (See below). Apparently there was a BIG court battle involving Nick and Catherine. I have copies of the original papers but they are sooo hard to read, I can't be sure what happened. Anyway, it seems that Nick and Catherine split.

In 1828, Nick married Sarah Ice (my g.g.grandmother). He was 77 and she was 22!!! Now, I understand that back then you were considered an old maid at 15 but come on folks. Why would anyone marry someone 55 years older? And I know for a fact it wasn't for his money! You see, I found them in 1839 on the County Home Registry in Washington County, Ohio.

Washington County, Ohio Home-Infirmary Register-July 1, 1839
Nicholas Brooks 88, destitute, Grandview July 1839, discharged June 1840, native of Virginia
Sarah Brooks 36, destitute, Grandview July 1839, discharged June 1840, native of Virginia
Mary Brooks 14 destitute, Grandview July 1839, discharged June 1840, native of Virginia
James Brooks 10 destitute, Grandview July 1839, discharged May 8, 1840 native of Virginia
Nich(s) Brooks 8 destitute, Grandview July 1839, discharged May 8, 1840 native of Virginia
E.G. Brooks 6 destitute, Grandview July 1839, discharged May 8, 1840 native of Virginia
B.F. Brooks 3 destitute, Grandview July 1839, discharged May 8, 1840 native of Virginia
R.A. Brooks 2 destitute, Grandview July 1839, discharged May 8, 1840 native of Virginia

Nick died after June 5, 1859 as Nick and Sarah visited my g.grandfather, Nick Jr. on that date. Apparently Nick Sr. worked in the fields even after he turned 100. I guess any guy who can father his last child at age 99 should be able to work the fields too, huh??

We don't really know where Old Nick is buried. We think it is in Cooper Cemetery in Grandview Township in Washington County, Ohio. (Near Marietta and the Ohio River). I visited that cemetery but it is all overgrown and most of the tombstones have fallen, been broken, or are buried.

Nick and Sarah Ice Brooks had 9 children:
1. James born about 1830 in Pleasants Co., W.Va. died before 1870 in Doddridge Co., W.Va. He had two wives, Elizabeth Cope and Elizabeth Bogard (a cousin). He had two daughters, Mary and Sarah.
2. Nicholas Brooks, Sr. b. 1832 Washington Co., Ohio (my great grandfather) who married Eliza Rebecca Dye
3. Elizabeth G. Brooks born abt 1834 in Washington County. Nothing more is known of her.
4. Benjamin Franklin Brooks b. 1836 Washington County. Died 1916 Upshur County, W.Va. Ben was married 2 times-Jemima Isabel Lowe (a cousin) and had 3 children. 2nd marriage to Permelia Smalley and he had 5 children by her. I get the feeling that Uncle Ben was a whole lot like his father.
5. Rebecca Ann Brooks b. 1838 in Washington County died before 1880 probably in Missouri. She married a cousin, Abraham Bogard, and had 4 children.
6. David Brooks born 1840 in Washington County died 1897 in Brown County, Indiana. He married Nancy Jane Pugh and had 2 sons, David and John.
7. Nancy Jane Brooks born about 1842 Washington County died after 1860 but I don't know when or where.
8. Jesse Brooks born about 1845 in Washington County supposedly died in the Civil War.
9. Susannah Brooks born about 1848 in Washington County. Nothing more is known about here.

In the 1850 census of Washington County, Ohio, there is a Caroline Brooks, age one, living with a Dye family. Now, remember, Nick Jr. ran away to live with the Dyes and later married a Dye. Nothing has been found on this Caroline after that time. My aunt and I speculated that this Caroline could actually have been the 10th child of Nick Sr. Who knows?

Sarah Ice Brooks obviously outlived Old Nick. I lost track of her after 1850 but I believe she moved to Webster County, Missouri with her daughter and son in law, Rebecca Ann and Abraham Bogard. I need to do further research on this.

Anyway, that's about it of Old Nick. As I said, he must have been quite a character and apparently quite the ladies man if he could get a 22 year old to marry him when he was 77! I obviously have no pictures of him but I do have one of his son, Benjamin Franklin. I kind of like to think that Ben looked a lot like his dad.

Benjamin Franklin Brooks 1836-1916 Don't you just love those eyes?