The History of Brooks County, Georgia, 1858-1948

BY: Folks Huxford, Pub. 1943, reprinted 2021, 702 pages, Index, soft cover, ISBN #978-1-63914-030-5.

Brooks county is located in the southern portion of the state while sharing a border with Florida. This are of Georgia is often times referred to as the Wiregrass Region. This monumental history of an area with rich and varied heritage begins with the creation of the Irwin County from Indian lands ceded to Georgia in 1818. From Irwin emerged Lowndes and Thomas counties and ultimately Brooks County in 1858. The book contains vivid accounts of the Indian wars and is replete with lists of early settlers. A complete U.S. census for Brooks County in 1860 is given, as well as portions of earlier census reports for the parent counties. Extensive treatment of the Civil War period includes muster rolls of every unit from Brooks in the Confederate or State service and deaths of individual soldiers are indicated. Military units of the Spanish-American War and World War I and II are provided. Topics discussed include professional life, agriculture, religious and fraternal organizations, educational and cultural activities, and the development of Quitman and county industries. This volume contains extensive lists of county officers, residents and soldiers. It concludes with approximately 200 pages of family history covering 65 Brooks County families and their connections: Allbritton, Avera, Baum, Bennet (2), Bower, Branch, Brice, Clower, Creech, Davidson, Davis, Denmark, Dukes, Duncan, Edmondson, Gaulden, Groover-Gruber, Harrell (2), Harden, Hassell, Hendry, Hitch (3), Hodges, Hunter, Jelks (2), Johnson, KIng (2), Long, Mabbett, Mizell, Morrison, Morton, McCall, McCardel, McDonald, McIntosh, McMichael, McMullen, McRae, Oglesby (2), Patrick, Perdue, Powers, Ramsey, Robinson-Wade, Rountree, Sheffield, Sinclair, Spain, Tillman (2), Turner, Wade, Walker, Wilson, and Young (3).