This is from James Mathews, who is doing the research on the homesteads on Eglin. If anyone has any information on this family, he would be most grateful. For those who don't know about the project, they are trying to find out as much information as possible about the lives of those who homesteaded on Eglin. ---------- > From: James Mathews <jhm@cybertron.com> > > Certainly appreciate it as J. W. Brooks is an important historical > figure in the region. This is what I have so far: John W. Brooks was > the son of John Thomas Brooks, who was essentially the founder of Ft. > Walton Beach. He (John T) served in the Walton Guards at Camp Walton. > He apparently liked the place as he settled there after the war, bought > 111 acres on the sound in the 1879 (which included the site of Camp > Walton and the Temple Mound), and set up the first tourist hotel in the > region. John W. was born at the hotel. According to Wells book, > Pioneering in the Panhandle, John W. lived in the Johnny Rogers old > house on the Sound near Williams Creek. Wheteher this was before or > after his Eglin homestead claim was made in 1905 is uncertain. The > homestead on the claim (and there probably was one as he had to make his > five year proof of residence to get the patent) is of importance even if > it was not his primary residence at the time as this would be a good > example of what remains could be expected in these situations. > > jhm