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Note: From family memories, legends and oral history we believe George L. Brooks left the Essex County side of the Rappahannock and crossed to Lancaster County on the other side of the River where he lived and had a general merchandise store in Morattico, VA. This little town is in Lancaster County on the northern side of the Rappahannock River. This once dynamic and busy port town is located on the "Northern Neck" part of Virginia's geography.
George Brooks was about two years old when the Civil War ended. Farm land on each side of the Rappahannock River, one of the nation's major "transportation routes" inland, had just about sucked the vitality from the soil. Corn, wheat, grains, tobacco, and other intensive crop use had taken many of the nutrients from the soil. Farmers were "up against the wall" to provide the basic staples and food for their families. According to his grand children, nieces and nephews, Uncle George was no farmer, but according to family "memory recall" he was a talented fiddle player. George had to leave his formal schooling quite young when he was in the 3rd or 4th grade at age eight but the lad became an accomplished, fiddle and mandolin musician playing for parties, entertaining river pier occupants and social gatherings along the Rappahannock River. His income was also helped by the oysters he could harvest from the bountiful river. Socializing and dancing in 1875 didn't include motion picture movies, the Internet, TV or video stores. In fact, devoted Baptist of the region openly chastised members for dancing and use of hard spirits. The citizens of this era were easy to please and river boats plied the Rappahannock bringing dancing troupes, musicians and story tellers. Uncle George's talents were quickly poured upon and recognized by young Olive Lee Whitaker as they courted, flirted and danced during those spring and summer evenings. George won her affection and they were married in December, 1897. These times were "economically tight." Our Civil War had ended just 30 years before. Farmers and small landowners had to become "Fishermen on the 'River." George's brother, James Winter, is my grandfather and he became a Cobbler like his father. He married, sold the family farm in 1892 and moved down the Rappahannock to Newport News, VA. where he opened a shoe repair shop. George was older and removed to Baltimore, MD. where he took a position as a "motor-man" on the electric street cars. The 1908 Baltimore City directory, page 392, list his address as 317 Geogh ext.
Uncle George's burial site has finally been located near the town of Farnham,VA in Lancaster County, VA under a beautiful old maple tree in the Old Farnham Baptist Church cemetery. His daughter, Estelle is buried adjacent to her father.
Uncle George's wife, Olive Lee, is interred in the same cemetery, but she preferred to rest among her own Whitaker family members instead of beside her husband. The Whitakers are reported to be related to the well known Lee family of Virgina,
A number of stories about the joyful union of Brooks & Whitaker families leads us to believe that these two, who were joined in matrimony in 1897, may not have shared their bliss until "death do us part."
When my cousin Jennings Bryan and Mary Jane Wood were married, Uncle George gave them as a wedding present a hand-carved, marble top table This gift still occupies a prominent place in their home today.
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