Brooks, John S., M.D., is one of the leading physicians and surgeons of Tunica county, being established in the successful practice of his profession at Robinsonville.  He was born in New Albany, Union county, Miss., Aug. 4, 1849, and is a son of William Jackson and Sarah Bostwick (Bassett) Brooks, the former of whom was born in Newbern, NC, Feb. 25, 1814, while the latter was born in LaGrange, Ga., Oct. 7, 1819.  The Brooks family is of German origin and was founded in America prior to the War of the Revolution, the original ancestors settling in North Carolina.When the colonies entered upon the great struggle for independence, representatives of this family entered the ranks of the Continental army and bravely fought to gain the boon of liberty, thus aiding in the foundation of our great republic.  The family now has representatives in practically every section of the Union.  Silas Brooks, grandfather of the doctor, was born in North Carolina, April 26, 1792, and removed thence to Georgia, where his son, William J., was reared to manhood and married.  William J. Brooks served during the Seminole wars, and afterward removed with his family to the central part of the state of Tennessee, whence he came to Mississippi, settling in that portion of Pontotoc county which later was organized as Union county, where he continued to reside until his death; which occurred in 1884.  William J. Brooks was a member of the State militia of Mississippi prior to the Civil war, and with the same entered the Confederate service, serving until the close of the great internecine conflict between the North and the South. Two of his sons were also soldiers in the Confederate ranks, being members of the Army of Virginia, under General Longstreet. One of them met his death while at the post of duty, in 1862, and the other continued in the ranks until the surrender of General Lee. Dr. Brooks was about twelve years of age at the time of the outbreak of the war, and he well remembers the impressions made upon his boyish mind as the great conflict waged throughout the Southern States, whose eventual sacrifice was the utmost that could be made.

Dr. Brooks is to a very great extent self-educated. His father was in very moderate circumstances, and the son was early inured to work, assisting in the support of his parents and providing for his own necessities. He attended the common schools in a somewhat irregular way, studying his text books at night much of the time and working in the fields during the day, while he attended high school for a total of about ten months. So close had been his application that when he left school he lacked only about two years of completing a course preparing him for entry into the State university. After the death of his father he continued to aid in the support of the family, giving his attention to farming and to teaching in the public schools. He took his first course of medical lectures in 1891-2, and began practice as an undergraduate, having been examined by the Mississippi State board of health in the spring of 1892, making- a creditable showing and being granted a license to practice. He began the active work of his profession a few weeks later, at Ellistown, Union county, where he was associated with Dr. M. D. McWhorter for the ensuing five years, when, in 1898, the partnership was dissolved by mutual consent and Dr. Brooks removed to Robinsonville, where he has since conducted an individual practice, which has grown to be one of wide scope and representative character. He was graduated in the Memphis Hospital medical college, as a member of the class of 1895, receiving his well earned degree of Doctor of Medicine, and in the winter of 1900 he took a post-graduate course in the New York Polyclinic hospital and college. He is a member of the various medical associations, and keeps in close touch with the advances made in all departments of professional work. The doctor has ever been a stanch supporter of the cause of the Democratic party, and has held various minor offices, including that of county surveyor of Union county, of which position he was incumbent about four years.  He has been a member of the Missionary Baptist church for nearly a score of years. In 1874 he was made a master Mason in Booneville Lodge. No. 305, Free and Accepted Masons, being at that time engaged in teaching in Prentiss county. In 1883 he received the capitular degrees and in the following year the cryptic degrees, while in 1896 he was knighted in Ivanhoe Commandery, No. 10, at Okalona. In 1899 he was made a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Vicksburg, and in 1902 he completed the circle of the Scottish Rite up to and including the thirty-second degree, Arkansas Consistory, No. , at Little Rock, from which body he later demitted and affiliated with Mississippi Consistory, No. 1, Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret, of Meridian, while he now holds all of his Masonic affiliation in Mississippi, his native state.Dr. Brooks remains a bachelor.

**This article came from Mississippi, Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedia Form, Dunbar, Rowland, LL D, Vol. III copyright 1907

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