BROOKS FAMILY HISTORY - Interactive Family Histories

BROOKS FAMILY HISTORY 7-369SYLVESTER WYATT BROOKS (4.8) is the son of Francis Asberry Brooksand Victoria Alabama (Glover) Brooks. Vess was born on February 18, 1885 inHays County, Texas. Vess was a tall man of six feet and two inches andweighed around 175 pounds. In 1906, Vess staked out a homestead claim locatednine miles north of Melrose, New Mexico. On March 7, 1910, VessBrooks married Ella Frances Page. Ella was born on January 4, 1891 in CaneValley, Kentucky and is the daughter of William Leonard Page and PameliaCaroline (Moore) Page. The Page’s homestead was located about five milesnorth of the Brooks homestead. Vess and Ella Brooks were the parents ofeleven children:............Frank Austin Brooks (4.8.1), b. December 19, 1910, Melrose, New Mexico Terr.............Joe Wyatt Brooks (4.8.2), b. August 9, 1912, Melrose, New Mexico............J. D. Brooks (4.8.3), b. April 6, 1914, Melrose, New Mexico............Paul Sylvester Brooks (4.8.4), b. May 7, 1916, Melrose, New Mexico............Pauline Esther Brooks (4.8.5), b. May 7, 1916, Melrose, New Mexico............Amy Grace Brooks (4.8.6), b. March 16, 1918, Melrose, New Mexico............Charles Brooks, b. September 5, 1920, Melrose, New Mexico............Louise Brooks, b. September 9, 1925, Melrose, New Mexico............Robert Glover Brooks (4.8.9), b. November 15, 1927, Melrose, New Mexico............James Lee Brooks (4.8.10), b. April 3, 1929, Melrose, New Mexico............Ben Dean Brooks (4.8.11), b. August 7, 1934, Melrose, New MexicoThe first house that Vess and Ella Brooks lived in was typical for that time andarea. It was ten feet wide and eighteen feet long with the walls and floors onlybeing covered with one by twelve inch boards. Water had to be hauled from awell that was two miles from the homestead. After obtaining a land patent forhis homestead, Vess Brooks traded his farm for farming equipment and cattle.In this deal, he rented a farm and obtained a herd of cattle from which he wouldreceive half of the increase in the size of the herd as compensation for takingcare of the animals. Later, Vess was employed as the foreman of the FrankDoughton Ranch. In 1914, Vess’s mother, Victoria Brooks, came and lived withher son’s family for about one year. In 1917, Vess and Ella Brooks bought afarm located five miles north and one mile east of Melrose, New Mexico. In1920, Vess rented the 1200 acre Albert McQuality farm in addition to his own400 acre farm and ranch. By 1928, Vess owned 800 acres and built a house onhis farm. Sylvester Wyatt Brooks died of coronary thrombosis on July 22, 1962.After Vess’s death, Ella moved into Clovis, New Mexico. Ella (Page) Brooksdied on November 3, 1981 and was buried in Clovis, New Mexico. CharlesBrooks was born stillborn and Louise Brooks died before her second birthday ofwhooping cough and measles.References: 1) “Sylvester Wyatt Brooks,” by Frank Austin Brooks, November, 1977; 2)Letter, Austin Brooks to Bernice Casey, November 29, 1979; 3) Letter, Austin Brooks toBernice Casey, September 1, 1981; 4) Interview, Austin Brooks by Bernice Casey, November,1981Photograph, Sylvester Wyatt BrooksPhotograph, Ella (Page) Brooks