Harry Brooks

Black male, born in 1854 in Atlanta, Georgia. He died at the age of 78 on 5 December 1932 in Gonzalez, Escambia County, Florida. He was married to Annie Brooks, who was the informant on his death certificate. His cause of death was pneumonia and old age, based on a statement from the undertaker. The death certificate notes that he “fell dead – no physician was called.” His occupation was given as laborer, but it had been six years since he had worked. His mother’s name was given as Millie Brooks by the widow informant. Harry was buried on 6 December in the Escambia County Poor Farm by Morris Funeral Home.

The death certificate indicated he had lived in the area for about 15 years. I found Harry and Annie Brooks in the 1920 census for Gonzalez, Escambia County, Florida. They were both listed as being 53 years old. Harry was a laborer, born in Georgia of two parents born in Georgia. Anna was a laundress working out of her home, born in North Carolina of two parents born in North Carolina. Harry was literate; Annie was not. They rented their home.

The 1930 census again placed them in Gonzalez, but listed Harry as owning his property, valued at $1,500. He was listed as a farm laborer. Anna was a laundress in a private home. Their birthplaces and that of their parents was the same as the 1920 census; however, in the 1930 census neither of them can read or write. Interestingly, their ages are given as 55 and 52.

I have located a Harry and Annie Brooks living in Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina in the 1900 census. These two were 35 and 34 years old and had been married for two years, making their marriage date about 1898. Annie was listed as having had one living child who was not enumerated in the household. If this couple is the same Harry and Annie Brooks from Gonzalez, FL who were 22 and 18 at their first marriage, theirs must have been at least a second marriage for each of them. Harry was listed as being from North Carolina, born of two parents from North Carolina, rather than Georgia, though this may have been a mistake in the census. Harry was a laborer and Annie was a laundress, and neither could read or write.

I have not located Harry nor Annie in the 1910 census, nor any census before 1900.

Annie died in 1934 and was also buried in the Escambia County Poor Farm.

FAMILY:

Wife: Annie Brooks

SOURCES:

Florida Certificate of Death for Harry Brooks, No. 18632, Florida Deaths, 1877-1939. Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City.

Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.