Wyatt Marion Brooks (1828 - 1913)

Born 24 Jan 1828 in Wilkinson, Georgia, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Louise Jane (Atkinson) Brooks — married 27 Sep 1855 in Austin, Texas, United States

Descendants

Died 9 Dec 1913 at age 85 in Bellville, Austin, Texas, United States

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Biography

Burial

Atkinson Cemetery, Bellville, Austin County, Texas, USA ^[1]

Obituary

Bellville, Tex, Dec 10, '13 (1910)

On Tuesday afternoon just as the sun was setting and already lost behind the dark threatening clouds, and the great Brazos flood was hanging over its valley from hill to hill and dealing death and destruction, one who had already given up the fight and calling for rest chose that day, full of sorrow, gloom and pathos, as the closing chapter of a long life and career, fully in keeping with the scenes around him, Wyatt M. Brooks, at the age of eight-five years and ten months, without pain or sickness, just simply became weary of his burdens and quit the fight and went to sleep and one more of the few remaining old citizens and Texas pioneers has vanished, leaving the work he began to a younger generation.

For 43 years he lived at the Brooks home on the hill overlooking the town and noted every change during all these years. The only near relatives he leaves is one sister in Waller county, one brother in Hays county and one son, J. W. Brooks, of this place, who is a surveyor and prominently know here.

Wyatt Marion Brooks was born in Upshur county, Georgia, January 24, 1828, of American parentage. On his father's side the Scotch blood prevailed, while on his mother's side, the Irish blood prevailed. He was the second son and third child of a family of eight children all reaching adult age in life and all save one reaching the age of 50 years or more.

When about 14 years of age his father removed from Georgia to Alabama. Here the subject of this sketch grew to Manhood, familiar with all the joys and hardships incident to poor people in a new country. Upon reaching his majority, he started in life overseeing for two bachelor brothers, whose father's home was on Sundays and other rest days, and it was to this aged man of conservative thought, wealth and influence, that he ever, in after life, pointed to as the guiding star of his earthly aims and hopes, it was to this man's precepts that made him an unfaltering Unionist during the exciting days just before our civil war. But when his adopted State (Texas) seceded, he volunteered and joined the ranks to defend his country in a cause which he believed to be wrong.

In January, 1852, W. M. Brooks removed to Texas and settled at Semponius; two years later he removed to Bellville, where he remained in and around until his death. After coming to Texas, he followed the carpenter's trade, together with cotton gin and press pin press (???) until the breaking out of the civil war.

In 1855, he married Louise Jane Atkinson, a native of Austin county, who died August 20th, 1894. Early in 1861 he joined the Confederate army, 26th Texas Cavalry, known as DeBray's Regiment, Company H, Frank Dupree, Captain, in which command he remained until the close of the war in 1865.

The first two years of the war were spent in and around Galveston, doing coast duties. The remaining two years were spent in facing the enemy in real warfare. After the war, he returned home to his family, wrecked in physical health and of his meager accumulations of worldly possessions, and started in life anew as best he could. In boyhood he was familiar with Indian outbreaks and murders, notably that of the burning and almost total destruction of the inhabitants of Ronevak, Ga., a small town near where his father lived. Has killed bear within two and a half miles of the court house at Bellville and deer, turkeys and smaller game almost within the town limits. Quite a number of times he has pointed out the buildings still standing that were here when he came to Bellville, all of which have been removed except one now owned, and occupied by S. A. Hill.

Sources

1. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 16 July 2020), memorial page for Wyatt Marion Brooks (28 Jan 1828–9 Dec 1913), Find A Grave: Memorial #30176608, citing Atkinson Cemetery, Bellville, Austin County, Texas, USA ; Maintained by DSmith (contributor 46945502) .

• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH57-G3G : 4 April 2020), Wyatt Brooks in household of J C Whittington, Pike county, Pike, Alabama, United States; citing family 416, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FXSR-G9S : 22 January 2020), Werte M Brooks, 1855.

• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXFP-7V3 : 18 March 2020), W M Brooks, 1860.

• "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXGN-15B : 19 March 2020), Wyatt M Brooks, 1870.

• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFFV-7T3 : 15 July 2017), Wyatt Brook, Bellville, Austin, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district ED 1, sheet 338C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,255,289.

• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3LV-KBK : accessed 16 July 2020), W M Brooks, Justice Precinct 1 (northwest part), Austin, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 1, sheet 6B, family 106, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,608.

• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2M5-FLV : accessed 16 July 2020), Wyatt M Brooks in household of John W Brooks, Justice Precinct 1, Austin, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 2, sheet 1A, family 1, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1528; FHL microfilm 1,375,541.

• "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3W3-S3R : 13 March 2018), Wyatt M Brooks, 09 Dec 1913; citing certificate number 24461, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,050,998.