Thomas Brooks (1894-1955)

Thomas Hendricks was born on July 5th 1894 in Morgan County, Georgia. His mother Olivia Wyatt married Wilburn Hubert Brooks in 1904 in Jackson County, Georgia and John Jackson Wallis was the Peace Officer who registered the marriage. WH Brooks was then a widower with three sons: Grady, John Otis and W. Herbert. For a few years Thomas kept Hendricks as his surname but later he adopted his step-father lastname Brooks.

By 1920 he was married to Clara Moore and had a first son who he named after his step-father (WH). His mother-in-law (Mary Moore) lived with the family. Thomas and Clara’s home was next to other Brooks households “on the road from Flanigan Mill to Mulberry station”. In subsequent years more sons were born to Thomas and Clara: Howard Thomas in 1920, Albert Frary in 1921, T.J. in 1923, James Rilus in 1925, Alphonzo B in 1927 and Luree in 1929.

Clara died in 1941 and she was buried in the Justice Cemetery next to Thomas’ brother Grady Brooks (-1925) and Thomas’ step-father MH Brooks (-1941). By 1950 many of Thomas’ sons had moved to North Carolina but Thomas remained in the area working in Barrow County and lodging with the Trashers family on Moon Bridge Road until his death.

Thomas died in 1955 and he was buried in the Justice Cemetery near his wife Clara.

Thomas Brooks’ grave has not been located yet . Ms. Lola Trasher, a Gum Spring Baptist Church member reported having witnessed his burial at the Justice cemetery. At the time of his death Thomas Brooks was a lodger at the Trasher’s home in Barrow County.

Mrs. Lucille (nee Moon) Law remembered Thomas Brooks

“Thomas was an honorable man, very quiet man . Very quiet. He was a farmer. I don’t heard him saying more than one or two words. I don’t remember. While Ms. Clara when she was feeling good she talked more than Mr. Thomas and I don’t know if she told him to shut up. I don’t know. I just remember him been quiet. But none of his boys were quiet. They did not have a sister, so I was like their little sister back them. WH, Howard, Albert Frary, T.J., James Rilus, Alfonzo and Luree. And all of them have passed away now.