Brooks
Joshua
1797 – 1869
The Brooks House
The exact date that this home was built is unknown, but it was prior to 1825. The house is in Newtown, PA and was built in an area that was originally the commons and owned by no one. However, when purchased by the Brooks family records indicate, they had been living there for some time either renting or squatting on the land. Rod’s 5th great grandfather was Joshua Brooks and he lived in Newtown just prior to the house being purchased. William Brooks, the owner of the property was very likely his brother or father; however, we are still proving relationships. Note: The house does not face the road. It is very long and narrow and originally ended where the chimney is. In 2014, we got to go in the house and see the first and second floors. There is an attic space with stairs to it as well.
Joshua Brooks is the earliest confirmed ancestor in the Brooks family line. He is thought to have been born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania; however, no records confirming his birth location have been found. It is speculated that Joshua may be the son of William Brooks and Elizabeth Hibbs, who had ties to Bucks County; however, this relationship is also unproven.
Marriage
One of the earliest records of Joshua is from 1822 when he married Elizabeth Mason Stackhouse, daughter of Stephen and Amy (Van Dycke) Stackhouse. Joshua and Elizabeth became the parents of:
- Ann Rue ♥ [m. Jesse Klinefelter]
- Emma Vandyke [m. Wiliam White, Gustavus Holmes, James McDonald]
- Stephen S. [moved to Georgia and married Nancy Henley]
- Henry G
- Sarah C. [m. Ralph Cuthberson]
- Samuel S. [m. Elizabeth Petty]
The oldest children being born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and the younger ones being born in Pittsburgh after the family moved west. The move seems to be in conjunction with Mark Stackhouse, Elizabeth’s uncle who had moved to Pittsburgh several years earlier and had an engine building company.