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Joshua James
Brooks of Attala Co, MS
Our Joshua Brooks was a very prominent citizen of
Mississippi according to information from Attala County Public Library in
Kosciusko. From the library papers of
Joshua James Brooks:
Brooks
Joshua Brooks came to Miss.
in 1837 with the tremendous migration of four years duration ending in 1837
when the last of the Indian lands were opened to settlers.
Family tradition says that Joshua came from the
Broad River in South Carolina, however census records say he was born in North
Carolina (BCBNOTE: This could still hold
true.. the Broad River ran through NC very near where William Brooks I's
descendants lived and into SC. Anson
Co, NC is on the border with SC. Joshua
may very well have used the Broad River as transportation when he left NC/SC
border for MS.). He lived in
Georgia 10 years, in Alabama one year and in Madison County, Miss. five years (BCBNOTE: this is
the part that I'm having trouble with… most of Joshua's children are listed as
being born in NC in the census records… last child born there was Milton Brooks
b. 2 Sep 1836… on the other hand, there's no census records for him in Anson or
Montgomery Co, NC in 1820 or 1830 either). When Joshua moved to Attala County and built out on Old Wire Road
between Kosciusko and Louisville, the outlaw John A. Murrell was operating up
and down the Natchez Trace and roads leading out from the trace, therefore most
people built far back from the roads but Joshua built in a grove in sight of
Old Wire Road. He built one of the
finest antebellum homes in the county, seven miles east of town on 2700 acres
deeded to him by President Van Buren (BCBNOTE:
these were Federal lands opened after Choctaw Indian territory was ceded to the
U.S. The only verifiable land bought by Joshua Brooks in Attala Co, MS was for
just over 360 acres on 27 Feb 1841).
The house was two story with six columns. There were stained-glass windows and a punkah in the dining room,
a device for fanning the room. The
house was a stopping place for travelers in those days before motels. The house burned about 1870. Rotted ladders prevented fighting the
fire. Antiques from the home survive
among descendants of Joshua Brooks.
Joshua Brooks was a County
Supervisor for four years and Justice for four years. He wanted to make professional men of his sons and sent them to
Bethel College in McLemoresville, Tenn.
but they came home so often to hunt and fish that he put them to work in
the fields with the slaves.
In 1861, Joshua's four sons
William, Milton, Joshua Jr., and Wilson volunteered and joined the Confederate
Army at Meredian, Miss. In 1865
William, Milton and Joshua jr. were honorably discharged at Meredian,
Miss. Their brother Wilson had been
killed at the Battle of Franklin, Tenn.
Before going to war, Wilson
buried $1700 in gold in a tar pot behind the smoke house. He told no one what he did with the money
but was seen going there with the pot.
In 1915, the man who then owned the land, dug the gold up while he was
plowing.
Joshua died at the home of
his daughter Sarah Gregory and he and his wife are buried in the Brooks
Cemetery which is between Zama and Kosciusko near Williamsville on Highway
19. BCBNOTE: Maxine Musselwhite's name was on this paper
and, so may have contributed this information.
BCBNOTE: I remember my
cousin mentioning that William Brooks II visited Joshua Brooks in Mississippi
with another brother of theirs (don’t know which one). They had all gone together to the county
jail to see a famous outlaw (might have been this John A. Murrell fellow) who
was imprisoned there. According to what
I’ve seen so far, there were quite a few lawless types in Mississippi at this
time. It reads like stories from Texas
or the “Old West.”
The following excerpt is from the History of
Kosciusko and Attala Co, MS:
History of
Kosciusko and Attala County
By J. H.
Wallace, 1917
EARLY HISTORY OF BEAT
FIVE
BY JIM
Editor Ledger
Continuing my
notes on the eastern part of the county, I wish in this article to say
something in regard to the old settlers and some the prominent men who have
hence conspicuous in the history of Attala:
…
A
somewhat eccentric character among these old settlers was Uncle Joshua Brooks,
who lived on the Louisville road, six miles east of Kosciusko. Mr. Brooks was
an honorable, upright citizen and an extensive planter, and being a great
reader, he was well posted on all the current events of the day. He was a
strong democrat in principle and a great stickler for the constitution, and any
infringement upon the constitutional rights of the people, met his severe
denunciation. He was an inveterate linguist, and when one attempted a
conversation or argument with him upon any issue he was compelled to be a
silent listener; as Mr. Brooks had neither commas or periods in the general run
of his conversation, so that no one could have an opportunity to sling in a
word or offer a suggestion in regard to the subject matter under discussion.
Mr. Brooks entertained at his home all travelers through the country, and thus
became pretty well known far and near. On one occasion in 1853, a traveling
correspondent of the "London Times" passed through this county and
stopped over night with the old gentleman, and they remained up until about one
o'clock in the morning before Mr. Brooks could get through with his
"talk" with the gentleman. The correspondent wrote to his paper a
full account of this interview, speaking in very high terms of Mr. Brooks as a
splendid specimen of American manhood, and a representative character of the
liberty-loving and patriotism of our southern people. A marked copy of the
paper containing the correspondent's interview with him, was subsequently
mailed to the old man which pleased him greatly. On another occasion a certain
governor of the state, in travelling through this section, drove up at night to
Mr. Brooks house. Now he had no idea who his guest was, showing him to a
comfortable room, and giving the servant the necessary orders for the care of
the governor's horses, he as was his custom with all his guest repaired to his
room with a view of entertaining him. He first wished to know who his guest was
and therefore asked him for the desired information but the Governor very
gruffly told him that he didn't think it necessary to tell him who he was. Mr.
Brooks was rather stunned at this reply and abruptly left the room, no doubt
wondering what manner of man this was who had taken shelter under his roof.
When morning came, and the stranger was getting ready to depart, Mr. Brooks
ventured again to try to get the desired information, and this time he was
successful, for the stranger told him that he was Gov. .. of Mississippi. When
he heard the name, Mr. Brooks remarked, "Well, well, is it possible, sir
that you are Gov, the man I worked so hard to help elect. And now you are so high
headed that you cannot be approached by a common citizen like myself?" The
governor apologized for his conduct the previous evening stating that he was
tired and not in a very good humor, and Mr. Brooks was satisfied and gave the
governor a hearty shake of the hand as he departed.
This map shows the location of Joshua’s settlement near
Williamsville, MS:
The following pictures are from the Brooks-Rimmer-Dean Cemetery
where Joshua’s descendants are buried (BCBNOTE: the author intends to
visit this place soon):
The
Brooks-Rimmer-Davis-Dean Cemetery is located in the southeastern part of
the county.
Located east of Williamsville on Highway 14. The cemetery is on
the left just
before the Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church.
This next picture is from the Brooks Cemetery also found nearby
(probably from the same family):
The Brooks
Cemetery is located on Highway 14 going east from Williamsville.
The cemetery
is on the north side of the highway.
Joshua Brooks’
story:
Joshua Brooks was born 15 Aug 1793 in Anson Co, NC to William Brooks I and died 11
Oct 1869 in Attala
Co, MS due to “debility” as was stated on 1870 Mortality Schedules for
Attala Co, MS. He married in Anson Co,
NC to Sarah Smith 1821 (according to information from tombstone) (BCBNOTE:
Joshua and Sarah were probably dating at the time her father died and married
not long after… John Smith left his will dated 1 Nov 1822… a Joshua “Books” is
listed as witness to this will).
She was born 5 May 1802, daughter of John and Mary Smith of Anson Co, NC
and died 25 Aug 1888 in Attala Co, MS.
Joshua left Anson Co, NC probably not long after his father-in-law's
death in 1822 for Georgia, then went to Alabama for a brief period, then on to
lands opened by the "Dancing
Rabbit Treaty" with the Choctow Indians in 1830 - settlement of
Mississippi. At first it was believed
that he moved directly to Attala Co, MS;
but, in fact, he lived in Madison Co, MS for about five years before
buying land in both Madison and Attala Co, MS on the very same day, 27
Feb 1841. He bought two tracts of land
in Madison Co, MS, one for
160.26 acres and another for 85.98 acres.
On this same day, he bought 360.88 acres in Attala Co, MS. The title of the Land Patent for Attala Co,
MS shows his county of residence as Madison Co, MS:
CLICK
HERE TO SEE ENTIRE DOCUMENT
Obviously, his county of residence changed to Attala, due to the
fact that his home was built only 6 miles SSE of Kosciusko, the county seat for
Attala and right smack in the center of the county. By 1850, he’s living in Attala Co, MS according to census
records. Also, this excerpt from Mr.
Henry Dean Horton (a genealogist for this family) states:
Joshua bought a sizable amount of land
in Attala Co.,
Ms. about 1840, some say, as much as
1,500 acres and owned 19 slaves in
1850 according to census records. Records indicate that he had one of the finest homes about 6 miles east, south
east of Kosciusko, Attala County,
Miss. He started his own church
for his family and slaves and cemetery which still is in use known as the
Brooks, Dean and Rimmer cemetery.
The church
mentioned here is now the Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church located at the
cemetery containing Joshua’s descendants.
See picture to left.
The children of Joshua and Sarah Smith Brooks:
Mary Jane Brooks b. 19 Sep 1823 Anson Co, NC d. 8 Aug 1892 Attala Co, MS
m. William F. Rimmer b. 1820, son of
Richard Rimmer and Jenny Farmer. She is
buried in the Brooks-Rimmer-Dean Cemetery near Williamsville, MS
John Brooks
Louisa Brooks b. 1826 NC
m. James Daniel Rimmer b. 1817
Kosciusko, Attala Co, MS, son of Richard Rimmer and Jenny Farmer.
Sarah Norwood Brooks b. 24 Sep 1827 Anson Co, NC d. 15 Apr
1900 Attala Co, MS
m. Marshall Hooks Gregory, b. 12 Oct
1822 Sampson Co, NC and d. 15 Jan 1896 Attala Co, MS. This couple is buried in Ebenezer, Attala Co, MS.
Wilson Cooper Brooks b. 1830 Anson Co, NC d. Battle of
Franklin, TN (CSA)
William Dixon Brooks b. 22 Jul 1832 Anson Co, NC d. 5 May 1903
m. Margaret J. Dean, b. 17 Feb 1858
and d. 28 Apr 1952. Buried in
Jerusalem, Attala Co, MS. Two known
children are: Mattie, b. 1878 MS and
Luretha b. Sep 1879 MS.
Milton Brooks b. 2 Sep 1836 Anson Co, NC d. 15 Dec 1875 Attala Co, MS
m. Sarah Elizabeth Gregory, b. 6 Feb
1845 and d. Mar 1918 in Stonewall, Attala Co. MS. Milton is buried in the
Brooks-Rimmer-Dean Cem. near Williamsville, MS. Many children (births in parentheses): Bettie (1861), Wilson C. (1863), Sallie (1865), Ada (1867),
Joshua Marshall (1869), Mattie (1872), James Milton (19 Oct 1873 - 8 May 1927,
m. Lyda Love), Mary S. (1876).
Adline Frances "Fanny" Brooks b. 1838
Attala Co, MS
m. Wiley Durn Rimmer b. 1829 LA d. 1907
Martha Ann Brooks b. 26 ? 1840 Attala Co, MS d. 11 May
1870 (never married)
Joshua James Brooks Jr. b. Jun 1843 Attala Co, MS d. 1882
m. Margary Lena Massey b. Feb 1853 MS
Liddia Brooks
