Marion Co TOC

The family name has been spelled BROOKSHIRE and BROOKSHER in most records, although the only record from England has a spelling of BROOKSHAW. BROOKSHER is the spelling in most records after 1830, and BROOKSHIRE appears before this time. Additionally, there is an ancestor in family documents for whom no records have been found. He is Cerf or Surft BROOKSHER from Holland or Germany.

The information in this document for persons predating William R. BROOKSHER (b.1829) and Hester B. HEFNER (b.1837) was obtained from the Mormon Church Family Search internet site. Information for William R. BROOKSHER, Hester B. HEFNER, and later individuals comes from both the Mormon internet site and family documents.

1. James BROOKSHAW was born in 1650 in England and died Abt.1726/1727 in Dorchester County, MD. He married Mary ELIZA Abt 1674 or 1679 in Somerset, MD or England. Mary ELIZA was born in 1650/55 in England and died in 1727 in Dorchester County, MD. The couple had the following children:

5. James BROOKSHIRE was born 1 Apr 1690 in Old, Sommerset, MD and died prior to 1750 in Fairfax County, VA. He married Sarah MANNERING prior to 1730 probably in Maryland or Delaware. Sarah MANNERING was born Abt 1692 in Sussex County, DE and died in 1750/1751 in Fairfax County, VA. The couple had the following children:

7. ii. Mannering BROOKSHIRE b. 1732 Fairfax County, VA; d. 1779 Randolph, NC.

Both William and Mannering BROOKSHIRE died in the same place and same year during the Revolutionary War. At this time nothing is known about the nature of their deaths or their involvement in the conflict.

7. Mannering BROOKSHIRE was born in 1732 in Fairfax County, VA and died in 1779 in Randolph, NC. He married Miss Swift in 1752. Miss Swift was born in 1736 in Fairfax County, VA (date and place of death unknown). The couple had the following children:

10. Swift BROOKSHIRE was born Abt 1761 possibly in Rowan or Randolph County, NC and died possibly in Spartansburg County, SC (date unknown). He married MRS (name unknown) Abt 1787 possibly in South Carolina. Mrs. Swift BROOKSHIRE was born Abt 1765 in South Carolina. The couple had the following children:

Swift BROOKSHIRE is reported to have been a soldier of the Revolution. The specifics of his service are not known. The spelling of his name is similar to Surft BROOKSHIRE who was mentioned at the start of this document. It is not known if they are the same person.

Mannering BROOKSHIRE (Swift's eldest son) is reported to have disappeared at the age of 15 into the west. He is thought to be the ancestor of the BROOKSHER's in north Arkansas who are not known descendants of Samuel BROOKSHIRE.

14. Samuel BROOKSHIRE was born Abt 1800 in Spartanburg Dist, SC, died in 1886 in Marion County, AR, and is thought to be buried in an unmarked or unnamed grave in George's Creek cemetery west of Yellville, AR. Samuel BROOKSHIRE was married twice. The name of Samuel's first wife is unknown. She was born Abt 1800 probably in North Carolina and died in Spartanburg Dist., SC (date unknown). This marriage occurred about 1818 in North Carolina and the couple had one known child:

Samuel's second marriage was to Nancy WILSON Abt 1826 in South Carolina. Nancy WILSON was born Abt 1804 possibly in Maryland and died in Bartow, Cass County, GA. Nancy's father was Vincent WILSON (b. Abt 1780 Maryland; d. probably Georgia). Nancy's mother's was born Abt 1782 in Maryland, died in Gerogia, and her name is unknown. The WILSON family moved from Rockbridge, VA to South Carolina, and finally to Georgia. Samuel BROOKSHIRE and Nancy WILSON had the following children:

Samuel BROOKSHIRE was a physician. In his day "bleeding" was a common treatment for certain conditions. The family is still in possession of a bleeding knife or lancet which was used by Samuel BROOKSHIRE. Samuel BROOKSHIRE moved to Marion County AR in 1882.

17. William Riley BROOKSHER SR was born 16 Apr 1829 in Spartanburg Co, SC, died 2 March 1904 in Marion County, AR, and is buried at George's Creek cemetery west of Yellville, AR. He married Hester Berrilla HEFNER on 18 Feb 1857 in Hall, GA. Hester HEFNER was born on 18 Aug 1837 in Hall, GA, died 28 Dec 1915 in Marion County, AR, and is buried at George's Creek cemetery west of Yellville, AR. The couple had the following children:

The family moved to Marion County, AR in 1869, settled in Turkey (west of Yellville), and were active members of the Cedar Grove Methodist Church. William Riley BROOKSHER was issued a homestead on 40 acres in Marion County, AR on 30 Aug 1882. Agriculture was the primary pursuit of the family.

William Riley BROOKSHER SR was a member of the Yellville Lodge of the A.F. & A.M. In 1862 he enlisted in Company C, Fourth Georgia Cavalry, and served three years, participating in many bloody engagements. Although the blanket he carried was pierced by four bullets, he was uninjured during his service. No history is known of how the family fared during the Civil War, however the family was located in Hall, GA (Bartow Co.) just northwest of Atlanta where fierce engagements took place. William Riley BROOKSHER's brother Washington Brazil BROOKSHER also served in the armed forces of the Confederacy, surviving the conflict.

Hester Berrilla HEFNER's parents were Levi HEFNER (b. 1807 Possibly Georgia) and Lavica JONES (b. 1808 Possibly Georgia). Hester Berrilla HEFNER's known siblings were: Benjamin, Amanda, William, Mary, Martha, Elizabeth, Savannah, Alice (Bill), Angeline, Adeline, Sally, Roxanna (May), Nancy (Ruth), and George. Benjamin and Amanda died of TB, and all the others reached adulthood and were married.

The Mormon internet site listed a thirteenth child of this couple: Sherman R BROOKSHER b. Jun 1869 Bartow County, GA or Marion County, AR. No family records of Sherman R BROOKSHER are known. The BROOKSHER family bible lists all the other children, including those who died in infancy. For now the family bible records are assumed to be correct (i.e. - There were twelve children).

22. Leonidas "Lee" Bridges BROOKSHER was born 4 Jan 1858 in Bartow County, GA, died in 1934 in Marion County, AR, and is buried at George's Creek cemetery west of Yellville, AR. He married Frances Barto PIERCE. Frances Barto PIERCE was born in 1861, died in 1934, and is buried at George's Creek cemetery west of Yellville, AR. The couple had the following children:

34. i. Robert R. BROOKSHER.

35. ii. Tessie BROOKSHER.

36 iii. Lemuel BROOKSHER b. 1886; d. 1941; Buried George's Creek cemetery.

Notes for Leonidas "Lee" Bridges BROOKSHER:

Lee BROOKSHER was active in the Cedar Grove/Turkey community for many years. He was issued a homestead on 120 acres in Marion County, AR on 04 May 1885, and engaged mainly in agicultural pursuits. In 1905 Lee BROOKSHER and Augustus G. "Gus" PIERCE went into partnership to build a store at Comal, a small town on the south side of Crooked Creek. The town of Comal flourished for a few years, having a post office until 1918, but was virtually abandoned by 1920. In 1909 Lee built a store in Turkey which he operated for about two years before selling it to Jasper BURLESON.

23. Amanda Joella "Ella" BROOKSHER JOHNSON MILUM was born 18 Oct 1859 Bartow County, GA and died probably in or around Blanchard, OK. The names of Ella BROOKSHER's husbands are not known, although the book "History of the Cedar Grove Methodist Church" (author - Floyd Burleson) lists Travis Cotton as a husband of Ella BROOKSHER. She had the following children:

24. Edith Alameda BROOKSHER BRIGGS was born 30 Jul 1861 in Bartow County, GA, died 2 Sep 1930 in Marion County, AR, and is buried at George's Creek cemetery west of Yellville, AR. She married John J. "Jack" BRIGGS (b. 23 Nov 1860). The couple had the following children:

25. William Riley BROOKSHER JR was born 4 Jun 1864 in Bartow County, GA and died probably in or around Fort Smith, AR. He married Eda B. (or maybe Ida) COX. The couple had the following children:

26. Thomas "Tom" Dunlap BROOKSHER was born 29 May 1866 in Bartow County, GA, died 12 Sep 1931 in Marion County, AR, and is buried at George's Creek cemetery west of Yellville, AR. He married Nola A. SNIPES PATTERSON in February 1921. Nola A. SNIPES PATTERSON was born 12 June 1889, died 2 Jun 1936, and is buried at George's Creek cemetery west of Yellville, AR. The couple had one child:

51. Jo Ella BROOKSHER b. Abt 1923.

27. Samuel Levi BROOKSHER was born 11 Aug 1868 in Bartow County, GA and died probably in Fort Smith, AR where he was a physician. He married Minnie WILSON and the couple had one known child:

31. Mary "Molly" Cleveland BROOKSHER HOUSE KEESEE was born 24 Mar 1878 in Marion Co., AR, died Abt Jun 1964 in Harrison, AR, and is buried at Rose Hill cemetery in Harrison, AR. Molly BROOKSHER married John Wilburn HOUSE, a Methodist minister on 2 Nov 1898 (or 1899). John Wilburn HOUSE was born 7 Jul 1862 in Columbia County, AR, died 20 Jun 1914 in Fort Smith, AR, and is buried at Shiloh cemetery in Springdale, AR. Molly BROOKSHER HOUSE's second marriage was to William R. "Will" KEESEE in Yellville, AR on 9 Dec 1944. Will KEESEE was born Abt 1870 probably in Marion County, AR and was alive at the time of Molly BROOKSHER HOUSE KEESEE's death. Molly BROOKSHER and John W. HOUSE had two children:

53. i. Zelpha Zola HOUSE WAHL b. 14 Oct 1900 Turkey (Marion Co.), AR; d. 30 Jun 1988 Helena, AR; Buried Maple Hill cemetery Helena AR.

54. ii. Lillian Brooksher HOUSE COLE b. 1903; d. 1968 Magnolia, AR; Buried Magnolia, AR.

32. Olivia Antrum "Ola" BROOKSHER WEAST was born 16 Feb 1880 in Marion Co., AR, died 14 Aug 1945 in Yellville, AR, and is buried at Layton cemetery in Yellville, AR. She married Lucian M. WEAST, a physician on 20 May 1901. Lucian M. Weast was born 7 Feb 1877 in Marion Co., AR, died 24 Mar 1966 in Marion Co., AR, and is buried at Layton cemetery in Yellville, AR. The couple had no children.
33. Nancy Lavica "Lula" BROOKSHER WEAST was born 28 Feb 1882 in Marion Co., AR, died 17 Jul 1967(?) in Yellville, AR, and is buried at Layton cemetery inYellville, AR. She married Virgil H. WEAST, a pharmacist. Virgil H. WEAST was born 30 Aug 1874 in Marion Co., AR, died June 1965 in Marion Co., AR, and is buried at Layton cemetery in Yellville, AR. The couple had no children.

Ola and Lula BROOKSHER's husbands (Lucian M. WEAST and Virgil H. WEAST) were brothers. The WEAST family has a long history in Marion County, AR. Virgil WEAST's marriage to Lula BROOKSHER was his second. His first marriage was to Eva BAUNGARNER.