My Genealogy Hound

W. B. Brooks is a prominent planter, engaged in the stave business at Warren, and although he was born in Mason County, Ky., in 1842, he has been a resident of Bradley County since 1874. He is the fourth of twelve children born to John T. and Elizabeth (Anderson) Brooks, native Kentuckians, who moved to Audrain County, Mo., in 1857, where he became well known as editor of the Mexico Ledger, which he conducted up to the time of his death, in 1876. He was also a minister in the Christian Church for many years, and was instrumental in bringing many souls to the feet of Christ. His wife’s death occurred in 1885. Their eldest son, John A. Brooks, was the Prohibition candidate for Vice-President from Missouri, in 1888, and is now a minister of the gospel in Kansas City. W. B. Brooks, the immediate subject of this biography, spent his days up to the age of twenty years in farm work, during the summer months, and in attending the district schools during the winter seasons, but in 1866 he moved to Arkansas, and settled on Bayou Bartholomew, where for about seven years he was engaged in following the plow. In 1874 he married Miss E. T. Hughey, a daughter of Judge Hughey, one of the pioneer settlers of Bradley County, and in time a family of eight children was born to them: Carrie, John, Mary, Tiner, Mittie, Willie, Fannie and Louise, all intelligent and healthy children, a speaking illustration of the healthfulness of the Arkansas climate. Mr. Brooks has been more than ordinarily successful in his farming operations, and is the owner of 710 acres of fine land, three and one-half miles from Warren, sixty acres of which are cleared and under good cultivation, and the rest in timber land. His wife is a Baptist, while he belongs to the Christian Church, and is an earnest advocate of temperance, having helped clear the saloons from out Warren. He is not an active politician, but usually votes the Democrat ticket. He belongs to the K. of P., Hampton Lodge No. 34.