Brooks, Austin

Born: 1825-XX-XX Illinois

Died: 1870-09-20 Quincy, Illinois

Brooks learned to be a printer from his father, Samuel S. Brooks and eventually assumed the editorship of the Quincy Times (later Quincy Whig). In partnership with Finney D. Preston, he also purchased the newspaper Wabash Democrat in 1846, although the paper failed soon thereafter. In 1858, he won election to the Illinois Senate, representing Adams County, and served until 1862. In 1860, he was living in Quincy and owned $5,000 in real estate, with $2,500 in personal property.

The History of Adams County, Illinois (Chicago: Murray, Williamson & Phelps, 1879), 421, 433; The Quincy Whig (IL), 21 September 1870, 2:1; Combined History of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash Counties, Illinois (Philadelphia: J. L. McDonough, 1883), 137; U.S. Census Office, Eighth Census of the United States (1860), Ward 1, Quincy, Adams County, IL, 5.