Brooks Families

BROOKS FAMILIES

by Mrs. J. Ed. Hybert

Oren Dean Brooks brought his wife and eight children to Silver Cliff, Wyo. by covered wagon in 1884, from Brimfield, Ill. There were no real houses in Silver Cliff, just tents with board sides. The children's names were: Cora Ella, Ward Orin, Hattie Thresa, Arthur Luther, Cathie Irene, Walter Eugene, William H. and Eunice Marie. All grew up in and around Lusk, Manville, Douglas. One daughter, Cora, married William Louger and remained in Lusk the rest of her life.

In July 1886 Frank Lusk put up lots for sale for a town on the east side of Silver Cliff to be named Lusk. Oren and his two sons, Ward and Walter, bought one of the first lots and built a hotel called the Brooks House. It opened for business in October 1886 serving meals.

In April 1888 Oren went to Manville and opened a land office to help settlers get located on homesteads. His wife and sons ran the hotel while he was running the land office. In 1894 he sold out and moved to a ranch west of Douglas, Wyo., on the LaPrele where he died in 1896.  He is buried in Douglas Cemetery.

William Luther Brooks a brother of Oren also lived in Brimfield, Ill. and he thought his health might be better in Wyoming, so he moved his family to Lusk on one of the first trains in July of 1886. Luther had married an English girl, Sarah Jane Noble, daugh­ter of John Noble of Cumberland County, England, and they had three sons, who grew up in Wyoming on a ranch northwest of Man­ville:  Frank E., George Ernest, William Luther. They all married and their families grew up in Niobrara County.  Frank E. had four children; two daughters and two sons.

The two daughters went away to school and married and remained in Boulder, Colo.

Verona Brooks Kelly still lives in Boulder. Gertrude Brooks Hybbert now lives in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The two boys, Everett and Edmond married and raised families in and around Lusk. Everett's son Dean married and moved to Casper, Wyo. where he is in the decorating business.  He has two sons:  Ronald Dean Brooks and Douglas Everett Brooks.

Edmond Brooks, the youngest son of Frank E. and Lutie (Johnson) Brooks married Adelyne Catherine Tschacher, daughter of Michie Tschacher of Manville.

Edmond and his wife moved on a ranch south of Manville where they had four child­ren, but Edmond died when his children were small and his wife stayed on and raised the children there. The oldest son was killed in an accident when 16 years old.  The daughter Sharon married Marvin Hopper and moved to Phoenix, Ariz.   Gary served in the Air Force during the second World War, returned home where he married and moved to Durango, Colo., where he has a western out­fitters store.

 The oldest son, Donald also served in the Army, and while stationed in Germany he married a German girl.  He brought her back and they took over his father's old ranch south of Manville, where he now lives with his wife and three children: Edmond James, Debra Kim, and Caroline Ann.

Everett Brooks and his wife still live in Lusk. He is now county commissioner in Niobrara County.

Anne passed away Dec. 5, 1976.

Images & Attachments

Related/Linked Records