The illustrated historical souvenir of Bethel, Vermont : containing a brief history of the early settlement of the town, the schools, churches, medical and legal professions, old families, business and manufacturing interests, together with portraits and biographies of the citizens, past and present Bethel, Vt.: unknown, 1895, Pg 62 BROOKS Simeon Brooks and his wife, Elizabeth (Strong) Brooks, came to Bethel in 1780. Their children were Eli, who died in Braintree; Simeon, who died in Bethel; Ira, who died in Bethel; Asa; Anna, who married Ellis Fish, and died in Randolph; Betsy, who died in Bethel, unmarried; and Almira, who was drowned in childhood. Asa Brooks, son of Simeon Brooks, was born in Bethel, July 31, 1788, and was married January 16, 1814, to Lucy Stevens, who was born November 27, 1792, and died March 29, 1876. Asa Brooks died August 7, 1871. There were seven children born of this marriage, viz: (1) Lucy Hayward, born October 11, 1814, died at the age of nine years; (2) Nancy S., born May 3, 1816, married S. A. Webster, and they now reside in Bethel. (3) Asa A., born August 25, 1819, died when four years old. (4) Albert A., fourth child of Asa and Lucy (Stevens) Brooks, was born in Bethel, Ocotber 18, 1824. His education was received in the public schools, and at an early age, he was engaged in farming, continuing in that occupation until he was eighteen years old. He then started in mercantile trade, and after working for other parties several years, he opened a general merchandise store in Gaysville, Vt., in 1856. In 1875, Mr. Brooks sold his store in Gaysville, and came to Bethel, where, in company with G. K. Montgomery, he purchased the business formerly carried on by Merrick Sylvester, and this business was conducted three years under the firm name of Brooks & Montgomery. The present partnership was then formed, and the firm now consists of Albert A. Brooks and Seth M. Washburn, under the firm name of Brooks & Wahsburn. With Nelson Gay, Chester Downer and F. P. Holden, Mr. Brooks was interested in the Gaysville Manufacturing Company, which company was engaged in the manufacture of underwear from 1879 to 1888. A stock company was formed during the latter year, and the factory was destroyed by fire during the same year. Mr Brooks was postmaster at Gaysville from 1861 to 1873, a period of twelve years. He is a director of the White River National Bank, and president of the Bethel Shoe Company. On December 24, 1848, Mr. Brooks was married to Miss Jennett Whitcomb, and their two children were Jennie, born September 1, 1849; , married J. A. Chedell of Gaysville, Vt., and they have three children; and Kate, born July 17, 1854, married Seth M. Washburn and they have four children. (See Washburn Sektch). (5) Samuel H., born January 29, 1827, died in infancy. (6) Julius P. Brooks, sixth child of Asa Brooks, was born October 25, 1828, married Sarah Gambell, who bore him two children, viz: Willard J., and Charles. Julius P. Brooks died in Auburn, Caliifornia, in 1861. (7) Sophia Brooks was born October 31, 1832, married Albert F. Waterman and resides in Tunbridge, Vt.