“Martha” Jane Brooks Carlock

This is one of the great Brooks mysteries... "Jane" was listed in the estate papers for her father, William Brooks II in 1848 as "Jane Carelock’s heirs". It is easy to assume that Samuel A Carelock Sr.’s wife was this Jane Carelock… except that Barrett Cemetery in White Store, NC shows that Samuel’s Jane died 3 May 1849. This can’t be reconciled with the records… it simply can’t be possible. Also, the 1840 Anson Co, NC census records for Samuel’s family indicate that his wife was born between 1780 and 1790. 1830 census backs this up. William Brooks II’s daughter Jane was born 1807. Samuel’s wife must have been Hester Jane Brooks, daughter of William Brooks I, b.1789.

However, there was a Martha Jane (prob. Brooks) born c1807 who married another Carlock and moved to Marion Co, TN and died c1840. It is assumed that she married James B. Carlock and that she was deceased in 1848 when the papers show divisions of the estate portioned to "Jane Carlock's heirs or their guardian" For the longest time, this family had been unknown to us... until their grandson was located in Conway Co, AR... William H. Carlock. An 1891 biography lists the names and location of his parents... first in Marion Co, TN then just over the border into Walker Co, GA where James Carlock was murdered by Gatewood's Confederate marauders in 1865!

The “History of the Carlock family and adventures of pioneer Americans” states that this James Carlock was son of Joseph Carlock, veteran of the War of 1812. As to the connection to Joseph from War of 1812, I have yet to find it. They may have come from Campbell Co, TN where they appear on 1830 census records. Earlier records from that county show a Henry and Sarah Carlock as early settlers to the region in about 1806. In fact, the History of Campbell Co, TN states that Henry Carlock was the first man deeded land there. Joseph was a sheriff and tax collector for Campbell Co, TN. 1830 census records show Joseph and James Carlock there. Both men are 20-30 years of age, b. 1800-10.

By 1836, the two men are in Marion Co, TN. Tax records for Marion Co, TN indicate Joseph and James Carlock in Dist 5. Seems that the two brothers stuck together for a long time. Neither of them appear on an 1824 list of land owners for Marion Co, TN which makes sense. Believe Joseph, b.c1800, found in Campbell, then Marion Co’s, TN to be a brother to James b.c1800, also found in the same places in 1830 and 1836 respectively. They settled into the same region of Marion Co, TN on the east side of Sequatchie River. “Valley Road” leads south into Walker Co, GA. The Carlocks spent about 20 years in Marion Co, TN before traveling down the “Valley Road” into Georgia. Descendants of both men scattered through old Walker Co, GA around the mid-1850’s.

1836 Map showing location of Joseph Carlock’s family. Walker Co, GA is directly south across the TN/GA line which is the southern boundary for Marion Co, TN.

Henry Carlock moved to Campbell Co, TN probably from Mecklenburg/Montomery County area in 1806. The man whom I believe is most likely his father is Frederick Carlock, b.1720 in Holland. Frederick died in Mecklenburg Co, NC in 1815. Deed info indicates an area east of Charlotte, very close to the part that became western Union Co, NC in 1842. It’s likely that Henry would have returned to the Mecklenburg area at his father’s death, perhaps taking his sons, one of whom may have fallen for the daughter of William Brooks II, Martha Jane Brooks.

Both James and his 2nd wife, Elizabeth Hamilton Brooks are buried in Old Lookout Graveyard, Walker Co, GA just northwest of the community of Pond Spring in the northwest corner of the county.

It should be noted that the Frederick – Henry connection is an inference drawn from a preponderance of opinions suggesting it. This is, in no way, evidence of anything except that a little info travels well on the internet. The books written on the Carlock family do not agree with this. However, I’ve seen mistakes in that info and can sense “intrepidity” in some of the data. It’s genealogy. Human error is a given in any science. But, like any science, access to data increases the validity of the results. Computer science has given us all an opportunity that we didn’t have when these early genealogies were written. By the same token, mistakes travel more freely and frequently. So, please tread carefully. Frederick may or may not be our man. Right now, he’s just my best guess according to the information at my disposal. If this is true, the connection to NC is made and explains what can be seen in William Brooks II’s estate papers.

We know that Martha Jane Brooks Carlock (“Carelock” as they spelled it in NC) died (at least by 1848) from this document of William Brooks II’s estate distribution:

And now to the family:

James B. Carlock was born c1800 in Mecklenburg Co, NC. He married c1823 to Martha Jane Brooks, daughter of William Brooks II and Mary Burleson, b. 26 Nov 1807. She gave him three children before dying c1840. James remarried c1841-44 to Elizabeth Hamilton prob. In Marion Co, TN. They had three children there before moving c1852-56 to Walker Co, GA in the Pond Springs area. Joseph’s family moved here as well, eventually settling in an area that became Catoosa Co, GA.

James and Martha Jane Brooks Carlock had three known children together:

William H. Carlock b. 14 July 1827
Joseph Carlock b. 1838
James Carlock b. 1840

James B. Carlock, Sr. would remarry after the death of Jane in Marion Co, TN to Elizabeth (last name unknown). They lived together for Elizabeth can be found with her children in Chattanooga, Walker Co, GA in 1860. They would have four more children together, almost all born in TN:

John H. Carlock b. 1844
Nancy J. Carlock b. 1846
Elbert Kerstison Carlock b. 1852
Margaret H. Carlock b. 1856 in GA according to 1860 census.

1864 map showing Pond Spring area where many of James descendants are found after 1852. His brother Joseph’s family settled near Snow Hill in Catoosa County.

CONWAY COUNTY ARKANSAS - BIOGRAPHIES "C" SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas. Goodspeed Publishers, 1891.

Remember that this was written by Genealogists from Arkansas about 30 or 35 years after most of these early Carlocks came to GA from TN. Even though Rev. Carlock was alive at the time of this sketch, errors occur quite frequently in second hand tales…
Rev. William H. Carlock, an old and highly respected citizen, living on Petit Jean Mountain, in Cedar Falls Township, was born in Tennessee July 14, 1827; he is a son of James and Martha (Burgess) (BCBNOTE: The last name of "Burgess" is probably incorrect. Other data may indicate this to be Martha Jane Brooks) Carlock; his parents were both natives of Tennessee (well, they came from NC through TN to GA anyway), and were born in 1800 and 1807, respectively; these families were among the earliest pioneers to that section; his father was a planter and quite a popular man in his time; he held the office of County Treasurer of Marion County from 1838 to 1852 or 1853; he was married in Tennessee (prob. NC) in 1826, and there were born to that union six children who lived to maturity, of whom our subject was the oldest; they were both members of the M. E. Church, and they died (mother) in 1840, and (father) in 1865. Mr. Carlock, the subject, was reared on the farm, and was married November 1, 1844, to Miss Mary A. Hamilton, and there were born to that union ten children, five sons and five daughters, five of whom are now living, and are named John W., James W., Martha J. (the wife of E. Pitts), Margaret E. (wife of E. Hale), Rhoda A. (wife of W. W. West). Mr. Carlock's wife died in 1863; she was a long time member of the M. E. Church. Our subject was married the second time in 1865 to Miss Mary A. Hamilton (two Mary A. Hamiltons?); she was a daughter of A. C. and Nancy (Callahan) Hamilton, and is a native of Georgia; born January 22, 1842. To this union were born seven children, only one of whom, Nancy F., wife of John Morris, is now living. They were married December 21, 1888. Our subject enlisted in the late was in 1861, in Company I, Thirty-Sixth Tennessee Regiment Infantry; was discharged in 1862 on account of old age. He served as Justice of the Peace for some time in the district of the county in which he resided. In 1869 he emigrated from Tennessee to Arkansas, and settled in Yell County, where he lived until 1879 when he moved to Conway County, where he now resides. Mr. Carlock owns a fine farm of 240 acres, with 60 acres under cultivation. His daughter, Mrs. Morris, and her husband, reside with and manage his farming operations. Mrs. Carlock is a member of the M. E. Church, and Mr. Carlock is a Presbyterian; he has been a minister for twenty-five years.