My Genealogy Hound

CHARLES E. BROOKS, a leading farmer of Goshen and one of the town fathers, was born in Williamsburg, Mass., October 1, 1850, son of Horatio and Elizabeth C. (Chapman) Brooks, and grandson of Nathan and Eunice (Weeks) Brooks. The grandfather, Nathan Brooks, who was born in Rehoboth in 1779, was a well-to-do farmer. He died in 1856; and his wife, who was three years younger, passed away in the same year. They reared six children; namely, Eunice, Nathan, Horatio, Rhoda, Levi, and Samuel.

Horatio Brooks, the father of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Huntington, Mass. When quite young he learned the blacksmith trade, and for some years worked as a journey-man, spending some time in Hatfield. He then bought a shop in Williamsburg and carried on a very successful business until 1863, when, deciding to retire, he bought the Abells farm in Goshen. This estate contained one hundred acres of good land. Mr. Brooks much enhanced its value by making many improvements and repairing the buildings. He died at the age of sixty-four; his wife’s death occurred when she was sixty-two. In politics Mr. Brooks was a Republican, and in religious belief he and his wife were Adventists. They had but one child, who is the subject of this sketch.

Charles E. Brooks received his education in the common schools of Williamsburg. He remained on the farm until twenty-three years of age, when he started to earn a livelihood for himself. At the end of three years, however, he returned home and took charge of the farm, which has been under his management up to the present time. He carries on general farming and keeps a small dairy of choice Holsteins. From both sources he derives a comfortable income.

Mr. Brooks was twice married. His first wife, to whom he was united in 1878, was Jennie S., daughter of William S. Packard. She died at the age of twenty-seven, leaving two children: Harry W., born July 21, 1880; and Raymond E., who was born June 3, 1889. Mr. Brooks’s second wife was Laura Barrus, daughter of Charles Barrus, of Springfield. She is the mother of one child, Marion A., born March 21, 1892.

In politics Mr. Brooks is a Republican. He has served as Selectman for ten consecutive years, and is one of the superintendents of the work on the macadamized State road, now being constructed in the town of Goshen. In this employment he spares no pains in forwarding the work. In religious belief Mr. Brooks and his wife are Congregationalists.