Armstead Henry (A. H.) Brooks

Armstead Henry Brooks (1848-1916), born in Weston, Missouri, was reared by Missouri-born parents somewhere near Lawrence.¹ Known as “A.H.” or Henry, he was a patriotic Union Army veteran, a prominent civil rights advocate in the Republican party, a respected Mason, and a devoted member of St. Luke AME Church.

Union Army Service and Masons

Brooks’ military service began when Capt. H. Ford Douglas enlisted him as a 17-year-old, five-foot tall private in his all-Black Independent Battery at Fort Leavenworth for five months (Jan. 16 to July 22, 1865).² Two years later, he became a buffalo soldier in Troop G of the 10th Kansas Cavalry, organized on July 5, 1867, a service that took him across western Kansas. Based on various records, it appears he was honorably discharged sometime before the regiment moved to Fort Concho, Texas in 1875.³

Upon returning to Lawrence, he joined at least two Masonic lodges. In 1878, the Kansas Grand Lodge of Free (Black) Masons elected D. G. Lett its Most Worthy Grand Master, among other officers, in Lawrence and Lett appointed Henry as L.G.S.⁴ The following year, the Ancient Square Lodge No. 7 of Free and Ancient Masons elected John M. Mitchell as Worthy Master and A.H. Brooks as Secretary.⁵

Patriotism

Brooks expressed his patriotism by participating in multiple events, including Decoration (Memorial) Days.⁶ After drilling for several months, Company A of the Lawrence Guards, a Black militia company of fifty-six men, was mustered in with Capt. John M. Mitchell and First Lieutenant A.H. Brooks—the latter known as “a gentleman of unblemished character.”⁷ As Capt. Brooks the following year, he explained that Company A sought to become “a credit to the city” by practicing their drills without cartridges for a military encampment at Bismarck Grove.⁸ When Black men organized Company B, a Republican Flambeau Club for torch parades, he was elected vice president to fill a vacancy.⁹ The “Boys in Blue,” a local group of mostly white veterans led by Capt. Sam Walker, also included at least two Black veterans, A.H. Brooks and Doc McWilliams. In September, all veterans and three flambeau clubs joined state militias for a spectacular demonstration of Republican support for future president James A. Garfield.¹⁰

In November 1884, members of the No. 3 flambeau club accused Capt. Brooks of making a speech at a Democratic meeting, a desertion to “the enemy’s camp” that did not represent their Republican sentiments. Brooks replied by writing the following to the Herald-Tribune editor:

For the benefit of Flambeau Club No. 3, and all others whom it may concern, I desire it distinctly understood that I am a Republican, and propose to vote the National and State tickets without a scratch; but when it comes to the county ticket, I also want it as distinctly understood that I shall exercise my rights as a free citizen, and vote for the men, who, in my judgment, will best subserve our local interest, which for State Senator is ex-Governor Charles Robinson, the friend of Lawrence and the colored man.

I have been accused of making a speech in a Democratic meeting. The meeting alluded to was not a Democratic meeting, but a meeting of colored citizens in the interest of Governor Robinson, the Independent Republican candidate for State Senator. I have nerve enough to write this over my own signature, which the sneaking member of No. 3 club did not have, when he wrote the card in the Journal signed, “Many Members of No. 3 club.”
A. H. Brooks
Capt. Flambeau club No. 3¹¹

Political Actions

Brooks’ active involvement in Republican politics began on March 15, 1880, when Black men met at the courthouse to elect nine delegates to a state convention in Topeka on April 12. This contentious “red-hot” county convention, which lasted from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. due to drawn-out motions, proved highly divisive as men first argued over electing a chairman, lawyer John L. Waller (vs. barber James R. Johnson). When AME Rev. Ricketts nominated Henry for secretary, Brooks declined in favor of J. H. Johnson who was duly elected. After nominating 26 men over several ballots, A.H. Brooks joined Rev. Ricketts, Charles H. Langston, John M. Mitchell, and five others as state delegates for the April convention.¹²

Notably, Waller and Brooks partnered on publishing The Western Recorder in Lawrence for one month in 1883 until they dissolved their partnership by mutual agreement. Brooks worked as a co-editor seeking subscribers in Topeka and was considered one of four “invincible” Black poll workers in the Third Ward. For whatever reasons, he shaved his beard for Leap Year.¹³

Brooks participated in more state conventions as a Douglas county representative.¹⁴ As a frequently elected 3rd Ward delegate for various city and county primaries and elections, he also served on a Black Republican central committee for Douglas county (1883), spoke at rallies (1886, 1891, 1893), and helped to select delegates for a Wichita convention (1888).¹⁵ Together with others, Brooks urged Black men to vote for Allen Williams, a Lawrence colleague, for congress-at-large, and W. W. Jones for district court clerk as a racial duty, along with those white candidates who proved their steadfast friendships toward the race.¹⁶

At least two resolutions, co-authored by Brooks with other committee members, demonstrated his civil rights activism. In 1881, men condemned separate elementary schools for Black children and resolved to send their children to the schools most convenient in the neighborhoods. Six years later, men also demanded that the Kansas legislature submit a constitutional amendment to voters striking the word “white” from articles 5 and 8 that denied Black veterans and all citizens their civil rights.¹⁷

In 1888, Black Republicans decided to organize a Fred Douglas Club, reportedly “not as a political organization” but as a literary club for the purposes of discussing current issues (e.g., tariffs).¹⁸ As the club’s elected secretary, Capt. Brooks also served as orderly sergeant of the Fred Douglas Flambeau club and helped raise a Harrison and Morton pole to support these Republicans.¹⁹ The club also endorsed candidates for city and county positions, and Brooks rallied Black voters with President James Hoyt and Lemuel King in Eudora.²⁰ As members continued to select delegates for state conventions, Brooks joined Hoyt, Samuel H. Johnson, and James Gross for a league meeting in Topeka in 1892.²¹ When Gross, a barber, was accused of rape and left town, Black citizens met to condemn this crime (and potential lynching). Brooks, C. C. James, and Fred Gleed went to Topeka to ask Gov. Lewelling to increase the reward offered to capture him.²² Brooks also celebrated the 47th anniversary of Liberian independence with Doc McWilliams and others.²³

Family and Occupations

Henry may have married Caroline Clay in January 1874, for the 1875 4th Ward census showed him living with her, a young daughter (b. 1872 KS), and his aunt Nancy Sutton. Caroline Brooks died in 1877.²⁴ A news report in early October 1879 characterized him as a very popular man among the ladies who “allowed himself to fall into the habit of frequently getting married.” When Henry married a young woman named Nancy (maiden name unknown), “a general row” ensued among lady friends, as well as “a knock-down argument” with a gentleman friend.²⁵

By 1886, Nancy Brooks had born three children, Lizzie (b. 1880), Eldred [Eugene] (b. 1882), and Norman (b. 1886). The family resided at 910 New Jersey street while Henry worked as a plasterer.²⁶ Down the street at 1033 New Jersey, the couple celebrated the 15th wedding anniversary of Henry’s younger brother, Warren W. Brooks (1857-1896) and his wife Cora (1859-??).²⁷ Like her Masonic husband, Mrs. A.H. Brooks became an elected officer of Queen Esther’s Court in 1881 and led the court as Most Ancient Matron thereafter. As a potential member of the Progressive Club, she also performed a role in Jennie Barker’s play, *Gypie, the Waif.*²⁸

Beginning in 1884, the Board of Education elected Brooks as a janitor at Central and Chapel schools, the latter a segregated elementary school. He was paid $35 per month and extra amounts for school repairs.²⁹ Doc McWilliams replaced him in February 1890 when he obtained a new, higher salaried job.

Brooks’ two-year appointment as turnkey of the county jail by Sheriff Henry S. Clark, with a $500 annual salary, made regional and even national news.³⁰ The Leavenworth Advocate characterized Brooks as:

an excellent young man of strong and decided opinions; he is a republican but does not believe that all the good is in the republican party. [He] has an amiable and an intelligent wife, whose womanly bearing and patient endeavors has done much to make Mr. Brooks what he is: a strong race man.³¹

St. Luke AME Church and Presiding Elder

After serving as an elected trustee, teacher, and school superintendent at St. Luke AME church in the 1880s, Brooks decided to join the AME ministry full-time in 1894.³² His pastoral assignments in the Topeka, Fort Scott, Wichita, and KCK districts took his family to Junction City by March 1895 (per this census), as well as Holton, Columbus, Manhattan, Wamego, Ottawa, Topeka, KCK, Parsons, and Coffeeville.³³ All the while, he attended AME district and state conferences, including those held at St. Luke.³⁴ His zeal for preaching the gospel further west in Kansas also led him to pastor an AME church in Pueblo, Colorado (1912-14).³⁵

As “a Christian gentleman and a valiant servant in the cause” for over twenty years, Rev. A.H. Brooks, three-term presiding elder of Bethel AME church in Hutchinson, succumbed to diabetes in 1916. After “impressive funeral services” in Hutchinson, Nancy Brooks and her daughter Mrs. Elizabeth Riley, accompanied his body to Lawrence for burial at Oak Hill Cemetery.³⁶ Four years later, Mrs. Nannie Brooks passed away in KCK, leaving her daughter and son Norman to mourn her loss.³⁷ Rev. A. H. Brooks rests in Section 4, reserved grave 1442 next to Nancy in reserved grave 1443, whose funeral was held at St. Luke AME.