Individual Details

Born in Gloucester Co or England?

Richard is believed to perhaps be the same Richard Brookes listed in the Virginia Gazetter as Master of The Purcell, a sloop involved in an ordeal off Antiqua in 1751. If so, he was probably born some years prior to the estimated birth year of 1730. He had an uncle Richard, ship's captain. but that uncle's will was proved 18 Mar 1739/40.
13 Sep 1751, St. John's Antigua. Sunday the 8th Instant, we had the most violent Hurricane that has been known in the Memory of the oldest Man living.....Damage sustained in Town is very great.... List of vessels put ashore in the harbor of St. John's included the sloop Purcel, capt. Brookes, Antiqua, will get off.

From the Surveyor's Book of Gloucester: Tract of land in Kingston Parish in company with Wm. McKay and Mr. Hugh ___ the land of Joseph Brookes & Wm Higgins land belonging to Gregory Iverson.... by John Throckmorton
4 Apr 1754. Surveyed for Joseph Brooks, 300 3/4 acres in Kingston Parish on Queen's Creek; samll chestnut near Rich'd Brooks corn field.... John Throckmorton.

VIRGINIA TITHABLES FROM BURNED RECORD COUNTIES, Robert F. Woodson and Isobel B. Woodson, 1970.
Richard Brookes, Stafford Co, 1768, 180 acres.

Virginia Gazette:
13 Mar 1769:
J. H. Borton notified the public that he holds a mortgage on Mr. Edward Cary's land, slaves, houses & furniture, and also on a brigantine commanded by Capt. Brookes (now out of the country) and a river sloop....
21 Jun 1770:
Court on May 3, 1770. Edward Cary, plaintiff, agst Richard Brookes & Christopher Dawson, executors of Anne Brookes, dec'd, defendants.
Richard "being beyond sea", the court ordered the other defendant to deliver up his effects of a sufficient value.

Edward Wilson James, “Census Gloucester County, 1782-3. Free and Slave Gloucester County (Continued),” The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 12, No. 2 (October 1904), pp. 185-187;
1782–3 Census, Kingston Parish, Gloucester County, Virginia
p. 185 Richard Brookes, 7 whites, 12 blacks

1783 Kingston Parish, Glocester, VA, Property Tax
Richard Brookes 1 white male above 21, 5 negroes above 16, 5 negroes under 16, 8 cattle
1784 Kingston Parish, Property Tax
Richard Brookes, 1 white tithe, 5 black tithes, 4 black tithes under [16], 10 cattle, 200 acres of land
[next] John Flippen
1786 Kingston Parish, Taxable Property
Richard Brookes, 1 white tithe, 4 black tithes, 7 black tithes under 16, 2 horses, 2 cattle

Caswell DB E, p.300
14 Feb 1788 George Barker to Richard Brookes for 100£. 400 acres adj Alex Kerr, Williams' line on Stony Creek. Wit: William Barker, David Barker.
[Leigh Brookes' papers list this surname as Baker rather than Barker. Abstracted as Barker by Karr.]

Ann may have been Richard's second wife. First child almost too old to have been this Ann's child.

Will written 3 Oct 1789 and probated April 1790. Names beloved wife Ann Brookes and leaves her one third that is to be equally divided among the four youngest children at her death again indicating these may have been her children: William Bird Brookes [under age 21], Betsy Brookes, Frances Armisted Brooks, and John Brookes. Dau: Ann Smith Graves received two slaves [possibly her mother was not Ann]. Exec: Ann Brookes, and son-in-law Solomon Graves. Wit: W. F. Smith, Israel Barker.
Caswell WB B, p.321

Will of Richard Brookes, 1789
Caswell County, North Carolina
In the Name of God Amen, I Richard Brookes of the County of Caswell and state of North Carolina, Being in a low state of health, but of perfect sense and memory thanks be to Almighty God for the blessing. But taking into Consideration the shortness and Uncertainty of this Transitory Life, and that it is appointed for all Men once to die, do make Constitute and ordain this my last will and Testament to be performed, In manner and form following that is to say first and Principally I recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it me and my body to the Earth from whence it was taken to be Buried in Decent Christian Burial at the Discretion of my Executors whom I shall hereafter nominate and appoint - and unto such worldly goods as it hath pleased Almighty God to bless me in this life with I Give Dismiss and Depose of the same in Manner and form following and first my Desire is that all my Lawful Debts be paid, .... Item; I lend to my Beloved Wife Ann Brookes, the Land and Plantation whereon I now live, with one third part of the rest of my Estate both real and personal, during her natural life or Widowhood, and at her Death or Intermarriage to be Equally Divided among my four youngest children (to Wit) William Bird Brookes, Betsy Brookes, Frances Armisted Brookes, and John Brookes, Excepting the land and plantation whereon I now live, which at my wifes death or Intermarriage I leave to be Equally divided between my two sons to Wit, William Bird Brookes and John Brookes and their heirs.
Item; I give and bequeath to my Daughter Ann Smith Graves one negro woman named Hannah, and one Negro boy named John,
Item, I leave all the remaining part of my Estate in the hands of my wife until my son William Bird Brookes shall arrive to the age of twenty one years and then to be equally divided among my four youngest children to Wit, William Bird Brookes, Betsy Brookes, Frances Armsted Brookes, and John Brookes. Except my Wife should Intermarry before my son William Bird Brookes arrives to the age of Twenty one years and then and in that case my will and Desire is that the division should be made at her intermarriage.
Lastly I appoint my beloved wife Ann Brookes and my son in law Solomon Graves, Whole and sole executrix and Executor of this my last will and Testament to be performed. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand affixed my seal this third day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty Nine. Signed: Richard Brookes
Signed sealed published and Declared in presents of
W. Smith (Jurat)
Israel Barker, Jurat

Thisi is likely the same Richard Brooks, referring to his land back in Mathews Co (formed from Gloucester) VA.
Deed fragment from Mathews Co VA, 1791, Jul 19th. Henry Rispess sold a tract on Milford Haven, formally the Property of Richard Brooks who sold it to John Callis Senr, dec'd, 102 acres....at the mouth of the creek where the said Brooks formerly lived.

Caswell WB C, p.367
January Court 1799. Division of slaves of Richard Brooks, dec'd. To Ann Brooks, William B. Brooks, James Shepperd in right of wife Frances, John Brooks. By James Williamson, Nathaniel Rice, John Henslee. 14 Nov 1798.

Caswell DB R, p.128
2 May 1809 William B. Brooks to James Shapard of Orange Co NC. Richard Brooks decd owned 420 acres on Stoney Crk adj Alexander Kerr and same to be equally divided between sons, Wm B. & John Brooks. Wm B. Brooks conveyed to William Clifton his part. Part of John Brooks divided to Wm B. Brooks, James Shapard in right of his wife Frances Armistead Brooks. For $120 Wm Brooks sells to Shapard all his right & title to said land. Wit: William Clifton, Wylie Yancey.

Caswell Co Deed Book T, p.92-4. Deed of trust from James Shapard of Orange Co to Jeremiah Lea of Caswell includes 400 acres on Country Line & Stoney Creeks adjacent Alexander Kerr or so much of this tract as willed by Richard Brooks, dec'd to his son John Brooks. 18 Jul 1818.

Richard Brooks, is accepted as a Patriot by NSDAR, Ancestor #A208639.
Patriotic Service; Sergeant
Birth: ANTE 1752
Death: POST 10-3-1789, CASWELL CO
NORTH CAROLINA
Service Source: NARA, M881, COMP MIL SERV RECS, ROLL #905;
1783 GLOUCESTER CO, VA PERS PROP TAX LIST, P 54;
HENINGS STATUTES, VOL XI, PP. 112-129
Service Description:
1) PAID 1783 SUPPLY TAX;
2) CAPT CALLOHILL MENNIS, COL RICHARD PARKER
Although accepted by NSDAR - it is likely the Richard Brooks who served in the Continental Troops as a Sergeant was a very different Richard Brooks who resided in Stafford Co, VA.

Birth	Abt 1732
Death	Abt 1790	Caswell County, North Carolina
Marriage		Ann [Brookes]

Spouse	Ann [Brookes] (1755 - 1808)
Child	Ann Smith Brookes (1770 - )
Child	William Bird Brookes (1774 - 1836)
Child	Betsy Brookes ( - 1808)
Child	Frances Armistead Brookes (1780 - )
Child	John Brookes (1785 - 1808)

Father	JONATHAN BROOKES (1710 - 1754)
Mother	ELIZABETH [BROOKES] ( - )
Sibling	THOMAS BROOKES (1730 - 1819)
Sibling	Dorothy Brookes (1753 - )