Brooks, Ralph Edison

Members of the Brooks family first came to New Haven, Vt. in 1808 or 1809, and Bezaleel Brooks (1785-1849) established a blacksmith business there in 1810. In 1822 he moved his business and home to Middlebury; in 1827 he advertised axes and edge tools. In 1835 the family moved to Moriah, N.Y., and in 1843, they moved back to New Haven, Vt., settling in Beeman's Hollow, which became known as Brooksville. Three of Bezaleel's sons, Thomas McDonough (1814-1875), Jonathan Edwards (1820-1858) and Milton (1822-1883) took over the business, which became known as Brooks Brothers. In 1864, Norman Crane Brooks (1824-1900) took over the business from his brothers and renamed it Brooks Edge Tool Company. From the 1840s into the 1880s the business was highly successful; after the mid 1880s, it declined steadily and ceased to exist in 1892.

From the description of Brooks family histories, 1938 and 1995-2001. (Sheldon Museum Research Center). WorldCat record id: 732036040