Alfred Brooks

Alfred Brooks (ca. 1841-1901)

Civil War Veteran

Alfred (or Albert) Brooks was a prominent Civil War veteran, respected Mason, and “well-known resident, having lived here for many years.” Born in Missouri, he estimated his birth year sometime between 1841 and 1849. As a private in Company C of the First Kansas Colored Volunteers (renamed the 79th USCI), he served from December 28, 1862 through October 1, 1865. As such, he joined the all-Black GAR Dietzler/Walker post 365 as a charter member in 1885 and served as its third Post Commander (1890-91).ⁱ Alfred earned his pension in 1892 and an original widow’s pension was granted to his surviving wife for $8 per month after his death in 1901.⁲ In 1902, the Western Star Lodge No. 1, Knights of Pythias also provided his widow $1,000 as part payment of her endowment.³ “A large number of persons” attended his funeral, conducted by GAR post 365, at the Warren (9th) Street Baptist Church. The name “Alfred Brooks,” ordered for and inscribed on his Civil War shield, marks his burial site in Section 9, row D, grave 4 at Oak Hill Cemetery.⁴

Family

Over his life, Alfred worked as a common day laborer at various jobs, such as cleaning cisterns.⁵ His name also appeared as an elected delegate in the Third Ward for Republican conventions in 1873.⁶ Few other news reports exist but census records are plentiful.

Records indicate that Alfred had three wives, two of whom died young, and few biological children. His first marriage to Malinda Yoter (est. b. 1845-50 MO) occurred on January 29, 1868. Children included a son James A. Brooks (b. 1869 KS) in 1870 and by 1875, a son Robert Brooks (b. 1862 MO) and 2-year-old Lizzie Clark (b. 1873 KS). Sadly, the couple lost several infants and young children to various illnesses, most of whom were buried in potter’s field at Oak Hill Cemetery.⁷ In 1877, Albert was “in deep affliction, having lost his well-known wife” Malinda to TB, as well as his 18-months-old son George Washington, both of whom were buried in the same grave (444) in Oak Hill’s potter’s field.⁸

At some point, Alfred married Frances (Roberts?), who may have been born free in Michigan in 1859.⁹ The 1880 3rd Ward census shows him living with Frances Brooks (b. 1859 MO), a stepdaughter Elizabeth Roberts (b. 1873 KS) at school, and (Malinda’s?) son Robert Brooks (b. 1872 KS) at home, and with Frances (b. 1859 MI) and Robert in the 1885 6th Ward census.¹⁰ Unfortunately, Frances also died young at age 29 from dropsy (e.g., heart failure) in 1888 and was buried in the potter’s field at Maple Grove Cemetery.¹¹

One year after Frances’ death, Albert married Mrs. Nancy Kennedy on December 11, 1889.¹² Born in Kentucky around 1851, Nancy was the widow of Civil War veteran David Kennedy (1829-1887) who fathered her four Kentucky-born children, Samuel, Malcom (or Mack), Madeline (Mattie), and Florence (or Daisy).¹³

In 1893, Nancy Brooks purchased the family’s long-time residence at 1242 Pennsylvania for $450 (or over $15,700 in 2024 dollars).¹⁴ After working as a laundress for many years, she passed away at age 72 in 1923. Like her husband, her funeral was held at the Ninth Street Baptist Church.¹⁵

  • ⁱ N(at) T. Langston, Dietzler Post 365 15th anniversary, Leavenworth Advocate, Apr. 25, 1891. He followed founder Hiram Johnson (1885-87) and Doc McWilliams (1888-90). Also see “Albert,” Officer of the Day, Evening Tribune, Jan. 20, 1887.

    ⁲ Gazette, Apr. 7, 1892; Nancy Brooks, World, Apr. 30, 1902.

    ³ World, March 21, 1902.

    ⁴ Quoted in “Albert Brooks Dead,” Journal, “Colored Veteran Dead,” World, Nov. 15, 1901, and World, Nov. 18, 1901, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/24892290/alfred-brooks. Undertaker C. W. Smith was paid $40 to bury “Alfred Brooks,” World, Dec. 17, 1901.

    ⁵ For example, see his claim paid by the city council, Journal, Sept. 4, 1879.

    ⁶ “Delegates,” Tribune, Oct. 8, 1873 and Journal, Oct. 26, 1873.

    ⁷ Willy (b. Mar. 21, d. May 16, 1872), PF 100; male child of Alfred, probably James (b. Mar. 29, 1869-d. May 3, 1873) PF 52; female child of Melinda (b. Feb. 8, d. Feb. 11, 1875) PF 252; child of Alfred, perhaps Robert? (d. July 6, 1876) buried Sec. 4, grave 500 w/no marker, in interment records at familysearch.org and Complete Tombstone Census, Vol. 1, Pauper’s Field (Douglas County Kansas Genealogical Society, 1987): 207-08.

    ⁸ Quoted in Tribune, June 8, 1877; see interment records.

    ⁹ Intriguingly, the 1870 Lecompton census listed Frances Roberts (b. 1859 MI) living with her three Michigan-born siblings, along with her father William (b. 1841 NC) and mother Catherine (b. 1836 OH), among others. Two court cases involved Francis Brooks: Jenks Walker, a Black man, was charged and found guilty of assaulting her, Tribune, Oct. 14, 1879; Francis paid minor costs for disturbing the peace of Hannah Fitchue, a Black woman, Journal, May 8. 1887.

    ¹⁰ Per census records, there were two Robert Brooks (b. 1862 & b. 1872). It’s unclear whether one Robert Brooks lived to adulthood because no family survivors were mentioned in Alfred’s obituary. An 1898 news article reported that “a son of Al. Brooks” was stabbed in the arm in South Park, Journal, Aug. 25, 1898.

    ¹¹ Per interment record and obituaries in Journal and Evening Tribune, Dec. 4, 1888. Note that the Mortality Report, Journal, Jan. 3, 1889 lists “Francis” incorrectly as an “inft” (infant).

    ¹² “Marriage Licenses,” Evening Tribune, Dec. 11, 1889.

    ¹³ See 1880 and 1885 censuses for David and Nancy/Nannie Kennedy and 1895 and 1900 censuses for Alfred and Nancy Brooks. David Kennedy rests in Section 4, grave 806 with a Civil War shield marker at Oak Hill Cemetery. No obituary can be found for Samuel Kennedy (1872-1891) who rests in Section 4, 102A with no marker. Sometime after 1900, Mack Kennedy (1876-1916) left home to harvest fields in South Dakota and was killed tragically during the IWW strikes (Battle of Mitchell) in Aberdeen, “Funeral of Mack Kennedy,” LDJW, Aug. 7, 1916; “Card of Thanks,” Gazette, Aug. 8, 1916. He lies buried in Section 11, row G, grave 60. Mattie Kennedy (1880-1961) married and divorced Edward Lawrence (World, marriage license, Mar. 24, 1903; “Legal Notice,” Mar. 17, 1906) and then married William Lee Suggs in 1915. Her obituary, “Mrs. Martha Suggs,” LDJW, Feb. 24, 1961 and https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/260729651/martha-marie-suggs. Daisy Kennedy (1882-1938) divorced William Scott in 1901 (World, Aug. 28, 1901) and married Delbert E. Simon on February 25, 1903; see 1915 census. Her obituary cannot be found; she rests in Section 4, reserved grave 1444B, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/252374104/daisy-simons.

    ¹⁴ See “Real Estate Transfers,” Journal, June 29, 1893 and 1893, 1896, and 1900 city directories.

    ¹⁵ See Nannie Brooks in 1902, 1907, 1909, and 1911 city directories; obituaries “Mrs. Nancy Brooks,” LDJW, Nov. 13 & 16, 1923. She rests in Section 8, grave 264 at Oak Hill, per her 1923 interment record. Note that https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/245927391/nancy_brooks lists her burial site incorrectly (i.e., for Nannie (Mrs. A H.) Brooks, who died in 1920). This entry also shows Broadus as her maiden name, but no records or news stories can be found for potential Broadus relations in Lawrence or Douglas County.