Judge John C Brooke was born in Virginia in 1798 and moved with his parents to Roberton County, Tennessee as a youth. He was given excellant educational advantages and was admitted to the Bar in Tennessee, but did not immediately enter upon the practice of his profession. When he decided to come to the Southwest, he stopped in Sabine Parish, Louisiana, where he spent some time in the cultivation of his three large Plantations before continuing on his way to the Lone Star State. He owned a large number of slaves, having about one hundred at the outbreak of the Civil War, these being subsequently freed.
Upon the question of the disruption of the Union, he agreed with General Sam Houston in opposing succession, although he was too old at the time to take any active part in the War between the North and South. During the days of the Republic, Judge Brooke occupied the Bench at San Augustine, and subsequently became Justice of San Augustine County. A man of scholarly tastes, in finishing his education, he did a great deal of travel and visited various foreign capitals. His literary turn made him acquainted with the Poets and Authors and could quote " the lines " of favorite Arthors for hours.
Judge Brooke was dignified and proud. Was always well dressed, the best dressed man in Texas during his day, it was said, and was a genial, polished, courtly and knightly gentleman. In Texas politics he was a colleague of Colonel Blout of Nacogdoches, and John H Brooke's, wheel horses here in public affairs. His career was one of constant activity and exciting experiences from the time when he ran away prior to attaining his Magority, riding a horse with a slave boy behind him, and it is said, to never again made his Father's house his home.
He married his first wife in Columbia, Tennessee and had a son, Albert, who died in San Augustine, Texas, without issue.
His second wife was Catherine Norvell, a daughter of Lipscomb Norvell, who was born in New York State, but came to Texas from Kentucky. Mrs Brooke ( Catherine Norvell Coleman ) was born in Kentucky in 1821, and her father was an old hunter who wandered out to Texas and located at the confluence of three rivers in Sabine County and lived out his life there.
Mrs Brooke died in Center, Texas in 1896, and Judge Brooke, having passed away in 1879, in Jasper County. He spent his last years in farming and moved from his Sabine Parish County to Jasper County just a short time prior to his death.
The children born to Judge Brooke and his wife were :
Dudley, who died leaving a family of children; Octavine, who married Judge W H Ford and died at Beaumont, Texas.
Information from John Norvell
Additional information supplied by Martha B.
Catherine Brooke's father, Libscomb Norvel, was not an " old hunter who wandered into Texas " even if that's become the Norvel generational story. Alas, errors and vagaries exist in all family histories, and sometimes in print. ( See the Memorial Page for Mr Norvell---# 66547962 for his complete story )
Upon the question of the disruption of the Union, he agreed with General Sam Houston in opposing succession, although he was too old at the time to take any active part in the War between the North and South. During the days of the Republic, Judge Brooke occupied the Bench at San Augustine, and subsequently became Justice of San Augustine County. A man of scholarly tastes, in finishing his education, he did a great deal of travel and visited various foreign capitals. His literary turn made him acquainted with the Poets and Authors and could quote " the lines " of favorite Arthors for hours.
Judge Brooke was dignified and proud. Was always well dressed, the best dressed man in Texas during his day, it was said, and was a genial, polished, courtly and knightly gentleman. In Texas politics he was a colleague of Colonel Blout of Nacogdoches, and John H Brooke's, wheel horses here in public affairs. His career was one of constant activity and exciting experiences from the time when he ran away prior to attaining his Magority, riding a horse with a slave boy behind him, and it is said, to never again made his Father's house his home.
He married his first wife in Columbia, Tennessee and had a son, Albert, who died in San Augustine, Texas, without issue.
His second wife was Catherine Norvell, a daughter of Lipscomb Norvell, who was born in New York State, but came to Texas from Kentucky. Mrs Brooke ( Catherine Norvell Coleman ) was born in Kentucky in 1821, and her father was an old hunter who wandered out to Texas and located at the confluence of three rivers in Sabine County and lived out his life there.
Mrs Brooke died in Center, Texas in 1896, and Judge Brooke, having passed away in 1879, in Jasper County. He spent his last years in farming and moved from his Sabine Parish County to Jasper County just a short time prior to his death.
The children born to Judge Brooke and his wife were :
Dudley, who died leaving a family of children; Octavine, who married Judge W H Ford and died at Beaumont, Texas.
Information from John Norvell
Additional information supplied by Martha B.
Catherine Brooke's father, Libscomb Norvel, was not an " old hunter who wandered into Texas " even if that's become the Norvel generational story. Alas, errors and vagaries exist in all family histories, and sometimes in print. ( See the Memorial Page for Mr Norvell---# 66547962 for his complete story )
Judge John C Brooke was born in Virginia in 1798 and moved with his parents to Roberton County, Tennessee as a youth. He was given excellant educational advantages and was admitted to the Bar in Tennessee, but did not immediately enter upon the practice of his profession. When he decided to come to the Southwest, he stopped in Sabine Parish, Louisiana, where he spent some time in the cultivation of his three large Plantations before continuing on his way to the Lone Star State. He owned a large number of slaves, having about one hundred at the outbreak of the Civil War, these being subsequently freed.
Upon the question of the disruption of the Union, he agreed with General Sam Houston in opposing succession, although he was too old at the time to take any active part in the War between the North and South. During the days of the Republic, Judge Brooke occupied the Bench at San Augustine, and subsequently became Justice of San Augustine County. A man of scholarly tastes, in finishing his education, he did a great deal of travel and visited various foreign capitals. His literary turn made him acquainted with the Poets and Authors and could quote " the lines " of favorite Arthors for hours.
Judge Brooke was dignified and proud. Was always well dressed, the best dressed man in Texas during his day, it was said, and was a genial, polished, courtly and knightly gentleman. In Texas politics he was a colleague of Colonel Blout of Nacogdoches, and John H Brooke's, wheel horses here in public affairs. His career was one of constant activity and exciting experiences from the time when he ran away prior to attaining his Magority, riding a horse with a slave boy behind him, and it is said, to never again made his Father's house his home.
He married his first wife in Columbia, Tennessee and had a son, Albert, who died in San Augustine, Texas, without issue.
His second wife was Catherine Norvell, a daughter of Lipscomb Norvell, who was born in New York State, but came to Texas from Kentucky. Mrs Brooke ( Catherine Norvell Coleman ) was born in Kentucky in 1821, and her father was an old hunter who wandered out to Texas and located at the confluence of three rivers in Sabine County and lived out his life there.
Mrs Brooke died in Center, Texas in 1896, and Judge Brooke, having passed away in 1879, in Jasper County. He spent his last years in farming and moved from his Sabine Parish County to Jasper County just a short time prior to his death.
The children born to Judge Brooke and his wife were :
Dudley, who died leaving a family of children; Octavine, who married Judge W H Ford and died at Beaumont, Texas.
Information from John Norvell
Additional information supplied by Martha B.
Catherine Brooke's father, Libscomb Norvel, was not an " old hunter who wandered into Texas " even if that's become the Norvel generational story. Alas, errors and vagaries exist in all family histories, and sometimes in print. ( See the Memorial Page for Mr Norvell---# 66547962 for his complete story )
Upon the question of the disruption of the Union, he agreed with General Sam Houston in opposing succession, although he was too old at the time to take any active part in the War between the North and South. During the days of the Republic, Judge Brooke occupied the Bench at San Augustine, and subsequently became Justice of San Augustine County. A man of scholarly tastes, in finishing his education, he did a great deal of travel and visited various foreign capitals. His literary turn made him acquainted with the Poets and Authors and could quote " the lines " of favorite Arthors for hours.
Judge Brooke was dignified and proud. Was always well dressed, the best dressed man in Texas during his day, it was said, and was a genial, polished, courtly and knightly gentleman. In Texas politics he was a colleague of Colonel Blout of Nacogdoches, and John H Brooke's, wheel horses here in public affairs. His career was one of constant activity and exciting experiences from the time when he ran away prior to attaining his Magority, riding a horse with a slave boy behind him, and it is said, to never again made his Father's house his home.
He married his first wife in Columbia, Tennessee and had a son, Albert, who died in San Augustine, Texas, without issue.
His second wife was Catherine Norvell, a daughter of Lipscomb Norvell, who was born in New York State, but came to Texas from Kentucky. Mrs Brooke ( Catherine Norvell Coleman ) was born in Kentucky in 1821, and her father was an old hunter who wandered out to Texas and located at the confluence of three rivers in Sabine County and lived out his life there.
Mrs Brooke died in Center, Texas in 1896, and Judge Brooke, having passed away in 1879, in Jasper County. He spent his last years in farming and moved from his Sabine Parish County to Jasper County just a short time prior to his death.
The children born to Judge Brooke and his wife were :
Dudley, who died leaving a family of children; Octavine, who married Judge W H Ford and died at Beaumont, Texas.
Information from John Norvell
Additional information supplied by Martha B.
Catherine Brooke's father, Libscomb Norvel, was not an " old hunter who wandered into Texas " even if that's become the Norvel generational story. Alas, errors and vagaries exist in all family histories, and sometimes in print. ( See the Memorial Page for Mr Norvell---# 66547962 for his complete story )
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