MARKELL CONLEY BROOKS: :

An Inventory of Her Genealogy Files at the Minnesota Historical Society

Manuscripts Collection

OVERVIEW


	Creator:	Brooks, Markell Conley, 1899-1971, creator.
	Title:	Genealogy files.
	Dates:	1835-1999 (bulk 1883-1983).
	Language:	Materials in English and German.
	Abstract:	Genealogical charts and correspondence, family letters, photographs, newspaper clippings, a scrapbook, architectural drawings, audio tapes, theatrical scripts, and other material relating to the Brooks, Conley, Flower, Gutherz, Hawkins, Morris, Orton, and other related families, ancestors of Markell Conley Brooks. This material was used by daughter-in-law Virginia Dahleen Brooks in writing a family history.
	Quantity:	4.75 cubic feet (5 boxes).
	Location:	See Detailed Description section for shelf locations.

Markell Conley Brooks (1899-1971) was a daughter of John Thomas Conley and Grace Hawkins Flower. She married Minnesota lumberman Edward Brooks (1888-1954) on April 5, 1920. Brooks was for many years the president of Brooks-Scanlon, Inc., Minneapolis. He was the son of Dwight Frederick Brooks and a grandson of Sheldon Brooks, of Winona County, Minnesota. Markell and Edward had four children: Conley Brooks, Edward Brooks, Jr., Anna Markell Brooks, and Dwight Frederick Brooks II. Edward Brooks Jr. was born November 8, 1922. He married Virginia Dahleen on March 23, 1957, and was a professor of classics at Macalester College, St. Paul.

Lamrock Flower emigrated from England in 1685 and settled in Hartford, Connecticut. Lamrock's son Joseph Flower moved to Feeding Hills, Massachusetts in 1752. Hananiah Brooks was born in Killingly, Connecticut, in 1758. Whipple Hawkins (b. 1787) was raised in New York State.

As Western lands were opened to settlers, the progenitor families moved to areas in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Sometime after 1794 Hananiah Brooks moved to Ohio. The Flowers moved to Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and eventually to Minnesota. William H. Hawkins was one of the founders of Aurora, Illinois. Hananiah Brooks was among the first settlers of Conneaut, Ohio.

The Gutherz family, who had been exiled from Spain, left their more recent home in Switzerland and settled in Ohio and Tennessee. The Conley family probably left Ireland as a result of the potato famine, arriving in Wisconsin in the 1850s.

Return to top

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

The material in the collection includes family documents and photographs, and more recent genealogical research materials and correspondence. It apparently was compiled primarily by Virginia Dahleen Brooks as she researched her book, Markell Conley Brooks, Her Ancestors and Descendants (1973). Some of the material relating to the Gutherz family is in German. An unidentified diary (typed transcription) may date as early as 1817.

There is correspondence of children's author Helena "Quail" Hawkins and her uncle Forrest Hawkins and her aunt Adah Hawkins Orton, and material relating to stage star Henrietta Hawkins Morris and her son Chester "Boston Blackie" Morris. There are photographs and some ink-on-linen elevations and floor plans for a house in St. Paul designed for M. D. Flower by architect LeRoy S. Buffington.

The papers are organized into generational groups identified by the donor as Generations I, II, III, and IV. These groups apparently do not necessarily correspond with Generations I-X identified in Virginia Brooks' book.

Return to top

ARRANGEMENT

These documents are organized into the following sections:


		Genealogical charts and correspondence
		Generation I
		Generation II
		Generation III
		Generation IV
		Our Norwegian Family

Return to top

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

Indicate the cited item and/or series here . Markell Conley Brooks Genealogy Files. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: 15,595; 15,754

Processing Information:

Processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with a Basic Project grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Catalog ID number: 990017370050104294

Return to top

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

GENEALOGICAL CHARTS AND CORRESPONDENCE

Location

Box

147.C.5.3B

Genealogy charts, undated and 1977-1983.

Includes the Loescher family and related families.

Markell Conley Brooks genealogy:

Markell Conley Brooks: Her Ancestors and Descendants, 1973.

A family history written by Virginia Dahleen Brooks. Traces ten generations of the family's history.

Genealogy index, 1973.

This is an index to Markell Conley Brooks, above.

Markell Conley Brooks - Edward Brooks relationship, undated.

Research correspondence, 1966-1991.

Responses to Markell Conley Brooks genealogy (letters received), 1975-1977.

Swiss Relatives:

Barceloux, Oreon Huntington: Correspondence and miscellaneous papers, 1957-1984.

Fredenhagen, undated and 1975-1984.

Gutherz:

Correspondence and miscellaneous papers, 1929-1993.

"Gottfried, Will, Anna (see Hawkins), Lena (see Flower), Carl, and Lenala." Includes a photocopy of a wedding certificate (in German) for Heinrich Gutherz and Henrietta Loescher (1842).

Photographs, undated and 1880.

His-Burckhardt-Bruederlin, 1965.

"Eine Basler Familie im 19. Jahrhundert aus Tagebuechern und Briefen der His-Bruckhardt-Bruederlin. Basel, Weihnachten 1965, Bearbeitet von Edvard Gruner."

Jucker, Beno: Photographs and miscellaneous papers, 1975-1983.

Lebensbild von Albert Burckhardt (1843-1886), circa 1965.

Loescher: Rohr:

Framed paper flower certificate, 1835.

This is a 5-1/2 x 7-1/2 framed oval certificate featuring handwritten text in old German script and small, delicately-cut paper flowers. Apparently made by Henrietta Loescher, later Mrs. Henry Gutherz.

Photographs and letters, undated and 1865-1991.

Return to top

GENERATION I

Location

Box

147.C.5.3B

Brooks, Hananiah and Elizabeth Spooner, undated and 1924-1981.

Flower, Markus Tullius Cicero and Cybele Brooks Flower: Photographs, undated.

Markus and Cybele were the parents of General Mark Delos Flower.

Hawkins, Whipple, 1979-1980.

Hawkins, William and Luna Brooks:

Clippings and miscellaneous papers, undated and 1897-1898.

Photographs, undated and circa 1860 - circa 1890.

Spooner-DeMarinville, undated and 1893-1985.

Todd, Samuel and Mary Martin, undated and 1894.

Return to top

GENERATION II

Location

Box

147.C.5.3B

Flower, Lena Gutherz ("Tante"):

Lena was the wife of Mark D. Flower.

Letters and miscellaneous papers, 1891-1916.

Photographs, undated and 1886.

Location

Box

142.G.10.1B-1

Photograph album, undated and 1904- circa 1906.

Photos are unidentified but appear to include photos of Mark D. and Lena Flower and other relatives; the Flowers' home at 428 Ashland Avenue, St. Paul; family picnics at Indian Mounds Park, St. Paul; the Mormon Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah; San Gabriel Mission, California.; and what appears to be San Francisco in the aftermath of the earthquake of 1906. Some of the photos may be from Switzerland.

Scrapbook, 1847-1907.

Includes letters, telegrams, and newspaper clippings; a diploma awarded to Marcus D. Flower by the Aurora Institute and Clark Seminary (Aurora, Illinois) (1861); photos of Mark D. Flower, his wife, and their home at 428 Ashland Ave., St. Paul; photos of various family members and friends; and Lena Gutherz' baptismal certificate (1847). There is information about the St. Paul Union Stockyards Company (of which Mark Flower was president), Chicago Great Western Railway president A. B. Stickney, Flower's appointment as postmaster of St. Paul, a trip to Europe, and the death of M. D. Flower (1907). Some of the material is in German.

Location

Box

147.C.5.3B

Flower, Mark Delos:

Biographical information, 1907.

Civil War material, undated and 1872-1903.

Includes information about G.A.R. encampments of 1886, 1895, 1896, and 1900, as well as a description of the Battle of Corinth (Sept. 19, 1862) by Mark D. Flower, a participant.

Clippings, 1895-1931.

Genealogical material, undated and 1889-1894.

Includes letters and genealogical charts.

Letters and miscellaneous papers, undated and 1861-1947.

Includes a Flower family crest (1906). There is also a typed transcription of an undated diary written by an unidentified Flower relative perhaps as early as 1817. The diary includes references to Pennsylvania and to places in the state of New York, and to the birth of Ann Flower (1817).

Photographs, undated and 1860s-1900.

Includes a photograph of Flower's home at 428 Ashland Avenue, St. Paul (1891).

Location

Box

142.G.10.1B-1

Photograph, undated.

"Plans for Gen. M. D. Flower Cottage, St. Paul, Minn.," 1881.

One roll of 7 architectural drawings by L. S. Buffington for Flower's house at 428 Ashland Avenue. Includes front, side, and rear elevations, and basement, main floor, and second floor plans.

Hawkins, Anna Gutherz ("Mutie"):

Certificate awarded by the World's Columbian Exposition, 1894.

Location

Box

147.C.5.3B

Correspondence and miscellaneous papers, 1845-1920.

Includes Anna's birth certificate (in German).

Photographs, undated and 1885-1918.

Location

Box

147.C.5.4F

Hawkins, Willis B., 1866-1979.

Includes information about Florence, Jack Hawkins, and Russell Godfrey. There is also a copy of Queerful Widget, by Willis Brooks Hawkins (1920) (cover torn off).

Hawkins, William Delos: Photographs, undated and 1889.

"Delos Hawkins" was the husband of Anna Gutherz Hawkins, and the father of Etta, Adah, Grace, Harry, and Mark Hawkins. File includes a photograph of "the Hawkins House" at Aurora, Illinois. There is also a letter to "Dear Ones in Memphis" from "DeLoss" (1869).

Return to top

GENERATION III

Location

Box

147.C.5.4F

Conley, Grace Hawkins Flower:

1886-1887.

Location

Box

142.G.10.1B-1

Pen-and-ink landscape drawing, 1891.

Location

Box

147.C.5.4F

Hawkins, Heinrich Gutherz ("Harry"):

Letters received, 1894-1935.

Obituaries, 1935.

Photograph albums, 1909-1936. 2 small albums in 1 folder.

Primarily family photographs taken at Spokane (1909-1910) and Yakima (1926-1936), Washington.

Photographs, circa 1891-1959.

Photographs of grandchildren, 1953-1972.

Miscellaneous family material, undated and 1908-1968.

Hawkins, Helen Rich Lyon:

Helen was married to Heinrich Gutherz Hawkins ("Harry").

Letters received, 1904-1970. 3 folders.

Photographs, 1868-1921.

Hawkins, Mark Delos:

Mark Delos Hawkins was the youngest son of Anna and Willis Hawkins.

Letters and photographs, 1886-1969.

Location

Box

142.G.10.1B-1

Pencil drawings, circa 1899.

Photograph of members of the Minnesota Senate, 1875.

Location

Box

147.C.5.4F

Morris, Henrietta Hawkins ("Etta"):

Henrietta Luna Hawkins ("Aunt Etta") was the daughter of Anna G. Hawkins. She married William Henry Morris on October 1, 1891.

Clippings, undated and 1889-1895.

These clippings concern theatrical productions in which Henrietta apparently appeared.

Correspondence, 1888-1945.

Location

Box

142.G.10.1B-1

Photograph of Mount Vernon, Virginia, undated.

Home of George Washington. Etta evidently appears in the picture.

Location

Box

147.C.5.4F

Photographs, undated and 1889-1942.

Include photos of Henrietta's husband and children.

Theatrical productions, undated and 1882-1894. 2 folders.

Includes scripts for "In Honor Bound," "The Arabian Nights," "Ours," "My Turn Next," "Young Mrs. Winthrop," and "The Brownies in Fairyland," and a fiftieth performance souvenir book of publicity photographs from "Men and Women!"

Morris, William Henry:

William Henry Morris married Henrietta Hawkins. Their children included Lloyd, Gordon, Chester, and Wilhelmina.

1892-1970.

Includes material relating to sons Chester and Lloyd.

Photographs, undated and 1901-[1932?].

Orton, Adah Hawkins:

Clippings, 1887-1897.

Correspondence, undated and 1885-1932, 1944. 2 folders.

Entertainments and theatrical productions, undated and 1883-1894.

Programs from and information about various plays and operettas in which Adah appeared, including "Young Mrs. Winthrop," "The Taming of the Shrew," "The Arabian Nights," "Red Riding Hood," and "Five O'Clock Tea." There are scripts for "Sweethearts" and "The Hunchback."

Photographs, undated and 1894-1910, 1955.

Saint Paul High School, 1883-1887.

Miscellany, undated and 1897-1921.

Orton, Forrest Hoy:

Forrest Hoy Orton married Adah Hawkins on June 14, 1897.

Correspondence, undated and 1896-1900, 1921.

Obituary, 1933.

Photographs, undated.

Return to top

GENERATION IV

Location

Box

147.C.5.5B

Brooks, Edward:

Edward Brooks married Markell Conley in 1920.

Northern Pacific Railway Company directors' resolution, December 9, 1954.

This resolution expresses sorrow upon the death of Edward Brooks, who was a director of the company.

Obituary, 1954.

Photographs, undated and 1911-1949.

Brooks, Markell Conley:

Eastcliff, 1931-1994.

Eastcliff is the Saint Paul mansion that was the Edward Brooks family home until 1958, when the family gave it to the University of Minnesota to serve as the president's residence. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the "Brooks, Edward, Sr. and Markell, House."

"Important Papers," undated and 1899-1950.

Includes correspondence, poetry, a certified copy (1940) of Markell Conley's birth record (1899), and an invitation to her wedding to Edward Brooks (1920).

Letters received, 1944-1985.

Photographs, undated and 1939-1942.

Miscellany, undated and 1971-1974.

Hawkins, David Delos: Photographs, undated and 1956-1959.

Hawkins, George Frederick: Photographs, undated and 1969.

Hawkins, Heinrich Gutherz, Jr. ("Hank"): Photographs, undated.

Hawkins, Helena Ann ("Quail"):

Quail Hawkins was an author of children's books.

Childhood vignettes, 1989.

Clippings, undated and 1942-1979.

Family history tapes, 1972. Two 5-inch reels.

Audio recordings of Quail relating family history to Marney and Ginny, April 1972.

Letters received, 1925-1986.

Hawkins Family History, 1971.

Photographs, undated and 1905-1970.

Hawkins, John Forrest William: Photographs, undated and 1960.

Hawkins, Marjorie Jean, 1942.

"Marjorie Jean Hawkins Witt Cram."

Hawkins, Mark Flower:

Clippings and letters, 1969-1984.

Photographs, undated and 1912-1966.

Hawkins, Richard Lyon: Photographs, 1915-1916, 1972.

Hawkins, William Norman, 1943-1952.

Orton, Carl Frederick Gutherz ("Fritz"): Photographs, undated and 1906-1938.

Orton, Joanne:

Joanne Gutherz Orton was the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Forrest Hoy Orton. She married James Edward Towle on October 10, 1919.

Correspondence and miscellaneous papers, 1899-1919.

Photographs, undated and 1900-1915.

Location

Box

142.G.10.1B-1

Orton, Mark deForrest ("Bubbles"):

Photograph, undated [1930s?].

Formal portrait of Orton in a business suit.

Location

Box

147.C.5.5B

Photographs, 1909-1957.

Includes a photograph of Orton's granddaughter (1957). Orton himself died in 1937.

Miscellany, undated and 1989.

Return to top

OUR NORWEGIAN FAMILY

Location

Box

144.G.8.2F

Our Norwegian Family, 1974. 1 volume.

"Master Copy" of this book written by Virginia Dahleen Brooks.

Index to Norwegian geneaology, 1974.

Flaten family:

Flaten master copy of Our Norwegian Family with additions, 1974-1981. 1 volume.

Flaten farm in Norway, 1999.

Research from Norway: Early families, 1972.

Generations I-XI, undated and 1916-1994. 11 folders

Grythe papers and pictures, 1968-1981.

Rongerud family: Generations V-IX, undated and 1901-1972. 5 folders.

Nelson papers, undated and 1971-1994.

Wangensteen family:

Genealogy charts, undated.

Research from Marion Wangensteen Holm, 1975-1978.

Dr. Owen Wangensteen, 1975-1987.

Cemetery information, undated.

Thank-you letters, 1974-1976.

Ray's Practical Arithmetic textbook, circa 1892.

Return to top

RELATED MATERIALS

The Sheldon Brooks and family papers are in the Minnesota Historical Society manuscript collections.

Return to top

CATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:: Eastcliff (Saint Paul, Minn.).; Brooks family.; Conley family.; Flaten family.; Flowers family.; Grythe family.; Gutherz family.; Hawkins family.; Morris family.; Orton family.; Rongerud family.; Wangensteen family.

Places:: Switzerland.

Persons:: Brooks, Edward, 1888-1954.; Brooks, Marney Brown.; Brooks, Virginia Dahleen, 1928-.; Buffington, L. S. (Leroy Sunderland), 1847-1931.; Flower, M. D. (Mark Deloss), 1842-1907.; Hawkins, Quail.; Stickney, A. B. (Alpheus Beede), 1840-1916.

Types of Documents:: Architectural drawings (visual works).; Diaries.; Genealogies.; Photographs.; Scripts (documents).

Return to top