BROOKS FAMILY HISTORY - Interactive Family Histories

BROOKS FAMILY HISTORY 7-11presents a very interesting perspective: Robert Brooks - 1 Tithe; RobertBrookes - 5 Tithes; Richd. Brooks - 1 Tithe; Wm. Brookes - 1 Tithe; NicholasGentry - 1 Tithe; Richard Brookes - 3 Tithes - including probable sons: Robt.Brooks (born 1729 to 1734) and Elisha Brooks (born 1729 to 1734); DavidGentry - 2 Tithes - including probable son: Wm. Gentry (born 1729 to 1734);Richd. Brooks, Junr. - Unknown Tithes. This establishes that there at least threemen named Richard Brooks as well as three men named Robert Brooks residingin Lunenburg County, Virginia in 1750. The Robert Brooks (born 1729 to1734), probable son of Richard Brooks (implied by Tithe List), is a good candidatefor being the author’s ancestor, Robert Brooks, Sr. (1). Since RichardBrooks, Jr. died in Hanover County, Virginia around 1734, this Richard Brooks(with sons Robert and Elisha) could not be Richard Brooks, Jr.This author firmly believes that Robert Brooks, Sr. (1) can not be the son ofRichard Brooks, Jr. and Mary Brooks as stated in “Brooks of Virginia.” However,there is a reasonable chance that Robert Brooks, Sr. (1) could be a son ofthe Richard Brooks who is found in the 1750 Tithe list with two sons RobertBrooks and Elisha Brooks. Since two daughters of Richard Brooks, III and ElizabethBrooks (who married into the Gentry family) resided near Robert Brooks,Sr. (1), Robert Brooks, Sr. (1) would more likely be a son of Richard Brooks, IIIand Elizabeth Brooks. Elisha Brooks provides the highest probability of being asibling of Robert Brooks, Sr. (1) based on the 1750 Tithe list that has the headas Richard Brooks and sons, Robert and Elisha Brooks. Also, further research ofMary (Brooks) Gentry and Sarah (Brooks) Gentry are worthy candidates of researchas siblings of Robert Brooks, Sr. (1) These women are known daughtersof Richard Brooks, III and Elizabeth Brooks and the 1750 Tithe list implies aRichard Brooks as a possible father of Robert Brooks, Sr. (1). Other possiblesiblings of Robert Brooks, Sr. (1) could be Richard Brooks, IV (David Gentrywas involved in his estate in 1755) and John Brooks (also involved in landtransacations with David Gentry).It appears that most of the children of Robert Brooks, Sr. were born in 1760’swith a few possibly born in the 1750’s and 1770’s. From these estimations, it isbelieved that Robert Brooks, Sr. (1) was probably born in the late 1720s or early1730’s. The D. A. R. application of Ella Kelly states that Robert was born in1723.Numerous Brooks families resided the Lunenburg County, Virginia between1746 (county formation of Lunenburg) and 1765 (county formation ofMecklenburg from Lunenburg). On February 1, 1747, a Robert Brooks boughtland from David Walker, Deed Book 1, Page 280. According to “Early Settlersof Mecklenburg County, Virginia,” Robert Brooks had a land grant recorded inPatent Book 28, Page 76 on June 25, 1747. This land comprised of “630 acreson both sides of the Meherrin River.” This land was located on the boundary ofthe present day counties of Lunenburg and Mecklenburg. In 1747, this land wassituated in Lunenburg County, Virginia. Also that same month, “Early Settlersof Mecklenburg County, Virginia” show that Robert Brooks sold to NicholasGentry 108 acres of land for twelve pounds. This land was situated on bothsides of the Meherrin River and was patented by Robert Brooks. This deed wasdated June 4, 1747 and was recorded in Deed Book 1, Page 329 on June 6,