Taken from "Early Bourbon Families" published in the Kentuckian Citizen Newspaper, Paris, Ky. Tuesday
June 20, 1944- from the files of Mrs. William   Breckenridge Audry.

ARMS:  Sable, three escallops or
CREST:  A beaver passant, proper
MOTTO: Perervando  [By Persevering]

Thomas Brooks, ancestor of the Bourbon County, Kentucky family was the first of the name in New England. he was born in 1610 and is said to have come from Suffolk, England and sailed in the "Susan and Ellen" to Watertown, Mass. here he was assigned land in 1631 and in 1638 removed to Concord, became a large landowner and held many positions of trust and honor. He was Constable in 1638; Captain of a Company of Foot in King Phillip's War and Deputy to the General Court from Concord 1643-1662.
In 1660 he and his son in law, Timothy Wheeler bought lands in Medford which he owned at his death, 21 May 1667. His wife, Grace, died 02 November 1664.
Descendants of Captain Thomas and Grace Brooks still own 400 acres of this original tract which was inherited by his son, Caleb Brooks.
The old Brooks estate is said to have been a place of rare beauty in 1908 when visited by Kentucky descendants of the family. "Every tree and shrub has history as they had been brought from all over the world by Peter Brooks".  Washington and his staff had been entertained under a hugh oak in the yard during the Revolutionary War.
The children of Captain Thomas and Grace Brooks are:
 I.     Joshua Brooks  married Hannah Mason
II.    Caleb of whom hereafter.
III.   Gersham married Hannah Eccles
IV.   Mary married Timothy Wheeler
Reference; Bond's History of Watertown, page 356.  Genealogical Dictionary of New England.

II.  Caleb Brooks was born 1632, died at Medford, Mass., 29 July 1696; married 1st January 1660 to Susannah Atkinson, born 28 April 1641 and died 19 January 1669; married 2nd to Hannah Atkinson, born 05 March 1643, died 10 March 1710; both were daughters of Thomas and Susannah Atkinson.  At a town meeting of Medford, Caleb Brooks was chosen to superintend the building of the first church.
Reference: "History of the First church; History of Medford.
Children of Caleb and Susannah Atkinson Brooks:
    1. Susannah- born 27 Dec 1661, died young
    2. Mary- born 18 Nov. 1663- died young
    3. Susannah-born 23 Dec. 1666
    4. Rebecca- died unmarried.
    5. Sarah married Philemon Russell- 18 Oct. 1705.

Children of Caleb Brooks  by his 2nd wife, Hannah Atkinson.

    1. Ebenezer, born 24 Feb. 1671, died 11 Feb. 1742- married circa 1693 to Abigal Boyleston from Brookline whose membership in the Cambridge Church was transferred to Medford-1713 and who died 26 May 1756-aged 82 years.
Children of Ebenezer and Abigal Boyleston, among whom was the father of  the Governor John Brooks of Mass.
        [1] Caleb-born 08 July 1694
        [2] Ebenezer-born 23 March 1696
        [3] Thomas-born 12 Aug. 1705- died 14 Nov. 1784-unmarried
        [4] Samuel- born 12 Aug. 1710- of whom hereafter
        [5] Abigal married 27 Oct. 1727-Thomas Oakes
        [6] Mary
        [7] Hannah married Nathanial Cheerer
        [8] Rebecca married Samuel Pratt

[4]  Samuel Brooks, born 12 Aug. 1710-died 1766- will probated 11 Nov. 1766, married 02 april 1747 to Abigal Hastings of Waltham, born o8 mar 1727, died 16 April 1777.
Children of Samuel Brooks and Abigal Hastings were:
    A. Abigal baptized 20 Jan. ---and died 21 Feb. 1747
    B. Abigal baptized 05 Sept. 1749
    C. Ann baptized 05 Jan. 1749
    D. Mary baptized 03 Feb. 1753, died 20 sept. 1763
    E. Samuel baptized 05 June 1754
    F. Thomas baptized 05 June 1756, married 09 May 1796 to Parnel Boyleston
    G. Abijah baptized 12 Aug. 1759, Medford, Mass. of whom hereafter.
    H. Philemon baptized 08 Feb. 1761-died 16 Oct. 1762

G. Abijah Brooks, born 05 August 1759, baptized 12th August 1759, aforesaid, moved to Clark County, Kentucky.
He owned thousands of acres of land that ran into   Fayette, Montgomery and Bath Counties as well as his Clark County tracts.
according to a deed filed in Clark, it was  his land in Bath County, that he died 12 Nov. 1812.
At the age of seventeen years, Abijah Brooks served in the Revolutionary War from Massachusetts and his name appears as a member of Captain John Walton's Company that went to Noodles Island  December 06, 1776 or December 9th, both dates are given. he was discharged December 16th, 1776 and he again enlisted for York, December 16, 1776,  [record filed in Military Archives, Mass., Vol. I-24, pps. 146, 141.]
About the year 1791, Abijah Brooks married  Nancy Strode, born 21 may 1770- died 06  July 1855, daughter of Captain John Strode and Wife, Mary Boyle. [See Strode Family on April 11, 1944  issue, Kentuckian Citizen, Paris, Ky.]  After the death of Abijah, his widow married Jacob Wilson.
Children of Abijah Brooks and Nancy Strode;
    a. Mary born 15 Dec. 1793, married John Duncan, 20 June 1811
    b. Eleanor [Nellie] born 12 Dec. 1794, married  Thomas Duncan, no issue
    c. Abijah born 04 Aug. 1796, married Harriott
    d. Ann Weir born 18 Aug. 1798, married John Breckenridge, 03 Feb. 1820, see hereafter
    e. Samuel Brooks born 25 Nov. 1800, married 1st Polly Gass, 2nd Elvira Scott, see hereafter
    f. John S. born 26 Sept. 1802, married Mary Kerr, see hereafter
    g. Thomas born 31 July 1804, died 16 Sept. 1805
    h. Abigal Hastings born 06 June 1806, married David Hopkins
    i. Elizabeth born 04 oct. 1808, married John Ecton and moved to Missouri.
    j. Robert born 30 June 1811, married Samantha Young and moved to Boone  County, Mo.
    k. Van W. born 19 April, married Clency Young, first cousin of his brother Robert's wife.

d. Of the foregoing children, Ann Weir Brooks, born 18 August 1798, died 25 July 188, married 03 Feb. 1820 in Clark County, Ky. to John Breckenridge, Revolutionary Soldier from Virginia to Bourbon County, Va.
Ann Weir Brooks was the second wife of John Breckenridge, his first wife being Mary Duncan,. whom he married 13 March 1810 and by whom he had James A Breckenridge  born 19th Nov. 1810 and Oliver Hazard Perry Breckenridge, born 25th Sept. 1813. Mary Duncan Breckenridge died 1818.
The John Breckenridge farm was located on the Hume and Bedford Road, now owned by Mrs. Taylor. The old family burying ground is close to the house.
Children of John Breckenridge and Ann Weir Brooks as taken from an old Prayer book in the possession of Judge William Breckenridge Ardry were as follows:
        Mary Breckenridge born June 21 1821
        Abijah Brooks Breckenridge born 18 Dec. 1822
        Sidney S. Breckenridge born  06 April 1825
        John William Breckenridge born 20 July 1826
        George W. Breckenridge born 02 July 1828
        Alexander Breckenridge born 26 Dec. 1`829
        Ann Elizabeth Breckenridge born 24 Mar. 1832
        Caroline Frances Breckenridge born 25 Mar 1833
        Sarah Magalen  Breckenridge born  04 Aug. 1835
        Adam Aker Breckenridge born 21 Mar. 1837
        Abijah Brooks Breckenridge born 01 Feb. 1839

Of the children of John Breckenridge and Ann Weir Brooks, Ann Elizabeth Breckenridge married Lafayette Ardry, 18 Nov. 1852, died 09 Feb. 1898, he was born 15 Aug. 1827 and died 11 aug. 1892.

e. Samuel Brooks of Clark and Bourbon Counties married 1st to Polly Gass, 25 May 1826. She was the mother of most of his children. He married 2nd to Elvira Scott. When Samuel and Polly Gass Brooks moved to Bourbon County, they located on Stoner Creek [ now the farm of Mr. & Mrs. John D. Hertz] and lived first in a house that stood at the rear of the present handsome residence he built a few years later.  the following entries are taken from the family bible of Samuel Brooks in the possession of Mrs. James L. Dodge.
Samuel Brooks born 25 Nov. 1800
Polly Gass Brooks, wife of Samuel Brooks was born 23 June 1804
Elvira Scott, wife of Samuel Brooks was born 06 Jan. 1814.
 
BIRTHS:
John Gass Brooks born 26 Mar. 1827
Abijah Brooks born 16 Oct. 1829
Sally Ann Brooks born 30 Sept. 1830
Elizabeth Jane Brooks born 24 Dec. 1832
James William Brooks born 18 Nov. 1835
Samuel  Abijah Brooks born 08 Jan. 1838
Mary Frances Brooks born 18 Jan. 1841
Thomas Robert Brooks born 10 June 1843
Nancy Brooks born 10 Decd. 1846
Ann Weir Brooks, daughter of Samuel and Elvira Brooks born 30 April 1855
Joseph Scott Brooks born 13 aug. 1856
Alice Brooks born 02 Nov. 1858

MARRIAGES:
Samuel Brooks and Polly Gass were married 25 May 1826
Samuel Brooks and Elvira Scott were married 07 Feb. 1854
Will J. Hildreth and Sally Ann Brooks were married 21 June 1849
John Gass Brooks and Margaret Ann Kenny were married 14 May 1851

DEATHS:
Abijah Brooks, father of Samuel Brooks died 12 Nov. 1812
Nancy Strode Wilson, wife of Abijah Brooks, then of Jacob Wilson, died 06 July 1855
Polly Brooks, wife of Samuel Brooks died 05 May 1850
Abijah Brooks, son of Samuel and Polly Brooks died 28 Oct. 1829
Thomas Robert Brooks, son of Samuel and Polly Brooks  died 02 Nov. 1847
Samuel Brooks, son of Abijah and Nancy Strode Brooks, died 04 Aug. 1875
Elvira Scott Brooks died 18 Dec. 1888

Additional Notes on the foregoing children of Samuel Brooks:
John Gass Brooks married 1st to Margaret Kenney,  2nd to Elizabeth Peck, and died 11 Aug. 1889.
Abijah Brooks died in infancy
Sally Ann Brooks married 1st to Wm. J. Hildreth, and 2nd to Mathew Stone, died 13 May 1884
Elizabeth Jane Brooks married Oct. 1867 to Joseph Mitchell, [ his 2nd wife ] and died 14 Nov. 1903
James William Brooks married 18 Sept. 1860 to Anna Eliza Magowan who was born 20 oct. 1835 and died 10 oct. 1912.
Samuel Abijah Brooks died 09 Jan. 1863 from wounds received in the Battle of Stone River, Tenn.
Mary Frances Brooks married Christopher F. Clay and died 1911
Thomas Robert Brooks died 1847
Nancy Brooks married 14 Feb. 1871 to Buckner Woodford and died 28 Dec. 1907; he was born 05 Jan. 1845 and died 18 Aug. 1915.

Children of Samuel Brooks by his 2nd wife, Elvira Scott;
Joseph Brooks moved to Missouri
Alice Brooks married 29 oct. 1879 to Benj. Woodford

f. John Strode Brooks, M.D., born 26 Sept. 1802 died 03 april 1863, married Mary Jane Kerr, 05 March 1838 and resided in Bourbon County, Ky.  Children of Dr. John S. and Mary Jane Kerr Brooks were;
Annie E Brooks married J. H. Kerr
Jane Marie Brooks married 03 July 1867 to Mathew A Kenney
Ada  [Addie] Mariah Brooks married C. T. Throckmartin
Fannie Breckenridge Brooks married G. W. Morgan
Sally Kenney Brooks
James Abijah Brooks married Virginia Wilburn
John Clarence Brooks married Caroline Bybee
Lillie Belle Brooks married Alan B. Hudson.
 

note:  Mrs. Audry was an author and compiler of several books of  Kentucky records.