Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 354- 355

WILLIAM E. BROOKS, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser of Park Township, has been a resident of this county since March 1, 1878.  He is a native of Indiana, his birth having occurred in Grant County, that State, Dec. 23, 1854.  He is the son of the late Aaron and Elizabeth (Minton) Brooks, natives respectively of Franklin and Rush Counties, Ind.  They passed the first  three years  of  their married  life  in  Rush County, then settled in Grant County, and engaged in farming there until 1878, when they removed to Kansas.  The father's death occurred in this State in March, 1885, at the age of fifty-nine years and ten months.  The mother, who was born Oct. 25, 1828, is still living.  They were the parents of seven children, five living to maturity, of whom our subject is the eldest. The remaining ones are Sarah Ann, Mary, Alzira and Ella E.  Sarah is the wife of Tillman Trobaugh; Mary is the wife of Henry A. Frost; Alzira is the wife of Thomas J. Furnish.  The grandparents of our subject were pioneers of Indiana.

     William E. Brooks, of this sketch, was early initiated into the various duties and labors that fall upon the son of a farmer, being often called upon to assist in the farm work when out of school. During his life in his native State he lived with his parents, and when the family came to Kansas in 1878, was a member of the party.  He located in Sedgwick County, and here met and married Miss Eliza A. Hunt, daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Needham) Hunt, the marriage taking place Feb. 29, 1880, it being the fifth Sunday in that month. Mrs. Brooks was born in Canada, Dec. 25, 1859. Her parents were natives of the North of Ireland, but emigrated to Canada when quite young. There they married, and to them were born twelve children, of whom eight are now living in Kansas, one in Dakota, two in Canada, and one died in Dakota. Eliza A. is the tenth in order of birth. She was only eight years of age when her parents died in Canada, and she was left an orphan. In 1872 she came to Kansas with her brother and sister. By her union with Mr. Brooks she has had three children - Allie A., Lena G. and Cecil F.

     Mr. Brooks owns a valuable farm of 160 acres, and devotes some time to agriculture, though he is more interested in stock-raising, which he finds very profitable, and his well-graded sleek-looking cattle compare favorably with those owned by other farmers in this region.

     In politics our subject takes no active part, but usually casts his vote with the Democratic party. He is much interested in the welfare of the township, and does what he can to assist in the development of its various resources. He is especially prominent in educational matters, and is Trustee of the School Board.

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