Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Halsey J. Brooks, 1894-1932















Halsey J. Brooks was born on June 4, 1894 to Charles L. and Harriet Elizabeth (Ferber) Brooks. According to U.S. Census records, Halsey grew up in Williamsfield, Ashtabula County, Ohio. By 1925, Halsey J. Brooks was the vice-president of the Harten-Brooks Motor Company, which operated an automobile dealership in Sandusky at the corner of Hancock Street and Huron Avenue. Fred Harten was the president of Harten-Brooks. In the September 2, 1925 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal, the Harten-Brooks Company advertised Ford, Chevrolet, Overland and REO automobiles. A small ad for a Ford read:

FORD TOURING
1924 Model

This car is in dandy shape, has excellent tires, top, and locking steering wheel. The first $350.00 takes it. See it at Harten-Brooks, Cor. Hancock St. and Huron Av.


The Sandusky Register of October 7, 1928 reported that Halsey J. Brooks and Meta Steffen at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. Steffen, who resided on Meigs Street. Rev. C.J. Hollister officiated at the wedding. The bride's gown was made of peach georgette over satin crepe. Meta carried a bouquet of roses, gypsophilia, and ferns. After the wedding ceremony, a wedding dinner was served at Martin's Tea Room, for sixteen guests, and a reception at the Steffen home followed.

On December 14, 1932, Halsey J. Brooks, after having contracted pneumonia. He was only 38 years old at the time of his death. Funeral services for Halsey J. Brooks were held at his home at 1227 Waverly Road in Sandusky, Ohio, with Rev. W.H. Munk, pastor of Salem Evangelical church, officiating. Burial was at Oakland Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers were: Gordon Millott, George J. Doerzbach, Dr. L.F. Meyer, Robert Butts, Fred Harten, and J. J. Reamer. Active pallbearers were: Lyle Brooks, Manson Brooks, Ralph Brooks, Rollin Steen, Ralph Nickerson and John Wohler. An obituary for Mr. Brooks, which appeared in the Sandusky Star Journal on December 17, 1932, stated that "the services at both the house and grave were largely attended. Many beautiful flowers testified to the high esteem in which the deceased was held by a host of friends." Mrs. Meta Brooks never remarried. She passed away on June 6, 1976, and she was buried next to her husband.

Though I never met Halsey Brooks, his sister Mildred Brooks was married to my Great Uncle Rollin Steen. Halsey Brooks was in attendance at the Steen family Thanksgiving celebration in 1927. (The newspaper spelled his name Halso Brooks in the brief article about the Thanksgiving dinner.)

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