Jesse Brooks of Anson Co, NC
Jesse Brooks was probably a son of William
Brooks I of Montgomery Co, NC. He
was likely the second son of William’s first wife. He is found in the 1800 Anson Co, NC
census. There is where the data begins
to confuse me… yeah, from the very beginning.
He is the male listed in the third column, age 16-26. His wife is listed as a little older, in the
next column, 26-44. At first, I thought
that he was older and the census simply miss-recorded his age. I assumed that he was brother to John Brooks b.1758, a presumed son of William Brooks I and his
first wife. He had three young sons in
the first column. Obviously, a newly wed
couple and their early family living in Northern Anson Co, NC very close to William
Brooks I. In fact, his land borders John Brooks’ land to whom he
later sells his property in 1815. After
this, there is no trace of him… at all! Where
did he go? Why can’t we find his
kids? Maybe we already have…
There is a Jesse Bradford Brooks
that left Ansonville in 1831 for Grassy Pond,
SC. Jim S. Brooks of
Just for fun, let’s assume that Jesse Bradford Brooks
is the Jesse from the 1800 census record.
His birthdate would now be correct with the
census data. However, Jesse Bradford
Brooks was b.1786… or was he? According
to 1830 Anson Co, NC census data, he could be born as early as 1780. Extrapolation from this record seems to be
the only source for this. 1800 census
data would have him born as early as 1784.
Would a 16 year old be recorded as having a wife and a family? Even if they are young, there are three of
them. It takes time to give birth to
three boys, unless they are triplets.
Still, he could be married by then… not as likely, but possible. It’s the fact that he was recorded in 1800
that constrains his birthdate… he could be younger,
but that would make it less likely to appear in 1800. So, again, he must have
been miss-recorded in 1800 and be around 20 years of age for that census. That jives better with his wife, anyway.
Let’s see what we know about Jesse Bradford
Brooks. There’s his wife, Annie
Phillips. Who were her parents and where
did they live? Where would Jesse have
met her?
Well, the 1800 census records Jesse Brooks living next
to Willis Gurley, William Gurley and… Alexander Phillips! Could he and Annie have lived next to her
family? Well, sure. Happens more often than
not. So, let’s see what this Phillips
guy’s family consists of… and if it could be possible that Annie is his
daughter:
Alexander
Philips – 1800 census… over 44 years of age, living alone. No other mention for Alexander.
Deposition of Exodus Whitley in 1825 refers to a island called “Brooks island” where Jonas
Phillips lived and left some improvement. This is the island that John and James work
together with a fish trap. John actually
gives up his rights to the fish trap (also,
probate) to James Brooks
before leaving in 1824/5 for Henry Co, TN. John also owns this island, having sold it in
1825:
Deed from Jno. Brooks to Charles Dry
dated 14th of Septr. 1825 - Course as follows - Begining at a Stake amongst Hickories on the Bank of said
Rocky River and runs So.55 Est. 155 poles to a pine - then NO.75 Est.106 poles
to an ash two Black Oaks Pointer on the Bank of Rocky River - Then No.35 West
up the River to the lawn end of an Island - Then to the north Bank of Said
River - Then with the River up opposite to the Beginning - Then So.55 Est. roping
to the first Station including Philips Improvement. and a
copied from the deed
(On outside of paper:)
3. Hawks - 21- (1824) Charles Dry &
Where did John
get this land whereon Jonas Phillips lived?
Ten years earlier, Jesse sold it to him:
1815 March 10
Jesse Brooks sold to John Brooks
150 acres lying in the county of Anson, N.C. on
No records of
Jonas Phillips exist in the census records.
However, the Alexander Phillips living next to Jesse in 1800 is living
alone and apparently dies after 1800. He
was born c1750. Jonas Phillips was born
1759 and was the son of a Reuben Phillips who died 1800. Reuben Alexander
Phillips? Jonas is
known to have two sons, Reuben b. 1785 and Aaron b. 1793. This is the same age range as our Anne
Phillips, b1790-1800.
Incidentally, Jonas’ wife was Pherebee Gurley,
daughter of another neighbor of Jesse Brooks, William Gurley. William’s wife, Mary Gurley would witness the
rights deed for the fish trap.
I know this is confusing. Believe me, I had to
think really hard to write this.
So, it looks like the hypothesis is strong for this
Jesse to be the Jesse Bradford Brooks who leaves Ansonville in 1831.
However, the wife he had in 1800 could not have been Anne Phillips
b.1790-1800. She would not be old enough
to have the three children shown in 1800. So, what happened? Did Jesse’s first wife die while on the
Jesse had 15 years from the 1800 census until 1815
when he sold his Rocky River land and headed south into southern Anson Co,
NC. In another 16 years, he would leave
for Grassy Pond, SC with Anne Phillips and a number of children in tow.
Now, if Jesse owned this island land first, as opposed
to John and Charles Dry, then he might have gotten it from his father, who
lived on the other side of the river and was listed once as having 100 acres in
Anson on a tax list. Also, Jesse rec’d a
grant in 1812 for land in Anson:
1812 - Jesse Brooks land grant (#2182) 100 acres in
Anson, adjoining his own land, 50 shillings per 100 acres - recorded in Anson
County. BCBNOTE: it is believed that this land joins William
Brooks' land.
Jesse’s land holdings were as much as 300 acres
according to the 1815 deed to John Brooks.
What startled me so about all of this was that it
began to look like Jesse Brooks was not nearly as old as I previously
assumed. He would most certainly have
been younger than William Brooks II b. 1779. So, Jesse would have been a son of William’s
2nd wife. If
he was William’s son at all. He
could have been a young son of William’s brother, John Brooks
II who died prematurely in 1792.
Jesse was no older than 12.
William might have raised him after 1792 until he married c 1795 and had
his three boys. No historical evidence
yet exists for this, so I’m going to leave things as they are until proven
otherwise.
But, I am fairly certain that evidence does exist,
albeit circumstantial, for Jesse Bradford Brooks as
being the Jesse of 1800 on the