ASHLEY BROOKS was born March 4, 1797 and died August 5, 1870 in Cayuga County, New York. He married MARY WEBSTER May 27, 1827 in Manlius, Onondaga County, New York. She was a descendent of Gov. John Webster of Conn. and her family history is well documented. IGI Record Films No. 177911 and 178018 Logan Temple Baptisms for the Dead on March 21, 1931 at instance of Lucretia W. Tyrrell states Ashley Brooks born March 4, 1797 in Worcester, MA, no father's name listed, mother Elizabeth. When I previously posted request for info re ASHLEY BROOKS, Christopher Brooks replied that there was no record of Ashley Brooks in Worcester, MA. Recently I found on Ancestry.com the following: Worcester County, MA, Probate Index, Vol. 1 & 2 A-Z July 1731-1881 Record Date Surname Given Name Residence Record Type 1812 Brooks Ashley Bolton Guardianship I then ordered Films 0856272 and 0856273 from the Annapolis Family History Center. I could find no listing of Ashley Brooks in the index. In searching through both films, I found a number of references to the estate of Samuel Brooks who had a son, John A. Brooks. However, I could find no guardianship papers. The volunteer was unable to advise me as to the correct films I need to order to find the Guardianship information for Ashley Brooks. If anyone can steer me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it. Kay Timmons

Kay Timmons wrote: :ASHLEY BROOKS was born March 4, 1797 and died August 5, 1870 in :Cayuga County, New York. He married MARY WEBSTER May 27, 1827 in :Manlius, Onondaga County, New York. [snip] :When I previously posted request for info re ASHLEY BROOKS, :Christopher Brooks replied that there was no record of Ashley :Brooks in Worcester, MA. :Recently I found on Ancestry.com the following: Worcester County, :MA, Probate Index, Vol. 1 & 2 A-Z July 1731-1881 :Record Date Surname Given Name Residence Record Type :1812 Brooks Ashley Bolton :Guardianship [snip] :In searching through both films, I found a number of references to :the estate of Samuel Brooks who had a son, John A. Brooks. :However, I could find no guardianship papers. The volunteer was :unable to advise me as to the correct films I need to order to :find the Guardianship information for Ashley Brooks. Kay, I looked in my data at ... … 59 Brooks males for whom I have a 1797 birthdate … 16 men named John Brooks who were sons of a Samuel … for any name resembling Ashley — will Athalie Brooks do? <g> … for any Mary Webster … and for any Brooks events at Manlius, NY. The results were completely negative, with the exception of a Col. John Brooks who connects to Manlius solely because he was blown up in a steamboat explosion there in 1831. Re-checking the vitals with the new information you provided, I find the following birth at Bolton: BROOKS, Lewis Munroe, s. Betsy, Jan. 15, 1805. While this is not your Ashley, it does confirm that an Elizabeth (Betsy) Brooks had at least one child (probably) out of wedlock, recorded at Bolton within 8 years of the birth date you have found. Of the 12 other Brooks births in that town's published vital records, each has two named parents. An alternative explanation would be a husband who permanently deserts his pregnant Brooks wife, who then insists on giving the child her maiden surname after its birth. In that respect, Bolton marriages include: BROOKS, Betsy of Acton and Joseph Meeds, April 26, 1792. At Acton. I can't follow this couple further in the vitals of Middlesex or Worcester, nor are children found. The problem is that, if husband Meeds deserts Brooks wife before the birth of son Ashley, who is consequently named Brooks, then who fathers Lewis Munroe Brooks in 1805? (Assuming that your Elizabeth and Lewis's Betsy are the same.) Now add another variable to the equation you want to solve. The following is found in Worcester (town) births [35]: BROOKS, [*Betsey, d. "to Agnes Brooks (non compos done on acct. of James Quigley & Wife, whose care it was under), July 29, 1782. The bracket indicates that the information comes not from town books but from a church record. The asterisk denotes a First (Old South) Church baptismal record. The parties involved are Agnes WALKER, who married one Joseph BROOKS, parentage unknown, at Worcester in 1767, and who has become mentally incompetent by 1782. The fact that the child is under the care of the Quigleys, who have sponsored the baptism, suggests that the father is absent or unknown. I rechecked the published vitals for each town in Worcester County for an Ashley Brooks, and in 13 towns where the ASHLEY surname is found, with no results. I think that Christopher Brooks did not make the unqualified statement "that there was no record of Ashley Brooks in Worcester, MA." I say that with some assurance because I am he -- Christopher, that is, not Ashley. :-) I've never checked land, church, probate, or town records on a county-wide basis, or at the county level, for Worcester county. What I have extracted are the published Brooks vitals for seven Massachusetts counties, including Worcester, and I believe I made that distinction in my earlier response. Those vitals are the records that do not record any Ashley Brooks. As the listowner, I certainly wasn't trying to discourage you. I simply thought you would appreciate a "heads up" before trudging off to view the vitals for yourself. :IGI Record Films No. 177911 and 178018 Logan Temple Baptisms for:the :Dead on March 21, 1931 at instance of Lucretia W. Tyrrell states :Ashley Brooks born March 4, 1797 in Worcester, MA, no father's name :listed, mother Elizabeth. Kay, this is NOT an extracted (town vital) record. It's like an early DAR pedigree submission -- no evidence required, no verification by the receiving group. In other words, Lucretia Tyrrell, a Mormon in 1931, is reporting to the church, for purposes of rebaptism of her dead ancestor, that he was born in Worcester in 1797. One additional place to look, in addition to guardianship and probate, would be the handwritten Brooks family history compiled by Walter F. Brooks of Worcester. It's held in manuscript form by the Newberry Library and NEHGS, but I'm told that they will only photocopy xx (10?) pages per mail request. I'm not aware that it's ever been filmed by the LDS. Walter F. Brooks was the family genealogist of the day, and the published Worcester vitals include a notation that Walter F. Brooks has approved the Brooks data prior to publication. Since his focus was regional, if anyone might have picked up an unreported birth in or around Worcester, it ought to be he. Have you tried simply writing to the Worcester City Clerk to see if you can confirm Ashley's birth? Chris |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Christopher Hapgood Brooks Researching BROOKS Families of New England ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||