Alpheus R. Brooks

ALPHEUS R. BROOKS
(1826-1907)
Warren County, GA - Early County, GA
by
Ann Vaughan Richards

According to my father, Charles Frederick Vaughan, his great grandaddy
Brooks fought in the Civil War and was discharged in South Carolina. No
provisions were made to return soldiers to their homes; they got back home
the best way they could. Alpheus walked back home. Along the way, he got
sick and couldn't hold anything but milk on his stomach. He survived by
getting milk from farmers in the afternoons when they were milking their
cows. By the time he got near his home, he was so weak he didn't recognize
where he was and he spent the night down the hill from his house. In the
morning, his wife spied a man in the yard eating peaches from the trees. She
ran out to see what was going on and, only when she got up close, did she
recognize her husband. Like much of the oral history of a family, this story
cannot be documented and pension records have not been located.

Alpheus R. Brooks was born March 20, 1826 in Warren County, GA. He
married Arena (Rena) Watson on September 2, 1845 in Warren County.
The death certificate of Florence Gibson Brooks (son) his mother's name
as Lizzie Watson.

Alpheus appears on the 1850 and 1860 Warren County census. He served with
Co. H, lst Local Troops, GA Inf, CSA, Augusta (Capt. Veronee's Company,
Rains' Reg't Local Volunteers). His son, Florence Gibson Brooks, was born in
1861 in BLAKELY, GA. I believe Alpheus moved his family to Early County
during this turbulent time to be near relatives in the Blakely vicinity. In
1867-68, Alpheus and Rena moved to Pine Grove, Bullock County, AL. In 1870,
census records show them in Midway, Bullock County, living next door to
their daughter Missouri who was married to Isaac Monroe Brooks, a second
cousin.

Alpheus is thought to be the son of Benjamin Brooks and Nancy Perryman of
Warren County, GA and the grandson of Isaac Brooks (1770 NC). We have been
unable to trace Rena Watson's family.

Children of Alpheus R. Brooks and Rena Watson:

...... 2 Missouri Brooks b: 1846 in GA, married Isaac Monroe Brooks about
1870.

...... 2 Benjamin Brooks b: 1847. A grandaughter of Florence Gibson Brooks
told me that Benjamin died in a flood in Phoenix City, AL ("He got washed
away.") - Ann Richards.

...... 2 Isaac U. Brooks b: April 13, 1850 in GA, married Lenora Caine on
November 3, 1872. moved to Waco,Texas.

...... 2 Zella Brooks b: 1853

...... 2 Elisha Brooks b: 1855. The only Elisha Brooks I can find is one
listed on the 1910 & 1920 AL censuses in New Brockton/Clintonville, Coffee
Co., AL (A. Richards).

...... 2 Frances Brooks b: 1857. Frances does not appear on the 1870 census.
It is presumed that she died in the intervening years.

...... 2 Thomas J. Brooks b: October 01, 1858 in Georgia. This is my great
grandfather -- Ann V. Richards. Thomas married Cornelia Adaline Stokes on
December 26, 1881 in Bullock County, AL. They moved to Coffee County
(Liberty Community), AL around 1890.

...... 2 Florence Gibson Brooks b: September 28, 1861 in BLAKELY, Georgia.
He married Emma L. Summerlin on December 30, 1882 in Pine Grove, Bullock
County, Alabama.

The above is a brief genealogical outline of this family as we have it now.
We continue to research and refine our data. Any help would be most
welcomed.

Ann Vaughan Richards

29415 Bell Crossing Road

Opp, Alabama 36467

richardsae@alaweb.com

1 Alpheus R. Brooks b: March 20, 1826 in Warren County, Georgia - moved to
Pine Grove, AL in 1867 ( FROM EARLY CO., GA. (A. Richards). d: June 22, 1907
in Waco (McLennan) Texas. Fact 1: Thought to be the son of Benjamin Brooks
(b. abt 1800), Warren Co, GA and the grandson of Isaac Brooks (b. abt 1770
in NC), also in Warren Co., GA.Fact 2: Alpheus appears on the 1860 Warren
Co., GA census, so the family moved to EARLY COUNTY after the 1860 census
was taken. Married Arena (Lorena??) Watson b: Abt. 1829 in GA m: September 02, 1845
in Warren County, Georgia d: Unknown in Alabama Fact 1: Her name appears to
be Lorena or Serena on some census records; however, after checking closely the
1860 census, it appears the name is "Arena." Marriage license states "Rena."
(AVR) Fact 2: May be related to the Watsons in McDuffie County, GA (avr).
Fact 3: Death certificate of Fossie Brooks lists his mother's name as LIZZIE
WATSON (avr).

...... 2 Missouri Brooks b: 1846 in GA Fact 1: It is possible that Missouri
married her cousin, Isaac Monroe Brooks.

...... 2 Benjamin Brooks b: 1847 Fact 1: A grandaughter of Uncle Fossie
(Florence Gibson Brooks) told me that Benjamin died in a flood in Phoenix
City, AL ("He got washed away) - Ann Richards.

...... 2 Isaac U. Brooks b: April 13, 1850 in Warren County, Georgia d:
February 11, 1922 in Waco, Texas Fact 1: 1872 Midway, Beat #1, tax
assessment: Brooks, Isaac U. - 1 horse, $100 (Source: Dean Spratlin, Union
Springs, AL)- Ann Richards. Fact 2: Marriage Lic Index, Vol 2, Bullock
County: Isaac U. Brooks to Lenora Caine (source: Dean Spratlin, Union
Springs, AL)-Ann Richards.

married Lenora Caine b: February 20, 1854 in Alabama m: November 03,
1872 d: July 05, 1933 in Waco, Texas

...... 2 Zella Brooks b: 1853

...... 2 Elisha Brooks b: 1855 Fact 1: The only Elisha Brooks I can find is
one listed on the 1910 & 1920 AL censuses in New Brockton/Clintonville,
Coffee Co., AL (A. Richards).

...... 2 Frances Brooks b: 1857 Fact 1: Frances does not appear on the 1870
census. It is presumed that she died in the intervening years.

...... 2 Thomas J. Brooks b: October 01, 1858 in Georgia d: February 06,
1944 in Coffee County, Alabama (Liberty Community)

married Cornelia Adaline Stokes b: June 16, 1853 in Alabama m: December
26, 1881 in Bullock County, Alabama d: February 22, 1931 in Coffee County,
Alabama (Liberty Community)

...... 2 Florence Gibson Brooks b: September 28, 1861 in BLAKELY, Georgia d:
February 21, 1948 in Pine Grove, Bullock County, Alabama (buried Fairview
Cem.)

married Emma L. Summerlin b: September 18, 1861 in Alabama m: December
30, 1882 in Pine Grove, Bullock County, Alabama d: May 19, 1937 in Pine
Grove, Bullock County, Alabama (buried Fairview Cem.)

Do you have a connection to this Brooks line?
Contact Ann if you do.

Submitted by: Ann Vaughan Richards
< richardsae@alaweb.com >

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