The Life and Times of Hubert Brooks M.C. C.D. A Canadian Hero

APPENDIX A – EXTENDED BROOKS FAMILY GENEALOGY

  A.12 The AJ Brooks Family in BLUESKY ALBERTA

This CHAPTER will focus exclusively on the Alfred and Laura Brooks family line while in Bluesky Alberta.

GENERATION 7

GENERATION 8

GENERATION 9

TIMELINE OVERVIEW

Tragedy for Alfred & Laura in 1920 With Death of Twins
– Happiness in 1921 With Birth of Son Hubert Brooks

Although Laura grew up in relative ‘cold climate’ of Ottawa, nothing could have prepared her for the frigid winter temperatures of north western Alberta.

Alfred continued to pursue his fur trapping trade and was away from their log cabin located at the junction of the Peace and Little Burnt Rivers for extended periods of time.

To make matters worse their cabin at that time was located miles from the nearest neighbor (see 1917 Homestead Map in previous Chapter).

It was a hard life for Laura in this strange land, with food consisting mostly of wild game. To obtain water for home use one had to cut a hole in the ice. And of course there was the essential woodpile to keep replenished, for to run out of wood would be a disaster in the cold Peace River winters.

Even the town of Peace River Crossing (see image at right) was desolate in the winter months.

Tragedy struck Alfred and Laura Brooks 29–August 1920 with twins Hubert and Maynard Brooks died at child birth. Tragically Laura was alone in the log cabin at the time of the twins birth, with Alfred away. Laura didn’t know what to do when there were complications during the birth.

The twins were buried the next day at the closest Catholic cemetery, the Friedenstal Cemetery. The twins grave is (currently) unmarked. It is unclear if this was simply customary for those times, or if this was as a result of the twins not being baptised before death, or simply as the St. Thomas More Church suggests a great number of the first graves in the Friedenstal Cemetery, especially for children, had a wooden cross at the time of burial which over time due to the weather and little or no attention from the families that moved away, deteriorated to the point on non-existance.

CAPTION for Images Below: Images of Original Church Burial Cards for Twins Hubert and Maynard Brooks from Friedenstal Cemetery, Friedenstal, Alberta. Twins Died At Childbirth 29-August 1920. Custodial Records For Friedenstal Burials After 1955 Held By Diocese of Grouard – McLennan, Box 388, McLennan, Alberta, T0H 2L0 IMAGES Courtesy: St. Thomas More Church, Fairview, Alberta T0H 1L0

Laura (Farant) Brooks Outside Family Log Cabin
Late Autumn 1921
PHOTO Courtesy: Hubert Brooks Private Collection

Some 16 months after the tragic death of the twins, happiness entered Alfred and Laura's life with the birth of son Hubert (in Bluesky Alberta) on 29–December 1921 at half past eight on a Thursday morning.

Hubert was baptized in the St. Boniface Church in nearby Friedenstal by parish priest Rev. W. Ebert on 18 March 1922. Grandparents Hubert and ‘Mary’ (Marie) were Godfather and Godmother respectively.

Photo of the Catholic Church building at Friedenstal
A Small Village near Bluesky where most of the Catholic Families
From the Area Proudly Claim Having Ancestral Roots

1923 Bluesky Outside Alfred Brooks Homestead Log Cabin: Pictures of Hubert Brooks with father Alfred Brooks 1^st of His Life
Hubert Brooks; With Father at 4 months April 23, 1922 and 6 months June 18, 1922; and then in baby seat at 5 months old May 18, 1922
PHOTO Courtesy: Hubert Brooks Private Collection

Hubert Brooks Baby Pictures in Bluesky
Left to Right: At 10 months October 17, 1922, At 16 months April 23, 1923, At 18 months June 15, 1923
PHOTOS Courtesy: Hubert Brooks Private Collection

Happiness in 1923 With Birth of Daughter Doris to Laura & Alfred Brooks

Doris Freda Alma Brooks was born in Berwyn Alberta on 24–August 1923 at half past five on a Friday morning.

Some notes concerning the births of Doris and Hubert Brooks from Laura Brooks’ Baby Book (Baby Book given to her as a gift by sister Alma- the children’s Aunt Alma).

Some pictures of Doris Brooks with her mother Laura Brooks.

Doris and Mother Laura Brooks in Bluesky July 5, 1924
PHOTOS Courtesy: Hubert Brooks Private Collection

Some pictures of Hubert and Doris Brooks.

Hubert and Doris Brooks on Porch of Family Home
PHOTOS Courtesy: Hubert Brooks Private Collection

Hubert and Doris Brooks in Horse Drawn Wagon with Family Members
PHOTOS Courtesy: Hubert Brooks Private Collection

Left to Right: January 24,1925 Hubert 3 yrs old, Doris 1½;August 18, 1925 Doris and Hubert Brooks on Porch;
August 18, 1925 Doris and Hubert Brooks in Field By Family Home
PHOTOS Courtesy: Hubert Brooks Private Collection

1925 was a tough year on the prairies. The wheat crops were not growing and there was a severe drought. There was nothing to feed the cattle so almost all of them died. Some contracted disease. Local farmers had little money so the general store was not doing so well. The dream came crumbling down.

Alfred Brooks had managed a HOTEL in Waterhole for 4 years. With the onset of the severe draught, he grew disillusioned – times were very tough. Alfred and Laura decided to move back east to Ottawa to wife Laura's home town where Alfred was sure he could prosper in a career in mineral prospecting (in nothern Ontario and Quebec).

Alfred's homestead in the East Burnt area was sold to Herb Lothrup and his longtime housekeeper Granny Whitford and her (extended) family which now included Chick Knott. This river quarter was eventually sold to Charlie Hamilton and later became the home of John and Chrissy Venning. Neil and Sharon Hart lived there for a few years after they bought the land.

Laura Brooks (Mrs. Fred Brooks) Returns to Visit Neighbors in Bluesky Circa Early 1980s
PHOTO Courtesy: Where The Cold Springs Flow page 400; Published by Whitelaw Historical Society ISBN 0-88925-937-2

Doris (Brooks) Gendron Returns to Bluesky Log Cabin Home of Alfred & Laura Brooks
PHOTO Courtesy: Ron Gendron Private Collection

The Life and Times of Hubert Brooks M.C. C.D.