Southern
Roots
and
Shoots
presents
Descendants of
Josephus
"Josiah" Brooks, Sr.
1827 - 1908
of Buncombe Co., NC, Monroe Co., TN, Cherokee
Co., NC & Polk Co., TN
In 1838, Josephus BROOKS received a grant for lands in Cherokee Co., NC along the TN/NC state
line, said Grant being originally recorded in 1868 &
re-recorded 10/23/1875 in Book P, Page 180. He is
referred to as Josephus, Joseph & Josiah in the Deed Records
of Cherokee Co., NC as well as in Polk Co., TN.
To date, it is unknown who his parents were but we know they were living in 1827 Buncombe Co., NC based on Josiah's enumeration on the 1860 Cherokee Co., NC census. His mother was most likely Ann b. 1810 NC and who died after 1850 in Monroe Co., TN. Based on extensive research of all BROOKS families in the Southern Appalachian Mountains covering 4 states, a few of his siblings were most likely:
Virgil Adolphus BROOKS 1828 - 1911 Monroe Co., TN m. Louranna RAY and Melinda Elvira 'Vira' BLANKENSHIP
Augustus "Gus" BROOKS 1832 - 1906 Polk Co., TN
David Hiram BROOKS 1830-1901 Monroe Co., TN m. Elizabeth TYLER and Sarah Emeline CARR
Martha Jane VAUGHN 1835-aft 1900 widow of William VAUGHN d. Jan 1890 in Jalapa, Monroe Co., TN
Josiah married Susannah "Susie" VAUGHN, getting her maiden name from her daughter, Mattie Brooks-Marchant's death certificate. They are found living in 1850 Monroe Co., TN - Tellico Plains Dist., as newlyweds with tNancy age 2.
By 1860, they were in Cherokee Co., NC living next door to James and Anna VAUGHN. They are still living next to each other in 1870. I'm not sure at this time just which James VAUGHN this is. Perhaps s/o John and Sarah Thomas Vaughn who died in Monroe Co., TN. Their known children out the 15 she stated she had were:
Nancy Ann TORRENCE 1847-1928 [Mrs. James W. TORRENCE s/o Absolum & Nancy TORRENCE of Cherokee Co., NC] buried Cedar Grove Cem., Athens, McMinn Co., TN
Martha C. "Mattie" MARCHANT 1850-1929 m. Joseph MARCHANT s/o John & Sarah MARCHANT of Polk Co., TN; d. Dekalb Co., GA buried at Ducktown Cem., Polk Co., TN
Dr. Augustus Randolph Adolphus BROOKS 1852-1890 m. Loucintha MARR from SC; d. Polk Co., TN
Sarah Jane ROBERTS 1855-1903 [Mrs. Elijah L. ROBERTS s/o Elisha & Lethia CLIAN-ROBERTS of Polk Co., TN] buried at Ducktown Cem., Polk Co., TN
Luranna b./d. 1860 Cherokee Co., NC {src: 1860 Cherokee NC mortality schedule]
Mary Ann DAVIS - BELL 1861-1948 [widow/o Louis Payne DAVIS & James Nolan BELL] d. Bradley Co., TN buried at Pleasant Hill Cem., Polk Co., TN
Joseph S., BROOKS Jr. 1864-1934 [m. Margaret J. 'Maggie' AMBURN dtr/o Samuel AMBURN & Mary Jane McALLISTER-AMBURN of Polk Co., TN] d. Polk Co., TN buried at Ducktown Cem., Polk Co., TN
During the 1870's, they deeded their Cherokee Co., NC lands now known as Field of the Woods to their children and moved by 1880 only a few miles West into Isabella or Ducktown, Polk Co., TN where Josiah owned a livery stable for many years.
Josiah served in the Civil War in Pvt Co. D 3rd TN Mtd Inf USA. He received a pension for his service because of his disability....he was blind. See his service record at:
If you aren't a member yet, then
Josiah died in May 1908 & Susannah died in Sep 1908. They are buried in the Ducktown Cem. in Ducktown, Polk Co., TN. As of 2004, their large, monument headstones were again fallen over and greatly eroded.
Josiah BROOKS Family public records:
Deed: Josephus BROOKS to James W. TORANT [TORRANCE] 1874 Cherokee/NC
Lands of Joseph BROOKS sold by Sheriff's Deed to O.O. VEST 1876 Cherokee/NC
Deed: Adolphus et ux. BROOKS to Josiah BROOKS 1884 Cherokee/NC
Deed: Adolphus et ux. BROOKS to Lewis P. DAVIS 1884 Cherokee/NC
Others Researching this Family:
Gwen Holden Skelton of Blue Ridge, GA - is in possession of C.A.T.'s full copy of Josiah BROOKS' Pension File rec'd from NARA in 2008. No mention of his parents was found therein.
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