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Brooks, George Finly, a Patriarch in the Ensign Stake of Zion, is a son of Thomas P. Brooks and Elizabeth Harper, and was born Nov. 4, 1833, at Harwich, Essex, England. He had four brothers, all of whom have passed away, and one sister, now living in California. Several years of his early life, up to the age of twelve, were mostly spent in the common schools of England. In 1845 he commenced a seafaring life and learned the science of navigation. He passed a naval examination and followed the sea until 1855. Thrice he had marvelous escapes from shipwrecks. In July, 1853, he became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was immediately ordained to the office of a Priest. Early in 1855 he was ordained an Elder, and later, that same year, he emigrated from England to America, going inland as far as Iowa. In August, 1856, he continued the journey, with a company of Saints, from Iowa City, bound for Utah, and arrived in Salt Lake City November, 30, 1856, after traveling about three hundred miles through snow. He crossed the plains in Captain John Hunt's ox train. On Feb. 16, 1857, he was ordained a Seventy by Wm. Willis and became a member of the Twenty-second Quorum of Seventy. In the fall of 1857, he joined the Nauvoo Legion and participated in the Echo Canyon campaign during the following winter. In February, 1858, he married Hannah C. Bowthorpe, of Norwich, England, and later that year became associated with the "great move" south, together with his wife and her parents; they camped for some time near Provo. In 1862, Elder Brooks associated himself with the artillery company of the Nauvoo Legion and trained with that organization until 1902. In February, 1887, he was transferred to the Eighth Quorum of Seventy, and after a while was set apart as one of the council of said quorum. In 1896 he went to England on a visit, being also set apart to do missionary work. In November, 1902, he was taken seriously ill and on his recovery, early in 1903, he was ordained a High Priest and Patriarch by Pres. Joseph F. Smith. Elder Brooks is the father of eleven children, nine sons and two daughters. For forty-three years he has been engaged in the grocery business. During the first few years after his arrival in Utah, he lived in Cottonwood, but since 1861 he has been a resident of Salt Lake City.
Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4 vols. Salt Lake City 2:99 |
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