Hi, my grandfather was born about 1880 in Virginia. His name is James "Jim" Brooks. For a long time we thought he had been born in South Carolina, but his death certificate states he was born in Virginia. The census records indicate both of his parents were born in Virginia. The story we have always heard was that he had a twin (don't know the name)who was killed. Something transpired and it was necessary for my grandfather to leave town and never return. His death record indicates his father's name was Richard Brooks and his mother's name was Anna Smith. A census record also indicated that my grandfather had been married before. The 1930 census indicates my grandfather was married for the first time when he was 20. So he would have married around 1900.

Is there another family out there who is looking for a father/grandfather etc...(Jim Brooks) who disappeared sometime in the early 1900s from Virginia or South Carolina? He was described as a tall fair skin slim black man with curly hair.