Harriet L. Brooks

(1844-1900)

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At a Glance

Harriet L. Brooks was from Halifax County and attended the Burwell School in the mid. 1850s. She was the younger sister of Burwell student Sallie Faulkner Brooks .

Story

Harriet L. Brooks, 9, and her older sister Sallie Faulkner Brooks , 17, are listed in the United States Census of 1850 [1] with their father, James Faulkner Brooks, 47, and mother, Sarah Atkinson, 45, and resided in the Southern District of Halifax County, p. 147. Also listed are five siblings: Susan W. Brooks, 20, Martha A. Brooks, 16, John Venable Brooks, 12, Samuel H. Brooks, 12, and Mary A. Brooks, 5. James Faulkner Brooks is listed as a planter, and his real estate was valued at $25,000. In this census Harriet's initial appears to be an  "S."  but in later census forms, when an initial appears, it is an  "L."

The Brooks family continued to reside in the Southern District of Halifax County as listed in the United States Census of 1860 [2], page 70. Their ages are not greater by ten over the ages in the 1850 census, but by seven or eight years. James Faulkner Brooks, 55, lists himself as a farmer and a widower, and his real estate is valued at $56,000 and his net worth at $75,000. His children, Mary A. Brooks, 13, Harriet L. Brooks , 16, and twins John Venable Brooks and Samuel H. Brooks, 21, also resided in the household. Sallie Faulkner Brooks , 25, was married to Charles Bruce Easley, and Susan W. Brooks, who would have been about 28, may have been married and living elsewhere by this time.

In the United States Census of 1870 [3], James Faulkner Brooks, 66, widower, lived with daughter Mary A. Brooks, 22, and son Samuel H. Brooks, 28, farmer, and four servants, in Mount Carmel.

In the United States Census of 1880 [4], page 11 in the listings for Black Walnut, James Faulkner Brooks is listed as age 75 and disabled with  "paralysis."  As in 1870, he was living with daughter Mary A. Brooks (Mollie), 30, and son Samuel H. Brooks, 40,  "merchant,"  as well as daughter Harriet L. Brooks , 37, and her husband, Thomas H. Halll, 41. It appears that Harriett was called  "Hallie"  by this time.

Working backward to track Thomas H. Hall, I found that he and  "Hallie"  are listed in the United States Census of 1870 [3] in Mount Carmel, page 68. Thomas H. Hall, 35 was a farmer, and Hallie, 28, was keeping house. Their household included one domestic servant.

Harriet, listed again as Hallie, and Thomas H. Hall are in the United States Census of 1900 [5] in Black Walnut, page 3. He is a merchant, age 65, and was born in February, 1835; she is 58, and was born in August, 1841. Her sister, Mary A. Brooks, called Mollie as on the 1880 census, is living with the couple, and apparently did not have children.James Faulkner Brooks had died between the 1880 and 1900 census.

A family tree posted by Wanda Brooks, on  "One World Tree"  via Ancestry. Com accessed 2010, states the marriage date for Harriet L. Brooks  and Thomas H. Hall as October 25, 1867. Ms. Brooks states that she believes this is the same Thomas H. Hall who was born in Halifax County, and had a very eventful Civil War service. According to the book  "3rd Virginia Cavalry"  by Thomas P. Nanzig, published by H.E. Howard, Inc., Lynchburg, VA, Thomas H. Hall enlisted in Company C, 3rd Virginia Cavalry on 20 May 1861 at age 25 at Black Walnut, VA. He was 6' with grey eyes, dark hair, ruddy complexion. He entered service as a private, served as an orderly to Col. Johnston; was promoted Lt. 18 April 1863; was wounded 17 June 1863; captured 16 August 1864 at Fr. Royal; was a POW at Ft. Delaware 27 August 1864 - 4 July 1865.

Ms Brooks tree states Thomas died in January 1902 in Black Walnut, VA. To date we have not been able to confirm the date of Hallie's death [6]. p. 147 [1]. p. 70 [2]. p. 11 [4]. p. 68 [3]. p. 3 [5].

Biographical Data

Harriet was called Hallie.

Important Dates

Harriet L. Brooks was born c. 1844, in Halifax County, VA. She died c. 1900.

Places of Residence

Schools Attended

Relatives

References

  1. United States Census of 1850.
  2. United States Census of 1860.
  3. United States Census of 1870.
  4. United States Census of 1880.
  5. United States Census of 1900.
  6. 3rd Virginia Cavalry by Thomas P. Nanzig, H.E. Howard, Inc., Lynchburg, VA, 1989..