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

APPENDIX A – EXTENDED BROOKS FAMILY GENEALOGY

A.6.3 The HUBERT (Rousseau) BROOKS FAMILY in St. John N.D.

A 6.3.1 The Birth of Children: Marie Anne, Aimé, Joseph and Otto in St. John N.D. 1893 - 1905

While living in St. John, Hubert and Marie Brooks were to add: 1 daughter who tragically died at childbirth and 3 additional sons to their family.

• Marie-Anne Séduile Juliette Rousseau Brooks born January 5, 1893; died January 6, 1893 in St. John, North Dakota

  St John The Baptist Catholic Church BIRTH RECORD for Marie-Anne Sédulie Juliette Rousseau Brooks (believe Sedulie should be Ceduile after Ceduile Plante and priest might have mis-spelt based on spoken pronunciation) Born: January 5, 1893 Godparents: Alfred Plante and wife Seduile Plante Copy of Record Courtesy: Tamara Splonskowski, Chancellor's Assistant, Diocese of Fargo N.D.

  St John The Baptist Catholic Church DEATH RECORD for Marie-Anne Séduile Juliette Rousseau Brooks (believe Sedulie should be Ceduile and priest might have mis-spelt based on pronunciation) Died: January 6, 1893 Copy of Record Courtesy: Tamara Splonskowski, Chancellor's Assistant, Diocese of Fargo N.D.

• Joseph Hubert Didacius Adalbert Brooks but in life went by the name Aimé (Hubert) Brooks born May 17, 1895 in St. John, North Dakota

  St John The Baptist Catholic Church BAPTISM RECORD (written in Latin) for Aimé (Hubert) Brooks Born: May 17, 1895 Baptized: May 18, 1895 Godparents: Godfather: Adalbert Grégoire , Godmother: Amanda Grégoire Copy of Record Courtesy: Tamara Splonskowski, Chancellor's Assistant, Diocese of Fargo N.D.

• Joseph (Albert Antoine) Brooks born Dec. 20, 1901, baptised Dec. 22, 1901 in St. John, North Dakota

  St John The Baptist Catholic Church BAPTISM RECORD for Joseph (Albert Antoine) Brooks Born: Dec. 20, 1901 Baptized: Dec. 22, 1901 Godparents: Godfather: Alfred Brooks, Godmother: Nelida (Nellie) Brooks Copy of Record Courtesy: Tamara Splonskowski, Chancellor's Assistant, Diocese of Fargo N.D.

• and the youngest child who was baptised Aimé John Percy Otto Brooks but in life went by the name Otto (Hubert) Brooks. Born: Nov 10, 1903 in St. John, North Dakota

  St John The Baptist Catholic Church BAPTISM RECORD for Aime John Percy Otto (aka Otto Hubert) Brooks Born: November 10, 1903 Baptized: 14 November 14, 1903 Godparents: Godfather: Aimé Brooks, Godmother: Dora Brooks NOTE: Full name of mother Marie Eugenie Ridna Grégoire. Elsewhere (A2.2) stated as Marie (Ridna Eudolie) Grégoire. Copy of Record Courtesy: Tamara Splonskowski, Chancellor's Assistant, Diocese of Fargo N.D.

  Nov 10, 1903 Turtle Mountain Star Announcement of Otto's Birth

Summarizing the birth details of the eight children Hubert and Marie Brooks were to have in North Dakota (both Grand Forks and St. John);

1. the first born, Siffroid Rousseau Brooks (b.25-December- 1884) (d. ?? late Dec 1884 to 1910??)

2. and the eldest daughter Nelida (Nellie) (Marie) Brooks (b. Dec 12, 1885 in Grand Forks).

3. Theodora (Dora) (Marie) Brooks (b. September 25, 1887 in Grand Forks)

4. (Joseph) Alfred Brooks (b. February 18, 1891 in Grand Forks),(the father–to–be of HUBERT BROOKS upon which this biography is based)

5. Marie-Anne Séduile Juliette Rousseau Brooks born January 5, 1893; died January 6, 1893 in St. John, North Dakota

6. Aimé (Hubert) Brooks (b. May 17, 1895 in St. John)

7. Joseph (Albert Antoine) Brooks (b. Dec. 20, 1901 born in St. John)

8. and the youngest child Otto (Hubert) Brooks (baptised Aimé John Percy Otto Brooks) (b. Nov 10, 1903 in St. John)

All of Hubert and Marie's children were born in the USA, four in Grand Forks and four in St. John.
Marie-Anne, Aimé, Joseph and Otto were baptised in Church of St. John the Baptist, St. John, North Dakota. (For example Joe Brooks' Certificate of Baptism appears in the Baptismal Register of this Church. Vol. 3 p.56.)

A.6.3.2 BROOKS FAMILY PHOTOS

Some childhood photos of the family follow.

Photo of Alfred (Joseph) Brooks at 12 months North Dakota circa 1892
PHOTO Courtesy: Hubert Brooks Private Collection

Hubert & Marie Brooks Children Circa 1900 St John North Dakota Front Row: Aimé Brooks Back Row: Dora Brooks, Nelida (Nellie) Brooks, Alfred (Fred) Brooks PHOTO Courtesy: Margaret (Brooks) Wallis

Hubert & Marie (Rousseau) Brooks Family Photo Circa 1900 North Dakota Front Row: Aimé Brooks 2nd Row: Hubert Brooks, Marie Brooks Back Row: Nelida (Nellie) Brooks, Dora Brooks, Alfred (Joseph) Brooks PHOTO Courtesy: Hubert Brooks Private Collection

Left to Right: Baby Pictures of Joseph (Joe) Brooks 1902 & 1903; St. John North Dakota
PHOTOS Courtesy: Estate of Irene (Brooks) Bonnamour

The Brooks clan had one of the finest homes in St. John.

Brooks Residence St. John North Dakota Circa early 1900s – note text imprint on photo
PHOTO Courtesy: Hubert Brooks Private Collection

Brooks Children Outside Residence St Jean ND circa early 1905s.
2 daughters and 3 sons in photo. Order left to right thought to be: Dora, Nelida, Aimé, Joseph, Alfred

Enlargement of above photo with Brooks Children Outside Residence St Jean ND circa early 1905s.
2 daughters and 3 sons in photo. Order left to right thought to be: Dora, Nelida, Aimé, Joseph, Alfred

Nelida (Nellie) Brooks age 16 PHOTO Courtesy: Estate of Irene (Brooks) Bonnamour

Nelida (Nellie) Brooks age 19 PHOTO Courtesy: Eugene Bolstad

Hubert BROOKS Home in St. John FollowUp

According to Town records at the county courthouse, the Hubert Brooks home in St. John was built in 1903. The photo below was taken by Paul LeBlanc when his parents owned the home (bought it in 1960 and sold it in 1977). The house was destroyed by fire in 1995 when a cousin of Helen Belgrade owned the home.

Sept 25, 1902 Turtle Mountain Star
News Item On Hubert Brooks Home In St. John

BROOKS House in St. John
Built in 1903. The house was destroyed by Fire in 1995.
PHOTO Courtesy: Helen Belgrade, St. John N.D. who received it from Paul LeBlanc

A6.3.3   DEATH of LUCE HUARD ROUSSEAU BROOKS April 10, 1901

St. John The Baptist Catholic Church Death Record for Luce Huard Rousseau Brooks Died: April 10, 1901 at age of 72 years 6 months Buried: April 12, 1901 in St. John Catholic Church Cemetary, St. John N.D. Courtesy: Tamara Splonskowski, Chancellor's Assistant, Diocese of Fargo N.D.

Luce Huard Brooks Death Notice in The Turtle Mountain Star Newspaper April 11, 1901

Luce Huard Rousseau Brooks died on April 10, 1901 in St John N.D.
Luce had been the wife of Louis Rousseau Brooks who had died Feb 1892 in Grand Forks, and the mother to Hubert Rousseau Brooks who was then a prominent merchant in St. John.

The funeral was held at St John The Baptist Catholic Church April 12, 1901 at St. John and she was buried in the St. John cemetery.

According to the Turtle Mountain Star newspaper, immediate relatives attending the funeral included:

1. Mrs. Eugene Turcotte ( aka daughter Clara Rousseau Brooks)
2. Mrs. Fred Plante ( aka daughter Flora Rousseau Brooks)
3. "Herb" Brooks (aka son Hubert Rousseau Brooks)
4. "Archie" Brooks of Merrifield, N.D. (aka son Jean Arthur Rousseau Brooks)

As mentioned in section A6.1.4 circa 1907 graves and associated headstones from the St John Cemetery started to be transferred to the new Holy Cross Cemetery just on the outskirts of town and all burials going forward from this time were done at Holy Cross.

No headstone or recorded burial plot exists for Luce Huard Rousseau Brooks at Holy Cross ( or of course at the St John Cemetery which no longer exists).

Incomprehensively, no records allegedly exist at the St John The Baptist Catholic Church for Luce Huard Rousseau Brooks for the reasons stated in A6.1.4. The Turtle Mountain Star and the book St. John, Holy Cross, Community Cemetery: St. John, Rolette County, North Dakota, 1882-2007 which the church now uses as their reference (!) are the only formal records of Luce's death in St. John.
Recently, the Catholic Diocese of Fargo N.D., which presumably covers St. John, has produced copies of both birth and death records for the St John The Baptist Church. Why the priest at St John did not make this clear from the outset is unclear.

What happened to Luce's headstone and burial plot (never mind church burial records which are supposed to be retained providing evidence of administration of the sacrament of last rites)?
Don't know - could it possibly be lack of attention or perhaps a mishap in transfer which is not being talked about... who knows!
(As mentioned in an earlier section, Luce Huard Rousseau is NOT the only St. John resident buried in the St John The Baptist Cemetery and not transfered to Holy Cross, for example Adela Bonneville Cyr, who died 25 Dec. 1902 and her husband who died late 1890 have "vanished" as well. So the issue is not specific to Luce -- but would appear to be more of a systemic problem that the St. John The Baptist Catholic Church has. (Perhaps they didn't have the money to move the graves and did not know how to contact distant relatives.))

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