James Robinson Brooks, 1786-1836
Elizabeth Chandler, 1790-1863

James and Elizabeth had the following children:

1. Zedekiah McClelland BROOKS, 29 MAR 1811- 21 APR 1890
2. Frances Rachel BROOKS MCMAHAN, 23 FEB 1813-1842
3. Thomas Chandler BROOKS, 20 MAR 1815-1866
4. Elizabeth Martha BROOKS KIRK, 20 FEB 1817-1858
5. James Hubard BROOKS, 9 JUN 1819-23 NOV 1898
6. Polly William BROOKS, 25 NOV 1821- 8 FEB 1839
7. Laura Ann BROOKS, 7 FEB 1825-12 MAY 1886
8. William Atherton BROOKS, 26 DEC 1826-23 May 1909*
9. George Washington BROOKS, 4 AUG 1828- 23 AUG 1886



Notes for James Robinson Brooks:

James Robinson Brooks was born 11 June 1788 in Lunenburg County, VA. He was well educated by his father and in 1804 at the age of 16, he was employed to teach school and from that time forward he made teaching school his only occupation. He taught school in the counties of Charlotte and Lunenburg, Virginia for several years.

In 1809, when he ws 21 years of age, he courted and won the love of Elizabeth Chandler, daughter of Thomas and Rachel Chandler of Lunenburg County, Virginia. She was in her 20th year, having been born in that county 9 Jun 1790. On 6 Jan 1810 they were united in the holy bonds of matrimony. James R. Brooks and his wife, Elizabeth, went to housekeeping in Lunenburg County where he continued to teach school. There their first child, Zedikiah McClelland Brooks, was born on 29 Apr 1811.

Then they moved to Charlotte County, Virginia and there he opened school and continued teaching until they had two more children - Frances Rachel Brooks born 23 Feb 1813, and Thomas Chandler Brooks, born 20 March 1815.

About that time the people of his settlement were beginning to move to Kentucky and the excitement about the new country ran so high that James R. Brooks, among others, made up his mind to emigrate to it. They began to make preparations to move and in the spring of 1816, he loaded up his wagon, took his wife and three children, bid his friends and neighbors a friendly goodbye, and started for Kentucky.

They started from Charlotte County, Virginia, crossed the Allegheny Mountains, and traveled until they came to Henry County, Kentucky. There they stopped and he again opened school and continued teaching in the counties of Henry, Gallatin (1820 Census) and Oldham (1830 Census). there they had six more children born.

In the winter of 1832, James R. Brooks made up his mind to emigrate to Jackson's Purchase, that part of Kentucky west of the Tennessee River. He prepared a family moving boat to make the journey and on the 22nd of March 1832, left Oldham County, Kentucky with his wife and nine children in a boat. After floating down the Ohio River to the mouth of the Tennessee River, they propelled the boat up that river with spike poles 50 miles to Aurora in Calloway County, Kentucky.

There he disposed of his boat and moved out in Calloway County about eight miles, rented a place and that year opened a six month school.

In the spring of 1833, he moved 5 miles back towards the Tennessee River and settled on Ledbetter Creek in Calloway County, Kentucky. There he remained until he died on 21 Mar 1836 at 48 years of age. His widow, Elizabeth Brooks, remained in Calloway County KY for 22 years after his death. In 1840 she married a man named Austin who left her a few months afterward and ran away from the country. She returned to her former name of Elizabeth Brooks and never married again. In March 1858, she moved with her son William and his family to Missouri and lived on the south prong of the Little Black River in Ripley County, MO, where she died 20 May 1863 at the age of 73 years.



Sources:

1. Notes from James E. Brooks, Chatham, Virginia
2. Memory of Dr. W. A. Brooks, His Past Life Written by Himself in his Seventy-First Year



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