Yarmouth Project Episode 2 - Nancy (Pompey) Brooks, Wife of John Brooks, of Yarmouth, Nantucket, and Mashpee, MA

According to Yarmouth Death Records, Nancy Brooks, widow of John Brooks, died 7 December 1880 at Yarmouth.  Her death is notable in it's cause which was from "taking rat poison."  Her age was 68 years, 11 months, and eight days; she was the only individual on this record page to have race identified which was "A & I," or African and Indian.  The record provides that she was born at Nantucket to Stephen and Sally Pompey (Mashpee records identify her parents as John and Sarah Pomp[a]y; her mother's birth place is noted as Mashpee and her father's birthplace is not identified).  Nancy's husband, John Brooks, is brother to my ancestor Thomas Greenough Brooks of Yarmouth, both being sons of William and Susannah (Greenough) Brook. Susannah Greenough was of indigenous ancestry, and William Brooks, although identified across records with differing origins, most probably came from the Phillipines.  According to a Yarmouth Death Register John Brooks, was lost at sea [11] April 1843 at age 40; Yarmouth Records of Families gives his age at time of death as 35 years and 5 months. Cause of death noted as "drowned at sea" with a mostly illegible added word which could possibly be the word "Insane."  Would appreciate any opinion to what others think this word is.

According to Yarmouth Records by Family, Nancy Pompey Brooks was born 10 March 1812 at Nantucket.  Currently I have found no birth record for Nancy either at Nantucket or otherwise. Marriage intentions for Nancy Pompey of Nantucket and John Brooks of Yarmouth were entered November 1832.  They were married at Yarmouth by Rev. N. Cogswell January 1832.

Their children are identified as: 

Louisa, born 24 December 1832;

John, born 23 July 1834;

Mary Ann B. Brooks, born 9 March 1836, d. 26 October 1837;

Mary Ann Bowser, born 26 October 1837; 

Sylvester, born 9 September 1839; and

William, born 29 June 1842.

Nancy Pompey Brooks Chronologically Across Records Beginning in 1840:

In the 1840 U.S. Federal Census, the household of John Brooks is enumerated at Yarmouth with 2 free colored males under 10, 1 free male colored 24 thru 35, two free colored females under 10, one free female colored 24 thru 35, one individual employed in navigation of the ocean, with six free colored individuals in total.  

In 1849, the family of John and Nancy Brooks is identified as part of the Yarmouth Tribe in the Briggs Report or Report of the Commissioners relating to the condition of the Indians published at Boston in that year.  As John Brooks purportedly was lost at sea in 1843, it is unclear to me why his name appears on this list unless record collection methodology affected results.

In the 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Nancy Brooks, age 40, is enumerated at Yarmouth as head of household.  Her husband had been lost at sea seven years prior. Her children listed are: Louisa, aged 17, John aged 15, Mary A. aged 14, Sylvester, age 12, and William aged 10.  No race is identified.  She lives next door to a Lydia Brook, aged 25 and her family.  Currently no info on who Lydia might be.

                                               
Enumerated in 1855 Massachusetts State Census, Yarmouth, we find Nancy aged 43, race Black, born at Nantucket; Mary A.B. aged 18, born at Yarmouth; Sylvester aged 16, seaman, born at Yarmouth; and William aged 13, also born at Yarmouth - children all identified as Mulatto. The family is next door to Ziba Ellis and his wife Juliana who is a niece of Nancy Brooks (being the daughter of deceased husband John Brooks' brother Thomas Greenough Brooks).

In 1857 Nancy Brooks publishes a Notice in the local paper concerning her son Sylvester who would be 18 years old at this time which indicates some sort of issue with their relationship and/or behavior of her son.  Sylvester is noted in the U.S. Federal Mortality Schedule for 1860 as having died at the U.S. Marine Hospital at Chelsea, Massachusetts of haemoptysis (coughing up blood), of which he had
suffered from for eight days. 

In the 1860 U.S. Federal Census again at Yarmouth, Nancy is identified as Indian, aged 47, Mary A. Brooks, Indian aged 22, along with four month old Mary Conner, Mulatto, John Conner aged 23 born in Ireland, and John Brooks 25 year old Mulatto.  Research continues as to family connection for the Conners.

In the 1861 Report to the Governor and Council Concerning the Condition of the Indians, by John Milton Earle (Earle Report), Nancy and her children: John, Mary A., and Sylvester are listed as members of the Yarmouth Tribe.  It is noted that Nancy has 75 acres at Mashpee.  Nancy is also identified in this report as part of the Mashpee Tribe where it is also noted that she has 75 acres valued at $300, and an additional notation that she "belongs now to Yarmouth and resides there."  Contained in the Earle Papers at the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, Massachusetts, a letter from an informant at Marstons Mills in connection with the collection of information on members of the Mashpee Tribe specifically mentions Nancy as a proprietor of Mashpee but residing at Yarmouth.

Further research in online records finds that in Mashpee Births, Marriages, Deaths 1834-1870, Vol. 1, in what appears to be a register of citizens, Nancy Brooks was registered as belonging to Mashpee, no birth date recorded but aged 51 in 1862 when the register was created, family origin is identified as daughter of John and Sarah Pompey. 

In the 1865 Massachusetts, State Census, again at Yarmouth, Widow Nancy Brooks, aged 52, born at Nantucket, is living in the household of Charles and Kate Bray ages 23 and 20 respectively.  Further research needs to be completed on any connection Charles and Kate (possibly Baker) Bray.

While Nancy Brooks is not found in the 1870 census at Yarmouth, in 1880 at age 66, she is identified as a boarder and mother in law in the home of Samuel Cobb, his wife Mary A.B., and their children. Also in the home is 11 year old John Brooks identified as "nephew to Samuel Cobb.  All are identified as Indian except for Samuel Cobb.  Mary A.B. Cobb is Nancy's daughter.  John Brooks, 11 years old, may be the child of Mary Ann B.'s brother John Brooks and Susan Cobb.  Most importantly Nancy is noted as being "maimed, crippled, or bedridden at this time. 
 

As noted above, Nancy Brooks died 23 November 1880 from taking rat poison.  I can only imagine this was due to desperation as to her physical pain and/or paralysis.  It appears that in 1882 Russel D. Farris was appointed Administrator of Nancy's estate.

              

Land Records Provide Information on Ancestral Background

There are multiple deeds and land transactions recorded in the Barnstable County records for Nancy Brooks.  Several of these provide great information i.e., the name of her brother John Henry Pompey (Jr.) of Mashpee, and the name of her grandmother(s) Mercy Hinson and/or Mercy Freeman from whom Nancy and her brother received at least some of their land in Mashpee.  A possible sister or relation is Sally Brown who is also identified as inheriting land from grandmother Mercy Hinson.  Land at Mashpee appears to have been set off to Nancy Brooks (as well as her brother) however I have not ascertained whether this is the same land due to her for inheritance or a separate land.  

Records also show that Nancy Brooks owned land at times in Yarmouth as well, beginning in 1851 with her purchase of land from Reuben Chase and his mother Polly Chase - land which, if followed through multiple transactions, may be ultimately identified as related to heirs of John Nickerson and/or "land formerly owned by Thomas and John Greenough now deceased."  A remaining portion of her land was sold to the Town of Yarmouth in 1880 but reserved her dwelling house which was to be removed.  In 1884, Russell Farris the administrator of Nancy's estate sells off portions of her land at Mashpee.  More research is required to fully understand what these land transactions may offer as to her overall ancestry and town history; I hope to continue filling in Nancy's family tree.

Sources:

"Mashpee, Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L979-D8V8?view=index : Jan 12, 2025), image 40 of 56; Mashpee (Massachusetts). Town Clerk. 007009563

Library of Congress, Image 76, page 70 Yarmouth Tribe, Massachusetts. Commissioners To Examine Into The Condition Of The Indians In The Commonwealth, and F. W Bird. Report of the commissioners relating to the condition of the Indians in Massachusetts. [Boston: s.n, 1849] Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/04023260/.

Earle, John Milton, Commissioner, Report to the Governor and Council Concerning the Indians of the Commonwealth, Under the Act of April 1859, Boston, 1861, https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=znMTAAAAYAAJ&pg=GBS.PP4&hl=en

Barnstable Patriot, Tuesday, July 11, 1882, Page 2, Administrations Granted on Estate of Nancy Brooks, Sturgis Library newspaper archive, viewed 2021.

Massachusetts, U.S., and Town and Vital Records, Mashpee, Nantucket, and Yarmouth accessed on Ancestry.com, Familysearch.org and Americanancestors.org.

Yarmouth and Mashpee, Federal and Massachusetts State Census Records, accessed on Ancestry.com.

Barnstable County Registry of Deeds, Nancy Brooks recorded land documents, Massachusetts Land Documents, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, online access.