Thomas E. Brooks 1867-1944

BROOKS, HOLLAND, VIDDAHL, VIGDAL, MOORE

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 7/8/2014 at 23:41:34

Thos. Brooks Rites Sat.
Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the Presbyterian church in Armstrong, the Rev. W.H. Sinning officiating. Burial was made in the Armstrong Grove cemetery.

Thos. E. Brooks, 76, a resident of this vicinity for 72 years, died suddenly last Tuesday when stricken with a heart attack while mowing his lawn. He had suffered from a heart ailment the last three years.

Mr. Brooks was born at Osage, Mitchell county, Iowa, on Aug. 26, 1867.

He is survived by his widow, two sons, Capt. Francis E. Brooks, recently returned from overseas service, and Pvt. Thomas H. Brooks, now stationed at Atlanta, Ga., and a granddaughter, Mrs. Harry Vigdal of Armstrong, who was reared in the Brooks home since a small child. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, August 24, 1944)

Thomas E. Brooks died at his home in Armstrong, Aug. 15, at the age of 76. He was the son of Henry and Augusta Brooks and was born at Osage, Mitchell county, Aug. 26, 1867. His family moved to Emmet county in 1872, among the first pioneers and settled on a homestead west of what is now Armstrong.

Mr. Brooks spent his boyhood in the typical pioneer fashion and most of his time was spent clearing and breaking land and herding cattle on the prairie. After the retirement of his father, a veteran of four years in the Union army with the 1st Iowa Infantry, he and his brother Ellsworth, farmed the homestead until Mr. Brooks went to Estherville and for a year ran a livery service. Then he returned to Armstrong, which was then a pioneer prairie village, and has lived in the vicinity of Armstrong ever since except for a few years spent at Albert Lea, Minn., Charles City and Texas.

Mr. Brooks was very active in the early days of the establishment of the town of Armstrong and held many civic positions, his business at the time being a farm implement store.

In 1900 he was married to Margaret Mae Holland, daughter of the late Harry K. Holland, also an early settler in Armstrong. He was the father of five children, all born in Armstrong.

In 1914 Mr. Brooks purchased a farm north of Armstrong and erected a complete model set of buildings known as the Ash Grove farm. He lived there for several years until he retired from farming. In addition to his widow, Mr. Brooks is survived by two sons, Thomas and Francis of the U.S. Army, two granddaughters, Betty Ann Brooks and Margaret Vigdahl, and two great grandchildren, Larry and Robert Vigdahl and one brother, Henry. Preceding him in death were there children and a sister, Mrs. Leona Moore.

Mr. Brooks was able to enjoy a long visit with his son, Captain Francis E. Brooks, just previous to his death. They had not seen each other for three years, Captain Brooks having just returned from 30 months of foreign duty with the U.S. Army.

Last rites were held at the Presbyterian church at Armstrong, at 2 p.m., Aug. 19. The Rev. W. H. Sinning officiated and interment was made at the Armstrong Grove cemetery.

Relatives from out of town at tending the funeral were Captain Francis E. Brooks and wife of San Antonio, Texas, Pvt. Thomas E. Brooks of Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., Stanley Holland of Manitowoc, Wis., Adelaide Holland of Des Moines, Mr. and Mrs. Percy Holland of Bode, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Vandenlang and daughter, Mrs. Roy Gotch of Milford, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbert Woodring of Havelock, Mrs. Clarence Wellen of Mallard, Mrs. James Smith of Estherville. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, August 25, 1944)