"Minnie" Belle Brooks was born on January 15, 1885 in Pemiscot County, Cooter Township (Present Day Steele), Missouri. She was the daughter of James Franklin (Frank) Brooks and Susan "Adaline" Dunavant. She married "Marvin" H. Harper, Sr. on October 31, 1904 at the courthouse in Pemiscot County, Caruthersville, Missouri. The couple was married by Probate Judge Sterling H. McCarty, with witnesses Mrs. Mary E. Brooks, the step-mother of "Minnie" Belle Brooks, and Flora Tell Brooks Rudder, the sister of "Minnie" Belle Brooks. After getting married the couple started living in Dunklin County, Gibson, Missouri.

While living in Dunklin County, Gibson, Missouri "Marvin" H. Harper, Sr. and Minnie Harper had two children: 1) "Roy" Winfield Harper, born July 26, 1905 and 2) "Frank" Brooks Harper, born August 19, 1907.

Between August of 1907 and October of 1909 "Marvin" H. Harper, Sr. and Minnie Harper moved with their family to Dunklin County, Freeborn Township, Missouri. While living in Dunklin County, Freeborn Township, Missouri "Marvin" H. Harper, Sr. and Minnie Harper had their third child, Troy "Raymond" Harper, born October 6, 1909.

Sometime between October 1909 and November 1911 the
family of "Marvin" H. Harper, Sr. and Minnie Harper moved to Dunklin County, Holcomb Township, Holcomb, Missouri.
While living in Holcomb, Missouri "Marvin" H. Harper, Sr. and Minnie Harper had two more children: 1) Minnie "Kathleen" Harper, born November 12, 1911 and 2) "Ruth" Rita Harper, born June 17, 1914. Also while the family was living in Holcomb, Missouri the third child of "Marvin" H. Harper, Sr. and Minnie Harper, Troy "Raymond" Harper, died of typhoid fever on September 23, 1915. He was buried at Mount Zion Cemetery in Pemiscot County, Steele, Missouri.

After the death of their third son, Troy "Raymond"
Harper, "Marvin" H. Harper, Sr. and Minnie Harper moved with their family to Pemiscot County, Steele, Missouri into the house that had been built by the grandfather of "Minnie" Belle Brooks Harper (Robert "Bailey" Brooks).

While living in Pemiscot County, Steele, Missouri "Marvin" H. Harper, Sr. and Minnie Harper had five more children: 1) Mary "Christine" Harper, born February 10, 1917, 2) Louis Marvin (L. M.) Harper, born September 6, 1919, 3) Guy "Reginald" Harper, born September 8, 1922, 4) Marvin H. Harper, Jr. (Junior), born February 9, 1925, and 5) "Bobby" Joe Harper, born July 26, 1927.

"Minnie" Belle Brooks Harper died on April 16, 1981 and "Marvin" H. Harper, Sr. died on April 21, 1959. Both "Minnie" Belle Brooks Harper and her husband "Marvin" H. Harper died in Pemiscot County, Steele, Missouri and are buried beside each other at Mount Zion Cemetery, Pemiscot County, Steele, Missouri.