The Regulator Movement

Last weekend I drove to Siler City, North Carolina to attend a lecture on The Regulator Movement of Chatham County, North Carolina, given by Mr. John H. Emerson. The lecture was sponsored by the Chatham County Historical Society and took place at the Rives Chapel Church in Siler City, North Carolina.  Tours of the church and the nearby Old Tick Creek cemetery, where the Regulator James Emerson was buried, were given prior to the lecture.  I did not make it to the church in time for the cemetery tour, however I made it inside the hall in time to get a good seat. I think attendance was higher than they expected because the organizers had to set up more chairs. The lecture itself ran for just about an hour. The Chatham County Historical Society had some books and pamphlets on a table at the back of the room that we could visit after the lecture. Another gentleman also had some weapons on display for us to look at.

The Regulator Movement is said to be the precursor and possibly even the first battle of the American Revolutionary War.  What started out as a peaceful movement enacted to change the policies governing land and property taxation and to rid the colony of corrupt politicans, ended in a gun fight at the Battle of Alamance Creek.

I decided to attend this lecture for a couple of reasons: My ancestor, Henry Williams, was living in nearby Caswell County, NC during this time (1766-1771) and was believed to have been in the Caswell County Militia. I think he may have had some involvement in the Regulator Movement. There’s been some confusion about his involvement in the Revolutionary War (see previous post here) and I was hoping to clear it up by learning about his possible role in the Regulator Movement.

I also wanted to have any excuse to drive out that way. Siler City is on the outskirts of Randolph County, North Carolina. My Godwin family settled in Randolph County in 1800 in the small community of Seagrove. Seagrove is about a 20 minute drive West of Siler City. A few weeks ago I took my first trip out to Randolph County to visit the Genealogy room in the Randolph County public library located in downtown Asheboro. You can read about my visit on my other blog here. I hope to make more trips out there to take in more of the scenery.

I did not learn any new information about my ancestor, Henry Williams, believed to have been an officer in the Revolutionary War.  There was a copy of William Powell’s book, The Regulators in North Carolina: A documentary history, 1759-1766 on one of the tables.  I did not find any mention of my ancestory, Henry Williams, in it. This was not surprising as I had already read much of the book in 2006 when I wrote a paper on the Regulator Movement for my North Carolina History Class.

A Mr. Brooks Gilbert opened up his family home, originally owned and  occupied by Isaac Brooks, also a Regulator, to the lecture attendees.  His home is located at 1958 Ike Brooks Rd, which was just a quick turn off of the Rives Chapel Church Road in Siler City. Isaac Brooks was a descendant of John and Susan Brooks, whose descendants meet every August in Siler City for a huge family reunion.  I have yet to find a connection between this Brooks family and my own of Caswell County, North Carolina, however I believe both families came from the same part of Virginia prior to their migration to North Carolina.  This Brooks family even has a highway named after them!  More to come about my visit to Isaac Brooks’ House.

Caswell Co NC Wills – BROOKS

The following original wills are housed at the North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh, North Carolina.  The collection title is “Caswell County, North Carolina Series of Original Wills, 1771-1927″ and the call number is C.R. 020.801.1. The Brooks family wills were contained in the first box of the series (no. 1).  There might have been more Brooks family wills contained in the box written after 1900. I only inventoried those wills written before 1900 (on 10/25/2008).

1. Richard Brookes, dated 1790 (wife Ann)
2. Ann Brooks, dated 1808 (wife of Richard)
3. Thomas Brooks, dated 1855 (wife Martha)

The will of Richard Brookes was recorded in Caswell County, North Carolina Will Book B, p. 321.  This will was abstracted in Katherine Kerr Kendall’s book “Caswell County, North Carolina will books, 1777-1814″ on page 30. (See entry below)

The abstract reads the following:

Richard Brooks (spelled Brookes on original) [actually the "e" is crossed out on the original that I looked at in 2008] – Will – w. 3 Oct 1789. Wife Ann; 4 youngest children William Bird Brooks (under 21), Betsy Brooks, Frances Armstead Brooks, John Brooks; daughter Ann Smith Graves; Exec: wife Ann and son in law Solomon Graves. Wit: W. F. Smith, Israel Barker.

The will of Ann Brooks was recorded in Caswell County, North Carolina Will Book E, p. 379.  This will was abstracted in Katherine Kerr Kendall’s book “Caswell County, North Carolina will books, 1777-1814″ on page 109. (See entry below)

The abstract reads the following:

Ann Brooks – Will – w. 4 Mar 1806. Son William B. Brooks; 9 grandchildren: Wm B. Brooks sons John, Robert, & William and daughters Betsy, Ann, and Joanna; Frances A. Sheppard’s daughters Ann, Betsy, and Polley.  Exec:  son Wm B. Brooks. Wit:  Sol Graves, S. Graves, John L. Graves.

The will of Thomas Brooks includes the following:

Thomas Brooks – Will – written 31 Mar 1855
Wife: Martha Brooks
Children: son William Brooks (under 21), daughters Nicy and Mary Ann.
Exec: Wife Martha Brooks
Wits: Charles G Russell and Byrd D Paylor

There was no estate folder for Richard Brookes at the archives. There are, however, estate folders for the Thomas and Ann Brooks listed above.

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Goals:

1. To copy, scan, and transcribe the wills of Richard, Ann, and Thomas Brooks of Caswell Co., NC from the Archives – update 10/25/08: These 3 wills were copied by the Archives.  4/2/09: Wills were scanned into my computer and info entered into my genealogy software.
2. To copy, scan, and transcribe the estate records of Ann and Thomas Brooks of Caswell Co., NC from the Archives 

Sources:

1. Caswell County, North Carolina Series of Original Wills, 1771-1927, C.R. 020.801.1, North Carolina State Archives.
2. Katherine Kerr Kendall, Caswell County, North Carolina will books 1777-1814. 1784 tax list. guardians’ accounts 1794-1819 and Caswell County North Carolina will books 1814-1843. guardians’ accounts 1819-1847. 1850 & 1860 census mortality schedules powers of attorney from deed books 1777-1880, can be searched online at ancestry.com.

Related Posts:

Brooks family estate records from Caswell County, North Carolina

John Brooks Binns (1910 – 1989)

John Brooks Binns 1910-1989

John Brooks Binns was one of my paternal great-grandfathers.  He was born March 20th, 1910 in Monticello (Drew County), Arkansas to John Milton Binns and Perthenia Brooks. 

On August 19th, 1934, he married the love of his life and my great-grandmother, Blanche Kathryne Hill in Longview, Texas.  They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Fort Smith, (Sebastian County) Arkansas in 1984.

John Binns and his wife Blanche were school teachers in Alma, Arkansas.  They had three daughters together. John had blonde hair and blue eyes and was approximately 6 feet tall.  He cherished all his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  He was a hugger. I remember he used to squeeze me so tight I couldn’t breathe!  He played football in high school and college. He attended Monticello A&M College in the early 1930s. He was president of the college Press Club and well-liked by his peers.

John Brooks Binns died December 10, 1989 in Fort Smith, (Sebastian County) Arkansas.  He was buried in Roselawn Cemetery, Fort Smith, (Sebastian County) Arkansas.  His wife Blanche (Hill) Binns died December 27th, 1992 and was buried beside him in Roselawn Cemetery.

Children of Jeremiah Brooks of Person Co NC

According to the family tree file of Rosalyn Sumner, Jeremiah Brooks was born about 1773 and died in Person County, North Carolina in 1871. He married Elizabeth Thomas, 18 Mar 1795, Caswell County, North Carolina. 

The children of Jeremiah and Elizabeth Brooks were:

1. David BROOKS b: 1796 in Person County, NC
2. Nancy Woody BROOKS b: 1798 in NC
3. Green BROOKS b: ABT 1800 in NC
4. Hosey BROOKS b: AFT 1800 in NC
5. Susan BROOKS b: AFT 1800 in NC
6. Jane BROOKS b: 25 FEB 1804 in Caswell County, NC
7. Andrew BROOKS b: c 1805 in NC
8. Logan BROOKS b: 1814 in NC
9. Elizabeth BROOKS b: 1822 in NC

Related Posts:

Jeremiah Brooks of Caswell County, North Carolina

Jeremiah Brooks of Person County, North Carolina

Logan Brooks c 1814 Person Co NC

Logan Brooks was the son of Jeremiah Brooks and Elizabeth Thomas of Caswell and Person County North Carolina. He was born about 1814 in Person County, North Carolina.

1840 Person Co., NC Census Report
Logan Brooks, 1m 20-30, 2f < 5, 1f 20-30 [b. bet 1810-1820]
Same page as father, Jeremiah Brooks
Roll 368, p. 292

1850 Person Co., NC Census Report
Lougan Brooks, 36 yo (b. abt 1814), NC
Susan Brooks, 33 yo (b. abt 1817), NC
Martha J Brooks, 10 yo (b. abt 1840), NC
Jeremiah Brooks, 6 yo (b. abt 1844), NC
Ann F Brooks, 3 yo (b. abt 1847), NC
M432_640, p. 223, Image 258

1860 Person Co., NC Census Report
Logan Brooks, 47 yo (b. abt 1813), NC
Susan Brooks, 43 yo (b. abt 1817), NC
Jerrymiah Brooks, 14 yo (b. abt 1846), NC
Emily Brooks, 5 yo (b. abt 1855), NC
Rany L Brooks, 3 yo (b. abt 1857), NC
 M653_909, p. 445

Andrew Brooks, c1805, Person Co., NC

Andrew Brooks was born about 1805 in Person County, North Carolina. He was the son of Jeremiah Brooks and Elizabeth Thomas of Caswell and Person Counties, North Carolina.

1850 Person Co., NC Census Report
Andrew Brooks, 45 yo (b. abt 1805) NC
Sarah Brooks, 44 yo (b. abt 1806), NC
Nancy A Brooks, 20 yo (b. abt 1830), NC
Elijah Brooks, 18 yo (b. abt 1832), NC
Albert G Brooks, 16 yo (b. abt 1834), NC
Elizabeth S Brooks, 14 yo (b. abt 1835), NC
Harriet J Brooks, 11 yo (b. abt 1839), NC
Sarah F Brooks, 6 yo (b. abt 1844), NC
John B Brooks, 3 yo (b. abt 1847), NC
M432_640, p. 423, Image 257;

Jeremiah Brooks of Person Co., NC

There were two Jeremiah Brooks men living in Caswell and Person Counties, North Carolina.  There was an older Jeremiah Brooks living in Caswell County who was born before 1756 according to the 1777 tax lists of Caswell County, NC. A younger Jeremiah Brooks lived in Person County, North Carolina. He was born about 1773. There might have been a third Jeremiah Brooks living also in Caswell County, North Carolina who was the same age as the Person County man.  The records I have for Jeremiah Brooks in Caswell County, NC do not indicate his exact age, with the exception of the 1777 tax list which is the first record I found for Jeremiah Brooks of Caswell County, NC; however, they do all support him being born between 1756 and 1774.  The last record I found for Jeremiah Brooks in Caswell County was the 1800 Caswell County census report. This Jeremiah Brooks was born between 1756 and 1774 therefore he could have been the older or younger Caswell County man.  Click on this previous post to see a brief snippet of the Caswell County Jeremiah Brooks. Scroll down below to see Person County records of Jeremiah Brooks.  According to his descendants, this Jeremiah Brooks was born about 1773 and died in 1871.  There are estate records for him in the North Carolina State Archives.  He also wrote a will.

 

Person County, North Carolina references to Jeremiah Brooks:

 

Jeremiah Brooks “of Caswell County” purchased 113.5 acres of land on South Hico in Person County from John B. Lea on Sep 27, 1806.  He then sold this land to James Dollarhide, Dec 26, 1807.  He was still listed as being “of Caswell County:”

 

1806

Person Co Deed Book D, page 33, John B Lea to Jeremiah Brooks of Caswell County for $283.75, 113 ½ A on S Hico adj Carver. 27 Sept 1806. Wit: Thomas Carver, William Carver. (Person Co NC deed Book abstracts, 1792-1825, p. 82)

 

1807

Person Co Deed Book D, p. 113, Jeremiah Brooks of Caswell Co to James Dollarhide of Person Co., for $290, 113 ½ A on S Hico in Person Co., adj Carver. 26 Dec 1807. Wit Wm Carver, David Brechen. (Person Co NC Deed book abstracts, 1792-1825, p. 90)

 

In Nov of 1809, Jeremiah Brooks “of Caswell County” purchased an additional 158 acres on South Hico in Person County from James McMurry. By 1810, he was enumerated on the Person County, NC census report:

 

1809

Person Co Deed Book D, page 200, 1809: James McMurry to Jeremiah Brooks of Caswell County, for $474, 158 A on S Hico adj Rose, Jacob Thomas, Kelly Br., H Combs, Whitfield, Robert Vanhook. 29 Nov 1809. Wit: Loyd Vanhook, Adam McNealy. (Person Co NC Deed book abstracts, 1792-1825, p. 99)

 

1810

1810 Person Co., NC Census Report:  Jeremiah Brooks 3m < 10, 1m 10-15, 1m 26-44; 1f < 10, 1f 10-15, 1f 26-44; Assuming he is the oldest male, he was born between 1766-1784. Since this Jeremiah is younger than the Jeremiah from Caswell Co NC on the 1777 tax list (b. abt 1756), it is probably these two Jeremiahs are NOT the same person. However, I did not find Jeremiah Brooks on an 1800 Person Co. Census report, so it is possible that there were indeed two different Jeremiah Brooks’ in Caswell Co prior to 1800. And one of them moved to Person while the other stayed behind.

1814

Person Co Record Books, book 6, Taxable property, 1814: Capt. Douglass’ District: Jeremiah Brooks. (Kendall’s Person County, North Carolina Compilations, 1792-1823, Abstract p. 97)

 

1817

Person Co deed book F, p. 121-3: James Johnson to Lawrence Vanhook for $127.12 ½; 30 ½ acres on S. Hico adjacent to John Wilson, Loyd Vanhook, Robert Vanhook, and Jeremiah Brooks. 27 Oct 1817. Wit: Jesse Bradsher. (Person Co NC deed Book abstracts, 1792-1825, p. 184).

 

1818

Person Co deed book E, p. 69-70: John G. Wilson & Co. of Leasburg, CC, to William Lipscomb of Person Co., for $1591. 530.9 acres in Person Co on Cobb Cr & Rushy Br adjacent to the heirs of Lawrence Lea decd, James Johnson Jun., Jeremiah Brooks, and Laurence Vanhook, near the meeting house, Kendal Vanhook, and Nicholas Thompson. 1 Jan 1818. Witnesses: Nicholas Thompson and John H. McNeill. (Person County, NC Deed Book Abstracts, 1792-1825, p. 146)

 

Person Co deed book E, p. 173-4:  William Lipscomb to Jeremiah Brooks, for $225, 501/4 A on S Hico adj Laurence Vanhook, said Brooks, Elijah Jacobs. 3 Jan 1818. Wit: Jesse Bradsher, Stephen Pleasant. (Person County, NC Deed Book Abstracts, 1792-1825, p. 155)

 

1820

1820 Person Co., NC Census Report:  Jeremiah Brooks, 1m < 10, 2m 10-16, 1m 16-18, 1m 16-26, 1m > 45, [b. bef 1775]; 1f < 10, 1f 10 – 16, 1f 16-26, 1f >45; 4 people in agriculture, 0 slaves; On same page as Thomas Brooks (26-45);  (Roll M33_82, Page 436, Image 242).

 

1821

Person Co deed book F, p. 152-3: Lawrence Vanhook to Nicholas Thompson of Caswell County, town of Leasburg, for $88.50 30 ½ acres on S. Hico adj Lipscomb, Loyd Vanhook, Robert Vanhook, Jeremiah Brooks. 17 Nov 1821.  Wits: Will A. Lea, Wm Lipscomb. (Person Co NC deed Book abstracts, 1792-1825, p. 185).

 

1840

1840 Person Co., NC Census Report: Jeremiah Brooks, 1 m 60-70 [1770-1780]; 1f 20-30, 1f 60-70; (Next to Logan Brooks, 20-30) (Roll 368, p. 292)

 

 

1850

1850 Person County

Jeremiah Brooks 76 (b. abt 1774), VA Farmer
Elizabeth Brooks 75(b. abt 1775) PA
Elizabeth Brooks 28 (b. abt 1822) NC
Sarah E. Brooks 17 (b. abt 1833), NC
Thomas Thomas 88 (b. abt 1762) PA

 

1850 Census – Slave Schedules

Jeremiah Brooks, Person Co., NC – 3 Black male slaves, 1 mulatto slave

 

1860

1860 Person County Bushy Fork p. 543

Jeremiah Brooks 85 VA

Elizabeth Brooks 30 NC

Sarah Brooks 21 NC

 

1860 Census – Slave Schedules

Jeremiah Brooks, Person Co., NC – 4 male black slaves, 1 female black slave

 

1870

1870 Person County, Olive Hill

Jeremiah Brooks 98 (b. abt 1772), NC no occupation 800 1500

Elizabeth Brooks 50 (b. abt 1820), NC Keeping house

Sarah Brooks 32 NC at home can’t read can’t write

(Roll M593_1154, p. 640, image 630)

 

 

Bibliography

 

Kendall, K. K., & Donaldson, M. F. K. (1978). Person County, North Carolina compilations: Land grants, 1794, 1805, 1823 tax lists, record books abstracts, 1792-1820, letters of attorney. Raleigh, N.C.: Kendall. (Searchable online at ancestry.com)

Kendall, K. K. (1994). Person County, North Carolina deed books, 1792-1825. [Baltimore, MD?]: Clearfield Company.  (Searchable online at ancestry.com)

Estate Records of BROOKS in Person Co., NC

Person County, North Carolina Estate Files – Brooks surname

 

The estate records of Person County, North Carolina are housed at the NC State Archives.  The largest series of interest are called the “Loose papers of Estate Records.”  This series of fibredex boxes contains most, if not all, documents relating to the estate of a particular individual.  They may contain administrator bonds, guardian accounts, estate inventories and sales accounts.  

 

The estate records housed at the Archives are organized in boxed series first by county, then alphabetically by surname.  In 1978, Katherine Kerr Kendall published a book, Person County North Carolina Compilations: Land Grants; 1794, 1805, 1823 Tax Lists; Record Books Abstracts, 1792-1820; Powers of Attorney. In this book, she included a list of all the estate records in the Person County Estate Records series.

This list was copied from KKK’s book Person County Compilations.  She made this list back in 1978 when the original documents of North Carolina were stored at the NC Department of Archives and History.  In her book, she noted that these Person County estate records and documents were alphabetically arranged in file folders. At the time this list was compiled, the call number for the estate records was 078.508.1-44, indicating 078 is the county code for Person County and that there were only 44 file boxes in the estate records series.  Since the publishing of this book, these files have been moved to the NC State Archives.  According to the updated NC State Archives finding guide, there are 78 file boxes for Person County estate records, therefore these estate records must have been filed into new boxes when they were moved. 

My surname of interest in Person County, North Carolina is BROOKS.  Below I have copied Kendall’s entries for the BROOKS surname.  On my next trip to the archives I will validate that this list is complete for the BROOKS surname. I have left spaces for notes.

 

Kendall’s book on Person County Compilations can be searched online at ancestry.com. A subscription is required to view the records.

 

Name	Date	File Box No.	Names mentioned	Notes
Andrew Brooks	1869
Ann Brooks	1877
Ann Brooks	1885
Ann G Brooks	1893
Artha Brooks	1846
Asa Brooks	1872
Asa Brooks	1880
B B Brooks	1885
Charles B Brooks	1861
D W Brooks	1888
David Brooks	1842
David Broooks	1882
Dempsey Brooks	1880
Elijah G Brooks	1862
Elizabeth Brooks	1855
Francis Brooks	1848
Garner Brooks	1841
Green Brooks	1848
Henry Brooks	1887
J L Brooks	ND
J M Brooks	1885
J T Brooks	1896
James Brooks	1845
James M Brooks	1876
Jeremiah Brooks	1871
John Brooks	1848
John Brooks (Halifax County)	1858
John Brooks	1886
John J Brooks	1821
Larkin Brooks	1835
Larken Brooks	1882
Mason Brooks	1823
Matthew Brooks	1855
Matthew Brooks	1886
Nancy Brooks	1851
Nancy G Brooks	1857
Parkham Brooks	1869
Robert Brooks Sr	1846
Robert Brooks	1878
Robert Brooks	1898
R W Brooks	1882
Sallie Brooks	1895
Sarah Brooks	1844
Stephen G Brooks	1854
Sydney Brooks	1845
Thomas A Brooks	1880
Timby Brooks	1886
W A Brooks	1885
William Brooks	1906
William M Brooks	1880
Yancey Brooks	1835

Two George Brooks Men of Caswell County

Tonight I consolidated 3 separate documents I have relating the story of at least 3 George Brooks men – two younger and one elder men.  The individual family tree maker database files for the two younger George Brooks men, the Brooks Family Will Books.doc, and the George Brooks.doc files were consolidated into one main document – “George Brooks.doc”.

I have information stored in multiple locations for two reasons: 1. if I lose one file, that information is stored in a second location; 2. One of the files is simply all about any men named George, with some explanation of the different men. The other file is all about ALL men named Brooks. I use this one so I can see relationships between the individuals and their family members.

I have included an introduction below to the two young George Brooks men of Caswell County. I hope to post my completed files to this blog some day. However, most of my preliminary information was taken from Will and Deed book abstracts by Katherine Kerr Kendall and need to be verified with original documents obtained at the State Archives.  The Caswell County Will Books can be searched online at ancestry.com; The deed book abstracts (1777-1817) and (1817-1840) can be found at the North Carolina Olivia Raney Historical Library in Raleigh, NC.
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There were two “younger” George Brooks men living in Caswell co., NC in the early 1800s. They were first cousins: 

1.  George son of Jonathan (and Ann Lewis), born abt 1790 (according to the 1830 Caswell Co census report); Married Sarah?

2.  George son of Charles (and Sarah), born 1787. He moved to Stokes Co., NC in 1820 after marrying Elizabeth Courts, also from Caswell Co., NC (1820 Stokes Co census report). George and his wife Elizabeth Brooks of Stokes Co. sold 206 acres of land on waters of Hogan’s creek in Caswell Co., NC to Obadiah Nunally on 25 June 1820. This George administered his father’s estate in Caswell Co., NC in 1816 before removing to Stokes Co., NC. I believe his mother Sarah remained in Caswell Co., NC. There was an estate record for a Sarah Brooks in Jan 1841, Caswell Co., NC. I believe this to be the widow of Charles and mother of George who removed to Stokes County. George administered her account in 1841-1843. It was a significant account, therefore I believe Sarah to have been a widow. It is possible this Sarah was the wife of George, son of Jonathan; but I don’t believe it plausible because this deceased had such a considerable estate. Additionally, there was an elder Sarah Brooks who was tracked on the Caswell County census reports prior to this estate record who fit in as the deceased in these estate records. I have included below all deed and will book entries for both George Brooks and have noted to which George they refer if known. All entries have been included in both George Brooks’ family tree files.

Related post: The elder George Brooks

An Elder George Brooks – Caswell Co., NC

An Account of an original Caswell County, NC settler, George Brooks and his possible relation to my ancestor, Christopher Williams Brooks: (excerpted from the George Brooks.doc file)

1777
Caswell County, NC Tax Records, 1777:
Glouster District, George Brooks, 650 Acres, 7 wp, 0 bp
- Where did this 650 acres come from? I did not see a land grant in Caswell, Orange, or Granville County, NC Land Grants. Maybe he bought it from someone in Orange County? Or it came from Lord or Earl Granville? (Caswell Co was formed from Orange Co in 1777)

1779

North Carolina Land Grant, 1779, File no. 444: George Brooks, 300 acres, Entry no. 622 entered 11 Jan 1779; Grant no. 605, issued 13 Oct 1783; Book 53, p. 25; Located on the Middle fork of the South Fork of Country Line Creek

Deed book A, page 144, 1779: State of NC – No. 57, to Elisha Parks, 300 acres on both sides of middle fork of south fork of Country Line Cr adjacent claims of Samuel Kelly, William Gooch, George Brooks, John Anthony, Elijah Mason. 3 May 1779. chain carriers John Anthony, Ransom Atkinson. (Abstracts, p. 9) This 300 acres of land was then sold by Elisha Parks to Thomas Johnston of Culpepper Co (see below). [Note: this was probably taken in March; The date of May was probably a mistake by the abstractor. Subsequent deed information continues to be dated in March.  Source: Caswell Co., NC Deed Books, 1777-1817, Abstracts, Katherine Kerr Kendall, p.9. (Can be found at the Olivia Raney Historical Library, Raleigh, NC)

Deed book A, page 175, 1779: State of NC No. 66 to Henry Williams, 216 acres on branches Shaws, Toms and Stoney Creeks adj William Brown, claims of Arthur Lovings, John Brothers. 3 Mar 1779. chain carriers Wm. Brown and Geo Brooks Jun. (Abstracts, p. 11)

Deed book A, page 296, 1779: Elisha Parks of Caswell Co., NC to Thomas Johnston of Culpepper Co., VA for 1000 lbs, 300 acres on middle fork of Country line Creek adj claims of Samuel Kelly and William Gooch, John Anthony, George Brooks, claim of Elijah Mason, said land granted by NC to Parks 3 Mar 1779 adknowledged. (Abstracts, p. 18 )

These deeds provide evidence that there was another older George Brooks who lived in Caswell Co in 1779; since he owned land, he was born at least before 1758 (had to be 21 to own land). Could this be the George Brooks who heired land that he received as a Revolutionary soldier in TN to Christopher Williams Brooks? There was no George Brooks on the 1790 or 1800 Caswell Co., NC census report, so either he died or he moved. (Probably he died because he heired the land to Christopher). The next George is not enumerated until 1830 in Caswell co., NC. He was the son of Jonathan and Ann Lewis Brooks (According to Kay Haden…Charles and Sally Brooks’ son George moved to Stokes/Forsynth Co., NC). There are no George Brooks men in the Person Co deed book (1792-1825) or census reports either. 

Could this be George Brooks, son of Thomas and Mary Blacknall Brooks, born 8 May 1757 in Gloucester Co., VA (Kingston Parish Registry)?

TO DO:
Look for references to this George Brooks as a soldier in the American Revolution. Did not have a pension because he probably died prior to the law passed by Congress.

Related Posts:

Two younger George Brooks men of Caswell Co., NC

BROOKS family references of Kingston Parish, Gloucester/Matthews Co., VA

Sources:

Kendall, K. K. (1989). Caswell County, North Carolina, deed books, 1777-1817: abstracts. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press. (Can be found at the Olivia Raney Historical Library, Raleigh, NC)

Secretary of State Land Grant Office, Warrants, Plats, etc