John C. “Coffee John” Brooks

Is this him? This is part of a larger photo of a Brooks family from Stanly Co, NC. It is believed that the man in this photo is "Coffee John" Brooks. Does anyone know for sure? Can anyone identify the other Brooks in this Unknown Photo?

John C. “Coffee John” Brooks was the first born son of William Brooks II , born on 2 Mar 1802.

"Coffee John" Brooks married on 26 Nov 1825 to Martha Elizabeth "Patsey" Cuthberson (1804 - <1870). "Coffee John" and Patsey moved onto land owned by his father in what was then Montgomery Co, NC on the West side of Pee Dee River Dist. They lived near Hardy Green and Eli Huneycutt. Other neighbors were Cagles, Blacks and Thomas Love & Jonathon Austin. At that time, Montgomery was huge and divided with the Pee Dee River as the dividing line. By 1842, Stanly Co, NC became the new name for the West side. By 19 Mar 1832 “Coffee” John’s father, William Brooks II gave him a "conditional" deed to the property:

19 Mar 1832 - Conditional Deed of William Brooks Senr. to John Brooks (from Brooks Family Documents)

Know all men by theas preasants the I John Brooks of the county of Mountgomery and State of NCarolina am held and Firmly Bound to William Brooks of the county of anson and State aforesaid in the Sum of Five hundred Dollars to Be paid to the said William Brooks which payment Will and truly to Be maid Sealed With my Seals Dated the 19 Day of March 1832.

The condition of this obligation is sutch that if I the said John Brooks dothe Sell his track of Land that he now Lives on Before the Deth of the above named William Brooks Senr or cause it to Be Sold then this obligation to Remain in Full force and vestue and if he Dont Sell this obligation to Be nul and void Signed sealed and Delivered In the preasants of

Atest William Brooks

Davidson Brooks John Brooks (seal)

John C. Brooks was also listed as a member of the Rocky River Baptist Church in 1828, which was now located on the north side of the Rocky River, in what is now Stanly Co, NC. John C. Brooks died 25 Jul 1875 in Albemarle, Stanly Co, NC. He left a will in Stanly Co, NC dated 6 Jan 1869:

Will of John Brooks

Will Date: January 6, 1869

Probate Date: August 13, 1875

". . . to my Daughter Beda Ann Greene ten Dollars in addition to what she has already receved . . . to my Daughter Mary Jane Simpson ten Dollars in addition to what she has already received . . . to my Daughter Margaret Matilda Brooks ten Dollars in addition to what she has already received . . . to my daughter Martha Elander Brooks ten Dollars in addition to what she has already received . . . to my Daughter Lydia Adeline Dry ten dollars in addition to what she has already received . . . to my son Joshua Brooks all the remainder of my estate, both real and personal . . ."

Executor: my trusty friend Joshua Brooks

Witnesses: A. Huneycutt, J. W. Huneycutt, E. M. Huneycutt, and A. J. Huneycutt

Children of John C. Brooks and Patsey E. Cuthberson:

Cullen Brooks b. c1825

Not on 1830 Montgomery Co, NC census... must have died while still very young.

Beadie Ann Brooks b. 1826 d. 1887

married 22 Feb 1855 to Tilman Green, son of Leonard Green and Mary Tucker. (b. 1829 d. 1894) Tilman and Beadie Ann lived in Stanly Co, NC and are buried in the Green Cemetery near Love's Mill there.

Emilia Brooks b. 1829

Mary Jane Brooks

b. 10 Sep 1831 Mecklenburg Co, NC d. 27 May 1900 Stanly Co, NC

Married 27 Feb 1870 John Milton Harris, son of Daniel and Mahetabel Crump Harris. Milton and Mary spent only five years together before he died in 1875. She then married (Jack)? Simpson.

Margaret Matilda Brooks b. 19 Dec 1834 d. 22 Dec 1899

Married 29 Jan 1852 John Henry "Rabbit John" Brooks (b. 28 Dec 1828 d. 2 Sep 1903), son of James and Temperance Jane Tucker Brooks. Photo of John Henry "Rabbit John" Brooks.

William J. Brooks b. 1835 d. 24 Feb 1865 Elmira, NY Union Prison Camp

Enlisted 1 Jul 1863 in Co. F, 63rd Regiment NC Troops (5th Regiment NC Cavalry) captured near Madison Court House, VA . He was confined 22 Sept 1863 at Old Capital Prison, Wash. DC then transfered to Point Lookout, MD on 26 Sept 1863 and finally transfered to Elmira, NY 16 Aug 1864 where he died 24 Feb 1865

Martha Elander Brooks b. 1838

m. 18 Apr 1861 Stanly Co, NC King David Brooks (b. 1836 Stanly Co, NC d. c1875) (son of David Brooks) King David Brooks was killed when a Bull gore him. His friends and neighbors acting from the scripture tried to stone the Bull to death. When this failed they shot and killed the animal. See Newpaper Article.

Lydia Adeline Brooks b. 1840

married 30 Dec 1860 to Charles Albert Dry in Stanly Co, NC. Charles was born 23 Apr 1836 to Charles Andrew Dry and Leah Tucker, formerly of Cabarrus Co, NC.. moved to Anson Co, NC in 1825 (their home later became Union Co, NC in 1841). Charles Albert Dry's father purchased 250 acres of land from William Brooks II on the south side of the Rocky River just across from the Brooks farm and family cemetery we all know today.

Photos of Charles and Lydia.

Confederate Army

[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 5, Ed. 1, Tree #2866,] CD has:

Charles Albert Dry was born in Union County just across Rocky

River from the Brooks Farm and Brooks Cemetery. Here he lived

until he reached manhood. Charles and wife Lydia lived in

Stanly County the rest of his life except for the time spent in

the Confederate Army.

He enlisted March 25, 1862 in Company H, 42nd Regiment, NC

Infantry, Confederate States Army. He served as a private

until the end of the war. When he enlisted his oldest child

was less than 6 months of age. Lydia, his wife, carried the

young child, John, on horseback to visit her husband at least

one time during the war. This trip was somewhere in Virginia,

probably Petersburg. This Regiment spent considerable time in

the defense of Petersburg.

After the war was over he came home to his family and farmed

for a living the remainder of his life. He also did lots of

hauling by wagon to and from Cheraw, SC and Charlotte, NC for

the merchants of Big Lick. He prospered well enough to provide

50 acres or more land for each of his children. He and Lydia

were members of Big Lick Baptist Church. They moved their

membership to Philadelphia Baptist Church after it was

organized. Charles Dry planted the elm trees that once

surrounded the old church building.

Jonathon Brooks b. 1842 Union Co, NC d. 22 Sep 1863 in action at Jack's Shop, VA

Enlisted for the Civil War 1 July 1863 in Co. F, 63rd Regiment NC Troops (5th Regiment NC Cavalry)

Joshua Brooks b. 2 Mar 1843 Union Co, NC d. 29 Apr 1913 Stanly Co, NC

Married 6 Nov 1865 to H. Puah Ellen Thomas, daughter of David and Alice Newsome Thomas. She was born 7 Jun 1844 Stanly Co, NC and died 23 Feb 1913. Joshua and Ellen are buried in the Philadelphia Baptist Church Cemetery in Stanly Co, NC Philadelphia Baptist Church Group Photo

Elizabeth Isabelle Brooks b.c1847

Must have died young… shows in only one census (1850)