Ron Hughes wrote: :My Great Grandfather was William Rensselaer BROOKS, born between :1821/822. :I've found him and his family on the 1850 and 1860 census, and I :have his Civil War Records. From these documents, I've determined :that he was born in either Sullivan or Orange County, New York. : :Here's my request. If, while browsing through your sources, would :you keep an eye out for a James Brooks that had a son named :William? But of course. I save all the unanswered queries to the list for this purpose. One of the benefits to being subscribed here is that you'll be paged if something turns up. :-) On the other hand, Ron, this is a regionally-focused list. Yes, there's some overlap with PA, and lots with NY (mostly in the post-Revolution years), and you're most welcome here -- but I'm not personally researching anything that far south. I also *avoid* the published compilations you referenced (cf. Seaver) in favor of building my trees event by event and person by person from primary records whenever possible. This method may seem backward, but it works for me. :-) For the record, there isn't A (as in ONE) "Brooks Genealogy" book, and for good reason. First, if the Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire is correct, BROOKS was the 82d most common English name in the U.S. back in the 1930s. Secondly, hundreds of thousands if not millions living today descend in one way or another from at least 10 to 12 Brooks men who were in New England by 1660. Even more Brooks families descend from hundreds or thousands of subsequent immigrants up to the present day named BROOKS or ROUSSEAU or BROEK or who knows what else. If you add in the known Southern progenitors, your finished work would be the size of the World Book Encyclopedia. Seaver's little booklet, by contrast, contains a narrow descendant line of just one founder, William Brooks of Springfield, and little else that's reliable. One other work, "Brooks and Allied Families" by Ida (Ketcham?), is entirely concerned with North Carolina roots and I've found no overlap with the New England progenitors. Each of these works represents a decimal fraction of the BROOKS genealogy universe. >From time to time I own up to the hope of publishing on the New England Brooks families myself, on the model of the "Mary and John" series -- initially, one volume for the first five (or as many more will fit) generations of each of the 10 early (by 1660) New England progenitors. Since the biggest obstacle to such a production -- the cost of traditional printing and distribution -- has vanished with the advent of the CD burner, the PDF format and the ebook, my greatest barriers now are time and my own inadequacies. So while "the Brooks Genealogy" doesn't yet exist, we're building one here for a small, regionally defined and clearly identifiable group of families. That's a start. Chris
Chris...thank you SO much for this! It's amazing the amount of information you have at hand AND share with everyone. I have a hard time deleting any of your messages...they're filled with history, along with genealogy, and I keep thinking I might need your information some day. Do you keep archives? If so, please let me know how to get to them and I'll go ahead and delete the messages I don't absolutely need right now. Thanks again for your help. I appreciate it greatly!! Jan -----Original Message----- From: Christopher Brooks <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: Saturday, March 30, 2002 10:13 PM Subject: Re: [BNE] BROOKS/FRYE/FELLOWS MARRIAGE >Jan Saremi wrote: > >:I hope other >:Brooks descendants may have some knowledge of John and Eleanor >:Frye and perhaps can share who their children married (I've never >:seen other children listed except for Elizabeth) >:so I can use Google to start hunting for associations. > >Here's the remainder of the family writeup from the same source, p. >112. Simply insert this text after ELIZABETH in yesterday's >transcription. > >ROBERT, b. 1 Nov. 1698, Scarb. 1724, Biddeford 1734, Buxton. M. Sarah >Sawyer, d. of John and Rebecca (Stanford). Wid. in 1760, of >Biddeford, 1773 of Cape Eliz., 4 or more ch. incl. John, Hannah, >Sarah and Isaiah. SARAH, b. 11 Oct. 1689. HESTER, b. 22 Nov. 1702. >(Int. Biddeford 14 Oct. 1731 Saml. Cole, Esther Brooks.) JOHN, b. 27 >Feb. 1703-4, of Kingston 1725, of Biddeford in 1726, sold out in >Kingston in 1729. Living in Kit. in 1786, ag. 82. He m., presum. 2d, >by Aug. 1740, Eleanor (Meader) Libby of Bid., who in 1748 was a wit. >at Kit. Point. > >Chris > > >==== BROOKS-NE Mailing List ==== >Archives of previous posts are located at: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/BROOKS-NE-L/ >The address is case-sensitive. >
Since a number of us are researching Brooks families connected with the border towns of Massachusetts/New Hampshire, I thought I'd pass this resource along from the Family History Library catalog. It's not available on film yet, which means you'd have to buy the book (or travel to Salt Lake City to read it). Chris =================================== The history of old Dunstable : including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N. H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass. Authors Fox, Charles J. (Charles James), 1811-1846. (Main Author) Notes Reprint. Originally published: Nashua, N.H. : Charles T. Gill, 1846. Includes index. Subjects New Hampshire, Hillsborough - History Massachusetts, Middlesex - History Call Number Location 974.28 H2f 1983 FHL US/CAN Book Format Books/Monographs Publication Bowie, Md. : Heritage Books, c1983 Physical xiv, 293 p., [4] leaves of plates : ill., 1 map. ISBN/ISSN 0917890353
Chris & Bob: Recent posts to BROOKS-NE-L led me to believe that you are both very well versed when it comes to Brooks Genealogy. From your postings, I assume that you have access to various compilations of Brooks genealogies, family and town histories, etc. I would like to make a request. My Great Grandfather was William Rensselaer BROOKS, born between 1821/822. I've found him and his family on the 1850 and 1860 census, and I have his Civil War Records. From these documents, I've determined that he was born in either Sullivan or Orange County, New York. In addition, William's son, Marion, provided the following in "Landmarks of Steuben County": "He (Marion) was the son of William.....native of Orange County. The grandfather, James Brooks, a native of England came to America during the Revolutionary war and spent several years in the war. He settled first in Berks County, PA, but afterward moved to Orange County, NY, where he died." The above excerpt is all I have on William's father, James. In addition, I know of no siblings that William may have had. Here's my request. If, while browsing through your sources, would you keep an eye out for a James Brooks that had a son named William? Thanks for any assistance you may be able to provide. Ron Hughes p.s. I have lots of information regarding the descendants of William. Most of it is on my website at: http://coyote.accessnv.com/rondh/Index.htm Go to box 3, 4, and 5 on the left side of the opening page.
Good Morning All -- The Colony of CT Records 1636-1776 are now online at http://www.colonialct.uconn.edu/ Carol Pullen-Reynolds
Jan Saremi wrote: :I hope other :Brooks descendants may have some knowledge of John and Eleanor :Frye and perhaps can share who their children married (I've never :seen other children listed except for Elizabeth) :so I can use Google to start hunting for associations. Here's the remainder of the family writeup from the same source, p. 112. Simply insert this text after ELIZABETH in yesterday's transcription. ROBERT, b. 1 Nov. 1698, Scarb. 1724, Biddeford 1734, Buxton. M. Sarah Sawyer, d. of John and Rebecca (Stanford). Wid. in 1760, of Biddeford, 1773 of Cape Eliz., 4 or more ch. incl. John, Hannah, Sarah and Isaiah. SARAH, b. 11 Oct. 1689. HESTER, b. 22 Nov. 1702. (Int. Biddeford 14 Oct. 1731 Saml. Cole, Esther Brooks.) JOHN, b. 27 Feb. 1703-4, of Kingston 1725, of Biddeford in 1726, sold out in Kingston in 1729. Living in Kit. in 1786, ag. 82. He m., presum. 2d, by Aug. 1740, Eleanor (Meader) Libby of Bid., who in 1748 was a wit. at Kit. Point. Chris
On Sat, 30 Mar 2002 14:28:49 -0500, Mariana wrote: :I have sent the information from Genealogical Dictionary of Maine :and New Hampshire about Eleanor Frye, her parents and siblings :privately. :An interesting tid-bit.....regarding her parents "Their poster. :were largely Friends". :This strongly suggests the possibility John Brooks and Eleanor :Frye's children might be found in the Monthly Meeting records. A Quaker connection might also explain giving a son the decidedly un-Congregational name Robert. :-) Good catch! I didn't think to look under FRYE in there. :-( Chris
I have sent the information from Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire about Eleanor Frye, her parents and siblings privately. An interesting tid-bit.....regarding her parents "Their poster. were largely Friends". This strongly suggests the possibility John Brooks and Eleanor Frye's children might be found in the Monthly Meeting records. Mariana Mariana Bean Ruggles [email protected] http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~mariana/ http://www.pieces-n-time.com Listmanager Essex County, Massachusetts Mail List Listowner Essex-Roots Mail List Listmanager Grafton County, New Hampshire Mail List Listmanager Ordway Mail List
Thank you so much for this information! I knew nothing about John and now, because of you, I know at least something. I hope other Brooks descendants may have some knowledge of John and Eleanor Frye and perhaps can share who their children married (I've never seen other children listed except for Elizabeth) so I can use Google to start hunting for associations. I greatly appreciate your efforts on my behalf!! Best wishes. Jan Saremi -----Original Message----- From: Christopher Brooks <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: Friday, March 29, 2002 9:34 PM Subject: Re: [BNE] BROOKS/FRYE/FELLOWS MARRIAGE >Jan Saremi wrote: > >:On Rootsweb and other message boards, I see that JOHN BROOKS, born >:abt. 1668 in or near York, ME married ELEANOR FRYE (born abt. 1668 >:in Kittery, York, ME). [snip] >:No parents were listed for John BROOKS. [snip] > >Most of what I've seen of John Brooks comes from the Genealogical >Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire, a well-regarded work compiled >from the original manuscript records, which includes transcriptions >of many of the original lists and records relied upon -- as scanty as >they often are. Page 112: > >============================= > > "JOHN, ±28 in 1696, had Kit. gr. 1694, sold 1696. Lists 290, 298. He >m. by 1692 Eleanor Frye (1), who was gr. adm. 26 Nov. 1712. She m. 2d >8 Jan. 1712-3 John Bishop and by 1716 had removed to Kingston. Ch: >ELIZABETH, b. 24 Jan. 1695, m. Ebenezer Fellows (1)." [The table >continues with the other children Robert, Sarah, Hester and John.] > >List 290, for which only a note reporting an error in Stackpole, >Families of Old Kittery, is included, was titled Sufferers from the >Indians in the Second War. > >List 298, comprising six pages of fine print, is titled Land Grants >in Kittery, and to Whom Laid Out. The authors explain, "This list is >abridged from a ledger account made for the Proprietors in 1764. >Locations are generally omitted, also almost all grants after 1699; >and where a man had several grants laid out to himself, some of them >are usually omitted." > On p. 34 is found > 1694. John Brooks; 1696, self; 1718, Wm. Godsoe. > > On p. 35 is found > 1682. To same, 20; 1699, John Brooks; 1709, self. > >Source: Davis, Walter Goodwin, Charles Thornton Libby and Sybil >Noyes, "Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire". >Portland, ME: 19281939; repr. Genealogical Publishing Co., >Baltimore, 1996. > >============================= > >I haven't found the BROOKS surname in the York area before John's >appearance. (I haven't worked a lot on this line, though, and I hope >someone will correct me if such evidence does exist.) I've got him >tentatively identified as an emigrant and the founder of the Kittery >line. He doesn't match any of the sons named John sired by the 9 >other founders known to have come over by 1660. He's also the only >one of all the founders to name a son Robert, a Norman rather than a >biblical or an English name, which sets him off in my mind as an >emigrant (and perhaps an Anglican). > >Do we have other Kittery line descendants subscribed here? > >Chris > > >==== BROOKS-NE Mailing List ==== >Archives of previous posts are located at: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/BROOKS-NE-L/ >The address is case-sensitive. >
Jan Saremi wrote: :On Rootsweb and other message boards, I see that JOHN BROOKS, born :abt. 1668 in or near York, ME married ELEANOR FRYE (born abt. 1668 :in Kittery, York, ME). [snip] :No parents were listed for John BROOKS. [snip] Most of what I've seen of John Brooks comes from the Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire, a well-regarded work compiled from the original manuscript records, which includes transcriptions of many of the original lists and records relied upon -- as scanty as they often are. Page 112: ============================= "JOHN, ±28 in 1696, had Kit. gr. 1694, sold 1696. Lists 290, 298. He m. by 1692 Eleanor Frye (1), who was gr. adm. 26 Nov. 1712. She m. 2d 8 Jan. 1712-3 John Bishop and by 1716 had removed to Kingston. Ch: ELIZABETH, b. 24 Jan. 1695, m. Ebenezer Fellows (1)." [The table continues with the other children Robert, Sarah, Hester and John.] List 290, for which only a note reporting an error in Stackpole, Families of Old Kittery, is included, was titled Sufferers from the Indians in the Second War. List 298, comprising six pages of fine print, is titled Land Grants in Kittery, and to Whom Laid Out. The authors explain, "This list is abridged from a ledger account made for the Proprietors in 1764. Locations are generally omitted, also almost all grants after 1699; and where a man had several grants laid out to himself, some of them are usually omitted." On p. 34 is found 1694. John Brooks; 1696, self; 1718, Wm. Godsoe. On p. 35 is found 1682. To same, 20; 1699, John Brooks; 1709, self. Source: Davis, Walter Goodwin, Charles Thornton Libby and Sybil Noyes, "Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire". Portland, ME: 19281939; repr. Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1996. ============================= I haven't found the BROOKS surname in the York area before John's appearance. (I haven't worked a lot on this line, though, and I hope someone will correct me if such evidence does exist.) I've got him tentatively identified as an emigrant and the founder of the Kittery line. He doesn't match any of the sons named John sired by the 9 other founders known to have come over by 1660. He's also the only one of all the founders to name a son Robert, a Norman rather than a biblical or an English name, which sets him off in my mind as an emigrant (and perhaps an Anglican). Do we have other Kittery line descendants subscribed here? Chris
Patricia Brooks wrote: :Sidney Brooks, which no :one has ever heard of, seems to be a ghost. I heard that he had :lived in New York, died in Harrisburg, PA. :Very distant relative told me that he was born in 1850 and moved :around until his death. With that unique name, one would think :that there are records somewhere, but I have just about given up. :The usual story of his parents being John and Elizabeth Brooks and :siblings names of Samuel and Charles. What a nightmare, just had :to have all these common names. I've got four Sidneys -- it is uncommon -- in New England, but with birth dates of 1799, 1799, 1811 and 1836. It's true that those are common names, but all are frequently found in the "Concord line" of Capt. Thomas Brooks. The given name Charles is most often associated with this line, at least until the late 19th century, and the given name Samuel as well. Though how that "hunch" will help you connect Concord, MA to Harrisburg is a little beyond me. :-) Have you obtained his death record, hopefully with place of birth and names of parents? Probate/will? Census? Are there specific locations you can give us other than New York and Harrisburg? If you know of other places he lived, have you checked such things as business directories and town and county histories? If he married, and you know his wife's surname, have you tried researching that surname in order, perhaps, to find your Sidney as a marrying-in spouse? Chris
I'm looking for my BROOKS grandparents and am confused. On Rootsweb and other message boards, I see that JOHN BROOKS, born abt. 1668 in or near York, ME married ELEANOR FRYE (born abt. 1668 in Kittery, York, ME). Eleanor's parents: Adrian FRYE b: ABT 1635 in Axbridge,Somersetshire, England and Sarah WHITE, b: ABT 1640 in Kittery,York Co.,Maine No parents were listed for John BROOKS. Their daughter was Elizabeth BROOKS who married Ebenezer FELLOWS, born 1692 in Salisbury, MA and died in Kingston, NH in 1741 or '42. Ebenezer was the son of Samuel FELLOWS and Abigail BARNARD, both from Salisbury, MA. I know for sure that Samuel and Abigail Fellows are my grandparents and assumed John Brooks and Eleanor Frye were also UNTIL I found this (a paste from a Rootsweb entry): "Note: Many trees show wife as Elizabeth Brooks, but this is apparently in error. Kingston Vital Records: "Ebinr Fellowes and Elisabeth Brocket were Joned in marrege november ye 12 1718." My question is whether any of your Brooks researchers descend from Elizabeth Brooks and Ebenezer Fellows and have documentation that Elizabeth was really a Brooks...and not a Brockett (more likely Brackett) and, if so, if you might have some more information about John Brooks and Eleanor Frye. At this point, I'm trying to gather information about both surnames...Brooks and Brackett/Brockett...just in case. Thank you for any help you might be able to send my way. Jan Saremi
Chris; Thanks!! Bob At 11:36 PM 3/28/02, Christopher Brooks wrote: >On Thu, 28 Mar 2002 21:32:34 -0500, Robert Brooks wrote: > >:Is "The History of Chemung County" available anywhere. It sounds >:like there maybe a tie in with my group in Cornwall, NY. It's not >:that far. > >I think Steve probably accessed this book when he visited New York >State from England last year, Bob. But if you'll point your browser >to > > http://www.familysearch.org > >Click the Search tab ... >Click Family History Library Catalog on the menu bar ... >Click Place Search on the blue menu buttons ... >Enter Chemung and New York in the dialog box ... >Click Chemung, New York on the Place Results screen ... > >you'll be rewarded with 22 categories of records available on LDS >microfilm. Click the History topic and you can choose from 10 works. > >Chris > > > >==== BROOKS-NE Mailing List ==== >Archives of previous posts are located at: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/BROOKS-NE-L/ >The address is case-sensitive.
On Thu, 28 Mar 2002 21:32:34 -0500, Robert Brooks wrote: :Is "The History of Chemung County" available anywhere. It sounds :like there maybe a tie in with my group in Cornwall, NY. It's not :that far. I think Steve probably accessed this book when he visited New York State from England last year, Bob. But if you'll point your browser to http://www.familysearch.org Click the Search tab ... Click Family History Library Catalog on the menu bar ... Click Place Search on the blue menu buttons ... Enter Chemung and New York in the dialog box ... Click Chemung, New York on the Place Results screen ... you'll be rewarded with 22 categories of records available on LDS microfilm. Click the History topic and you can choose from 10 works. Chris
Chris: Sounds lie this is going to get fairly involved. But that's OK. The fun is in the hunt, and it will be nice to show my kids where the family came from. Bob At 12:12 AM 3/28/02, Christopher Brooks wrote: >On Wed, 27 Mar 2002 21:12:05 -0500, Robert Brooks wrote: > >:The most unusual name I can link was my Great Great grandfather >:who was William Sayres Brooks. > >William Heysham SAYRE m. Elizabeth Mitchell Brooks. She was of >Philadelphia, a descendant of Capt. Thomas Brooks. > >Esther SAYRE m., 1798 in Cumberland County, NJ, Ira Brooks of the >Woburn line. > >Prudence Ann SAYRE m., prob. about 1840 in Chenango County, NY, >Elijah Perry/7 Brooks. He's of the Glastonbury line. > >Naomi/9 Brooks, born around 1821, prob. Cumberland County, NJ, >married Harry SAYRE. > >Overall, I've got 11 instances of the SAYRE surname, and every >blessed one of them is somehow connected with the Philadelphia/Jersey >region, as is the name in general. On the other hand, the Brooks >spouses here really have nothing in common but their name. Run a >Google search on "Sayre(s) + genealogy" and you'll be pleasantly >surprised. > >Unfortunately, once you get into the Philadelphia/Jersey melting pot, >it's very difficult to figure out who is who, for reasons I've >mentioned previously. Even in the events above, a simplified "pool" >where only New England Brooks families are cited, there are three >different lineages for the cluster of four individuals. > >Chris > > >==== BROOKS-NE Mailing List ==== >Archives of previous posts are located at: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/BROOKS-NE-L/ >The address is case-sensitive.
Yes I would like to see it. Thanks; Bob At 12:21 AM 3/28/02, [email protected] wrote: >Bob > Have some info from mass, if you would like > > >==== BROOKS-NE Mailing List ==== >To unsub, send ONLY the word UNSUBSCRIBE to > [email protected] >or [email protected]
Steve: I would be! Is "The History of Chemung County" available anywhere. It sounds like there maybe a tie in with my group in Cornwall, NY. It's not that far. Thanks; Bob At 12:30 PM 3/28/02, Christopher Brooks wrote: >Forwarding the following from Steve Hoffman, >[email protected], as we're experiencing some transoceanic >glitches this morning. Please direct any reply to Steve at the above >address or to the list, not to me personally. > >Chris > >============================= > >If I may jump in just to correct Chris (not often do I get such a >chance!): > > > Prudence Ann SAYRE m., prob. about 1840 in Chenango County, NY, > > Elijah Perry/7 Brooks. He's of the Glastonbury line. > >According to 'The History of Chemung County' (Chemung County is in >NY), Elijah Perry Brooks "married, Aug.30, 1842, Prudence Ann, a >daughter of Gabriel Sayre, who lived in the town of Chemung. His >brother, William A., also married a daughter of Mr. Sayre." > >So, two Brookses married two Sayres, just to make genealogical life >interesting. William Augustus Brooks and Amanda Sayre Brooks were >my great grandparents, and the parents of Gabrielle Brooks, my >grandmother. > >The link with Chenango County in all this is the father of Elijah >Perry Brooks and William Augustus Brooks, who was Dr Theseus Brooks, >son of Thomas Brooks of Chenango County NY., who was, as Chris says, >of the Glastonbury line. > >I have some more information about this line if anyone is interested >in pursuing it. > >Steve Hoffman >Whitchurch, Hampshire >England > > > > >==== BROOKS-NE Mailing List ==== >No answer to your query? Did you use a meaningful >subject line? Did you provide enough information? >Please try again in a month or two ...
Forwarding the following from Steve Hoffman, [email protected], as we're experiencing some transoceanic glitches this morning. Please direct any reply to Steve at the above address or to the list, not to me personally. Chris ============================= If I may jump in just to correct Chris (not often do I get such a chance!): > Prudence Ann SAYRE m., prob. about 1840 in Chenango County, NY, > Elijah Perry/7 Brooks. He's of the Glastonbury line. According to 'The History of Chemung County' (Chemung County is in NY), Elijah Perry Brooks "married, Aug.30, 1842, Prudence Ann, a daughter of Gabriel Sayre, who lived in the town of Chemung. His brother, William A., also married a daughter of Mr. Sayre." So, two Brookses married two Sayres, just to make genealogical life interesting. William Augustus Brooks and Amanda Sayre Brooks were my great grandparents, and the parents of Gabrielle Brooks, my grandmother. The link with Chenango County in all this is the father of Elijah Perry Brooks and William Augustus Brooks, who was Dr Theseus Brooks, son of Thomas Brooks of Chenango County NY., who was, as Chris says, of the Glastonbury line. I have some more information about this line if anyone is interested in pursuing it. Steve Hoffman Whitchurch, Hampshire England
Chris you mention linage? Seems to me this big puzzle must connect? Not sure where, but my Henry Brooks although from NJ, died in Chelsea Mass at the Old Soldiers Home, his son my granddad also born in NJ, came with him to mass, his name also Henry Brooks from Brookline Mass, his son my Uncle which was Henry Brooks was from South weymouth Mass
I'll let them find me, I think!!! Jean