Looking Back

 

Fifth Edition

Volume 3 of 5

 

The ancestry of my grandfather

Billy Edwin Brooks

     

 

including many Wilkes and Alleghany Co, NC, families:

 

Adams, Andrews, Buchanan, Blackburn,

Brooks, Caudill, Cleveland, Coffee,

Edwards, Harris, Holloway, Hoots

Powell, Reynolds, Rose,

Spicer, Waddell, Wiles

 

 

Jason Michael Duncan

222 Sundance Cir

Statesville, NC  28625

 

current through April 10, 2007

 

C

List of Families

 

      

   Number     The family of                                                 Number     The family of

 

     C-1-1     Ransom Garfield Brooks (3) 

            -2     John A. Brooks (4) 

            -3     Hardin Brooks (5)

            -4     Stokes H. Brooks (6)

            -5     Rebecca Brooks (7)

     C-2-1     John Ashley Reynolds, Sr. (7)

            -2     John Francis Reynolds (8)

            -3     John Reynolds (9)

            -4     Robert Reynolds, Jr. (10)

            -5     Robert Reynolds, Sr. (11)

            -6     Nicholas Reynolds (12)

            -7     Richard Reynolds (13)

            -8     Christopher Reynolds, Sr. (14)

     C-3-1     Robert Cleveland (8)

            -2     John Cleveland, Sr. (9)

            -3     Alexander Cleveland, Sr. (10)

            -4     Roger Cleveland (11)

     C-4-1     John Franklin Blackburn (4)

            -2     Thomas Newton Blackburn (5)

            -3     Thomas B. Blackburn (6)

            -4     Eli Austin Blackburn, Sr. (7)

            -5     William Blackburn, Sr. (8)

            -6     (vacant)

            -7     Ambrose Blackburn, Sr. (9)

     C-5-1     John Wesley Harris (5)

            -2     John Harris (6)

            -3     James N. Harris (7)

     C-6-1     John A. Holloway (7)

            -2     John Holloway (8)

            -3     Stephen Holloway (9)

     C-7-1     Abraham (Abe) Waddell (6)

            -2     Levi Abraham Waddell (7)

     C-8-1     Edward Coffey, Sr. (10)

            -2     John Coffey (11)

     C-9-1     Emanuel Rose (9)

   C-10-1     Abner Caudill (8)

            -2     James Caudill, Sr. (9)

            -3     Stephen Caudill (10)

   C-11-1     Calvin Edwards (5)

            -2     Richard “Dickie” Edwards (6)

   C-12-1     William Spicer, Jr. (6)

            -2     William Spicer, Sr. (7)

            -3     Joseph Spicer (8)

            -4     William Spicer (9)

            -5     Benjamin Spicer (10)

            -6     William Spicer (11)

   C-13-1     Spencer Adams (9)

            -2     John Adams, Sr. (10)

   C-14-1     Thomas Powell, Sr. (11)

            -2     William Powell, Sr. (12)

            -3     Thomas Powell (13)

   C-15-1     Francis Place (12)

   C-16-1     Abraham Wiles, Jr. (8)

            -2     Abraham Wiles, Sr. (9)

   C-17-1     Lorenzo D. Andrews (6)

   C-18-1     John Sparks (6)

   C-19-1     Jacob Hoots, Sr. (7)

            -2     John Hoots (8)

            -3     Johann Jacob Hoots (9)

   C-20-1     James Hall (8)

   C-21-1     William Henry Greenwell (7)

            -2     Elias Henry Greenwell (8)

            -3     Ignatius Greenwell, Sr. (9)

            -4     Henry Greenwell, Sr. (10)

            -5     James Greenwell, Sr. (11)

            -6     John Greenwell (12)

   C-22-1     Henry Taylor (12)

   C-23-1     James Martin (8)

   C-24-1     John Barton, Jr. (7)

   C-25-1     Micajah Pennington, Sr. (8)

         This book traces the ancestors of my mother’s father, Billy Edwin Brooks.

 

 

 

BROOKS

 

         C-1-1 Ransom Garfield Brooks (3).  My grandfather Billy Edwin Brooks was the son of Ransom Garfield Brooks and Edith Martha Blackburn (C-4-1).  They had the following children.1,52

 

 1.  Harrel Gene (Sonny) Brooks               9/ 8/1928

 2.  *Billy Edwin Brooks                      7/25/1930 – 12/ 3/2006

 3.  Dorothy Lee Brooks                       2/20/1933

 4.  Jimmy Tot Brooks                         6/11/1940 -  1/ 9/1983

 

         They lived in the Cherry Lane section of Alleghany Co, NC, on Pull Tail Rd, on the south side of the Parkway.  Their one-room schoolhouse was down the road on the opposite side.52  Ransom died in 1947 and Edith remarried to Floyd Billings.3  They had a daughter Barbara Ann Billings who was born on 1/26/1950.3

 

         The 1930 Alleghany Co census includes this family in Cherry Lane, page 11A, house #197:  Ransom G. Brooks (26), Edith M. (wife, 22), and Harold J. (son, 1y, 7m).  He was married at age 23, while she was 19.  He was listed as a blacksmith doing public work and was not a veteran.212

 

1.  Sonny’s name on his birth certificate was originally “James Herald”, but was changed in 1976 (Alleghany Bk 6, p562).65  He married Mildred Johnson.1  “Harold Brooks” is mentioned in The Alleghany Times newspaper for making the first grade honor roll in November and December 1935.244  “Harrel Brooks” made the honor roll in October 1936 in January, October, November, and December 1937, and in January 1938.244  Harrel had perfect school attendance for his third grade year that ended in April 1938.244

Ref 244:  (11/28/1935, p4), (12/26/1935, p4), (10/29/1936, p8), (2/4/1937, p5), (11/11/1937, p1), (11/25/1937, p1), (1/13/1938, p1) , (2/17/1938, p5), (4/28/1938, p1).  [b52,65]

 

2.  Bill was born in Alleghany Co where his delayed birth certificate was issued on 8/4/1948.  It gives his full name as “Edwin Billy Brooks” (Bk D7, p27).65  He married Lois Billings on 8/29/1953.  He served in the Navy from 1948 to 1952 and in the Air Force from 1955 to 1971, causing them to move frequently between VA and FL.  He later worked as a mailman in Massillon, OH, before returning to Alleghany Co in 1992.52

He is mentioned in 1936 in The Alleghany Times newspaper in the article “Cherry Lane School Honor Roll For Month Of October” which includes “Billy Brooks” among seven students in the first grade.244  He is again listed on the honor roll for the months of January, October, November, and December in 1937, and also for January 1938.244  On 11/11/1937, the newspaper included this article:244

 

Hallowe’en Party Held By Pupils of Cherry Lane School

The Cherry Lane school pupils enjoyed a Halloween party on Friday afternoon, November 5.  All the 41 pupils were present, and also several patrons.

The children wore costumes and masks and games and contests were entered into in the true Hallowe’en spirit.

Those winning in the various contests were:  apple-bobbing, Cecil Crouse; ball-throwing, Billy Brooks, and candy-eating, Paul Rash.

Hallowe’en cups filled with salted peanuts and candy were served.

Ref 244:  (10/29/1936, p8), (2/4/1937, p5), (11/11/1937, p1), (11/25/1937, p1), (1/13/1938, p1), (2/17/1938, p5).  [b52,65]

 

3.  Dorothy was born in Alleghany Co (Bk 6, p702).65  She married Preston Gilbert.1  [b52,65]

 

4.  Jimmy was born in Alleghany Co (Bk 12, p73).65  He first married Polly Lucas and second Phyllis DeBorde.1  He lived in Alleghany Co, but died in Winston-Salem, NC.193  He is buried at Woodruff Prim Bap Ch.48  [b48,65,193, d48,193]

 

         On 8/3/1933, Ransom Brooks sold 5.5 acres to (his wife) Edith Brooks for $192.50.  The land was located on Bull Head Rd.  The record was filed on 5/5/1934 and states that Ransom Brooks personally appeared on that date.  (Alleghany DB 41, p293).67  At the time of the filing, he had been held for three months in prison awaiting the court’s decision.  Five days later, he pleaded guilty to several charges which sent him to prison for over five years.

 

         On 8/25/1941, Ransom Brooks and his wife Edith sold 5.5 acres to Andy Brooks and his wife Mae for $150.  The land was on Bull Head Rd, adjacent to Andy Brooks, Sherman Rash, and others.  (Alleghany DB 50, 45).67

 

 

 

         C-1-2 John A. Brooks (4).  Ransom Garfield Brooks was the son of John A. Brooks and Meadie Ann Edwards (C-11-1).  They had the following children.1,212  Ref 221, p57.

 

 1.  Cora Velonie Brooks                      7/26/1886 -  5/31/1979

 2.  Maggie Jane Brooks                       3/12/1889 -  8/  /1982

 3.  Troy McClellan Brooks                    6/19/1892 -  9/10/1971

 4.  Andrew Alexander (Andy) Brooks           3/27/1896 - 12/12/1990