James Brooks, a mixed-race man, was probably born about 1707, the son of James Brooks, an enslaved man and an unknown mother. James purchased his father (also named James Brooks) from Major John Buckner in March 1733/4. [1] He received a patent for 200 acres in Isle of Wight County in 1746. [2] He married a woman named Martha, and in 1754 he (along with his brother William and several other men) was sued for failure to pay tax on his wife, a free African American woman; the case was later dismissed. NOTE: This suit has been incorrectly interpreted to mean that his wife was Native American. [3] They were the parents of two daughters, Elizabeth and Sarah. (see will abstract below). James appears in many court records between 1757 and 1762. He and wife Martha sold land in 1761 [4] and in 1768 [5] Martha apparently died before 1798, because James and second wife Hannah sold additional land in Southampton [6] James wrote his will in Southampton County on February 5, 1798. He left Hannah the use of half of his land during her life, and left the other half to a grandson, "John Chavos, commonly called John Brooks, son of Elizabeth Brooks." Daughter Sarah Reed was named executor. [7]
1798 Feb 5 Southampton VA: James Brooks lent half his land on the east side of the county road to his wife Hannah during her lifetime, and gave the other half on the same side of the road to his grandson John Chavos "commonly called John Brocks, son of Elizabeth Brocks"; his land on the east side of the county road was to be sold by his daughter Sarah Reed, Ex'r
1746 Jan 12 VA Isle of Wight: James Brooks Jr
granted 200 ac on the north side of the Meherrin River by the side of Pine Pole Branch [Patents 24:620];
1761 Nov 12 VA Southampton: James Brooks and wife Martha sold 200 ac adjoining Brooks Branch and Sweathouse Swamp
VA Southampton, St Lukes Parish
1786 1 tithe, 1 horse;
1787 B 1 tithe, 2 horses;
1788 1 tithe, 2 horses
1789 1 tithe, 2 horses [frame 706]
1790 1 tithe, 1 horse 1791 1 tithe 2 horses
1792 A 2 horses [frame 870]
1792 B 1 tithe 1 horse [frame 47]
1794 A 2 tithes [John Brooks] 3 horses
1797 B 2 tithes 1 horse
(above from freeafricanamericans dot com)
1733 Mar 9 VA York: purchased his father James Brooks from Major John Buckner, Southampton VA;
1753 Mar 8 VA Southampton: sued Richard Taylor Jr for a £6 9 shilling debt;
1754 Jan 11 VA Southampton: Richard Taylor Jr sued him for trespass, assault & battery, case dismissed on agreement by parties;
1754 Jun 13 VA Southampton: one of 14 sued by William Bynum for failing to pay the discriminatory tax on FAA and Indian women, Samuel Kindred testified against him;
1757 Jul 14 VA Southampton: ordered to pay William and Thomas Francis as witnesses for him in his suit against Hollowell Denson;
1761 Jul 10 VA Southampton: sued William Banks for £5 5 shillings;
1761 Sep 11 VA Southampton: sued Ann Banks;
1762 Dec 10 VA Southampton: fined 5 shillings for assaulting Ann Banks;
1762 May 13 VA Southampton: sued by Thomas Tabor for trespass, assault & battery, ordered to pay Tabor 20 shillings;
1762 Sep 9 VA Southampton: suit against James Byrd, dismissed on agreement between parties
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