Hello, According to the VR's of Williamstown, the birth record of Elisha Brooks is as follows: Brooks Elisha, h Annah march 26, 1803 g.r.8 "G. R. 8" is the grave records for the South Williamstown Cemetery. That's most likely where Elisha, Annah, Maria and Olive Brooks are buried. Try to email the Williamstown Library (David and Joyce Milne Public Library) to see if they house the records for this cemetery, or they could perhaps direct you to where you may find them. ( I was just there in Williamstown on Friday!) I know this is a long-shot, but....there is an Elmira/Elmina E. listed in the 1850 census, the right age of the Elmina you're searching for, who is married to a Thomas Hall/Hull in Williamstown. I followed the census, and it appears Thomas died between 1856-1860; and she then married to a Fayette Briggs and was located in Adams MA. You could try to send a request to the MA Archives for the marriage record of Thomas Hall (about 1843) to see if this is indeed the Elmira you're searching for. The cost is $3 and if they don't find the record you're searching for, they return your check. Good luck in your search, Debbye ----- Original Message ----- From: "Katherine Ayers" <kayers2@comcast.net> To: <BROOKS-NE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 5:28 PM Subject: [BNE] Elisha Brooks family of Williamstown/New Ashford, MA I'm trying to help someone solve a puzzle. According to published Williamstown vital records, Elisha and his wife, Annah, had a daughter, Elmina Elizabeth, born Sept. 29, 1826. I'm told that Elmina married into the Ayres family, but I have not been able to substantiate this. On the 1850 census, Elisha Brooks and family were in New Ashford, MA, but Elmina was not listed with them. Nor can I find her anywhere else. Neither a marriage record nor death record appears for her in the published vital records of either Williamstown or New Ashford. (These records go only to 1850.) I did find elsewhere that a younger daughter of Elisha/Annah, Sarah, born about 1842, married a James Gilbert Ayres of CT. Although a couple of decendants' entries show up for Elmina's birth, there seems to be nothing beyond that. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can track her? Annah Brooks appears to have died sometime between the 1850 and 1860 census records. Where might family members have ! been buried? I do not see that there were any cemeteries in Williamstown. Thanks for any suggestions you can offer. Kay ==== BROOKS-NE Mailing List ==== To Search previous posts by keyword(s): http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl?list=BROOKS-NE The address is case-sensitive.

Ok...a while ago I sent out an inquiry about two of my Brooks relatives, Joseph Brooks (1831-1899) and his wife Eurania H. Brooks (1838-1897). Brooks is Eurania's maiden name as well as her married name. Since those previous inquiries, I have gotten the following information to share on JOSEPH BROOKS: Joseph Brooks was born on 29 March 1831 to George Brooks and Alice Isherwood. There is evidence that Joseph was born in Bury, Lancashire, England. This is based on British Census records and the IGI. The 1851 British Census shows Joseph living at home with his parents and siblings, working a power loom in a mill. In 1854, on the ship "Chapin", there is a Joseph Brooks (age 21) who is a dyer. He comes from England and arrives in Boston on May19th. This may or may not be him of course, but there are similarities making it worth noting. According to Civil War Pension records, Joseph and Eurania (who is sometimes shown as Urania, Urana, Lurania, etc) were married 23 Feb 1856, a year later then stated in the IGI, which has them marrying the same date in 1855. In 1860, Joseph and Lauraanna Brooks, ages 27 and 26, appear in the Census for Saco, York, ME, p.66. Their daughter Clara E. is less than a year old. Joseph is an operator in a mill. Clara is my connection to this branch of the Brooks. Joseph Brooks was a civil war veteran, having served with the 13th Regimental Infantry Volunteers of Maine, as well as the 30th Regimental Infantry Volunteers from December of 1861 until August of 1865. while in service he served at Ship Island near Louisiana, as well as along the banks of the Mississippi at Fort XXX and in campaigns into Texas and parts of Louisiana. He also served defending Washington, and with Sherman's army mainly as guards. In 1870 Joseph, Eurania and Clara lived in Taunton, Bristol County, MA. He was working in a cotton mill. A bible given to Joseph Brooks by the captain of the ship Columbia, Capt McKay, indicates that he traveled on the ship in 1879. Assumedly he may have gone to England to visit relatives. By 1880, Joseph and Lurana Brooks are in the 1880 Rhode Island US census. Joseph is a machinist and the census lists a daughter Leslie, age 5 born in Massachusetts. They appear on page 121C. Prior to his death he petitioned the US for a Civil War pension of Disability of which he was awarded a monthly sum of $6 due to "salt rheum and sores of the legs" suffered during the war. He was briefly hospitalized at winchester VA in 1865 for treatment of these conditions, staying htere from the 4th of April until the 25th of April 1865. In the 1890s he petitioned for full disability claiming a continuing case of diarrhea due to the war. It appears to have been denied. Pension disability records describes Joseph as being 5'6" tall, of light complexion, with dark eyes and dark hair. One document, witnessed by his son-in-law, James F Moore, indicates that met in approximately 1877. He died at age 68y, 5m, and 15d in Providence, RI, in 1899 at 66 Pocasset Ave. At the time he died he was widowed. He died of chronic bronchitis, valve disease of the heart and uraemia. He worked as a machinist. His death record confirms his parents names. According to the 1883, 1884, 1885, 1890, 1891 and 1892 Providence City Directories, they lived at 10 Gardner St., Providence, RI. I am still looking for any other connections to either Joseph or Eurania. Eurania was the daughter of Benjamin Brooks and his wife Mary (maiden name unknown). Both Benjamin (abt 1804-?) and Mary (abt 1810-?) were born in Maine. They had 4 children: Reuben (abt 1831), Eurania H. (abt 1838), Alonzo T. (abt 1839), and Mary (abt 1841). In 1860, Benjamin and Mary Brooks, ages 55 and 50, live with their son Alonzo, daughter Mary, and a child Sarah A. They are farmers. In 1870, Benjamin and his wife Mary, ages 66 and 58, appear in the Norridgewook, Somerset, ME census on page 86. Both were born in ME, he working as a farmer and she keeping house. They live next door to their son, Alonzo Brooks, and his family. So, I am hoping some of this information may be helpful in finding other Brooks connections, especially to Eurania's side of the Brooks tree. Thanks ! Dale

Hello, I contacted the Pittsfield Library and they have the cemetery inscriptions for Elisha Brooks and his two wives Annah and Olive as follows: Annah wife of Elisha Brooks, d. Apr. 19, 1858 a 52 yrs 8 mos Elisha Brooks b Mar. 26, 1803 d Jan 17, 1875 Olive M. wife of Elisha Brooks d Apr 1, 1885 a 51 yr 8 mos My request was forwarded to the Williamstown Local History and these are the inscriptions they sent: (a little different) Annah Brooks died 4/19/1828, age 52, wife Elisha buried section E lot 383, Southlawn Olive, born in Berlin, NY, died April 1, 1885 age 57 years, 8 mos, 25 days, section E 383 Maria 1809-1886, age 77 Section E lot 172 I drove out to the cemetery and photographed the tombstones if anyone would like a copy. The tombstones read as follows: (I did not find Maria's) On Annah's tombstone is: ANNAH wife of ELISHA BROOKS died, April 19, 1858 AGED 52 yr's 8 mo. & ?25 dys Is born? in Jesus, blessed Sleeps On Elisha's tombstone: [broken in half] ELISHA BROOKS Born Mar. 26, 1803 Died Nov. 17, 1875 He Giveth his beloved sleep Olive's tombstone: Olive M Wife of Elisha Brooks Died Apr 4? 188? AE 57 yrs 8 Ms? 22 dys Debbye