J. R. "Jim" BROOKS grew up on his parents' farm in Renick, Randolph Co., MO. At the age of 16 he went to work on the Pan Handle and Santa Fe Railroads in Texas. Between 1900 and 1906 he returned to Missouri and bought a farm in Jackson Twp, where he engaged in farming and raising livestock. He bred Hereford cattle, Percheron horses, and mules, winning many blue ribbons, champions and reserve grand champions at the state fair in Sedalia. He was a Mason and a member of the Grange and Central Christian Church. After retiring from farming he moved to Moberly, and then about 1943 to Kansas City, MO.
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"To the Voters of the Eastern District
In coming before you asking for the office of judge of the eastern division, I feel that I am not asking too much, in view of the fact, that this district is my ancestral home. My aunts and their descendants as well as my own brothers and sisters, have all lived and payed taxes in Randolph county, in this way putting many thousands of dollars into the treasury of Randolph County. Out of my very large family from the beginning, I am the first to run for office. As a boy I worked on the farm, my first public work was at the age of sixteen, working as a miller in Renic, Missouri.
Leaving Renic, I went to Dallas Texas, landing there with but ten cents in my pocket, but was fortunate enough to secure employment from Dr. Stewart as a farm hand, my wages being $25 a month. It was only a short time until Dr. Stewart saw fit to place me in charge of his help on the farm, making me foreman, telling me at the time to just do the work as if the place was my own. You can just bet that I gave him my best and through good luck and many hard licks I was successful in this position and Dr. Stewart tried very hard to dissuade me from leaving when I did, but I had gone to Texas with the intention of becoming a railroad man and my sole ambition was to sit up on the right hand side of one of those big 'iron horses', (as we then called them) little knowing what I was letting myself in for.
After saying farewell to Dr. Stewart I went to San Angelo and went to work for the Pan-Handle and Santa Fe, as hostler, and was promoted to round-house foreman, and finally what I wanted, I got my job on the road firing. I worked twelve years as a railroad man, and on the road after the A.R.U. strike, but I was very fortunate in having one of the finest men I ever knew, as my friend, none other than Mayor Wade, of Temple, Texas. This very fine gentleman made many trips to Galveston in my behalf and finally was successful, and you may well believe that I was one happy man, when the caller came after me and said there she is Brooks, old No. 5, get her in on time boy. Well we went in on time, you may depend on that, for I was paying for my home in Temple, and that job was my only means of bread and butter. At that time I was member of the Firemen and various railroad organizations as well as the Woodmen Circle and the Macabes.
I suppose that I would have remained a railroader all my life, but was seriously injured in a wreck and was advised by my doctor to go on a farm, my health being very bad at that time. So I came back to the land of my birth, where I had spent all of my boyhood days, and where I knew I could make it, if only my health would permit. So I sold my place in Texas and came back to 'Old Missouri' bringing only my dearest possessions, my wife and daughter. I was married in Texas, to one of the finest in the land, God bless her. We have lived and prospered now for forty years and she has been everything to me that a good women [sic] can be to a man, always having that keen understanding, of right and wrong, my adviser, my pardner, my greatest asset my all.
After coming back to Missouri we bought the, Willis Brown place joining the Frank Lamb place, which I still own. I went into fine stock raising and stood horses and jacks for years there on my place and I can say that I took great pride in raising the best stock that could be raised. I have been instrumental in putting good horses, mules and cattle all over Randolph county and adjoining counties as well. My Percheron horses and Hereford cattle have won may [sic] blue ribbons in our county Fairs also champions and reserve grand champions at our state Fair at Sedalia and was awarded a trophy by the Percheron Society of America. I have shipped fine stock to practically every state in the union. My last Hereford sale netted me $22,000 which was in 1920. Perhaps many of you who will read this know me and all of you can easily see that all of my interests are here in Randolph county and the eastern division, and if you see fit to give me your support in the coming election, and if I am elected I shall do all in my power to serve my district well. My best judgement was when I selected my wife. If I could just do as well as Judge of this eastern district, I would surely be some Judge.
While on my farm I served for eighteen years on the board as a director for the Frank Lamb School. I believe in good roads and was the first man any where around my district to build and use a road drag. I was laughed at, at first buy [sic] my neighbors finally the advantage of road dragging and came over and checked up on my drag and then build their own like mine, and from that time on our roads in our vicinity were kept up, We farmers agreeing to take our turn at dragging the roads. I have turned my farm over to my son now, in fact did so several years ago, my health being so poor at that time. But I am thankful I am well again and able to carry on, but as we get older we are bound to have various aches and pains, But I say 'a man, like a machine, will rust out quicker than he will wear out'. I am offering you my services and if elected will use my best efforts in my public life as I have in my own.
I am a member of the Christian Church and believe in the betterment of our county and towns, If on election day you see fit to vote for me I assure you it will be appreciated. I thank you. I am a mason & Eastern Star Belong to the White Shrine? & Central Christian Church."
Written by James R. Brooks,
sent to my by his son Alfred.

Jim and Linnie had 3 children:
1. Martha Lee "Mattie" BROOKS (1893-1893)
2. Ida Mae (BROOKS) WALKER OYER (1894-1966)
3. Alfred William BROOKS Sr. (1906-1987)

When James R Brooks was born on March 16, 1867, in Renick, Missouri, his father, JOSEPH, was 21 and his mother, MARY, was 20. He married MELINDA MARGARET Linnie Ann LINGO on December 21, 1892, in Belton, Texas. They had three children in 12 years. He died on July 28, 1949, in Kansas City, Missouri, at the age of 82, and was buried in Moberly, Missouri.
His sister Harriet Jo "Hattie" was born on January 9, 1869, in Randolph, Missouri, when James R was 1 year old.
His brother William R was born on December 13, 1870, in Renick, Missouri, when James R was 3 years old.
James R Brooks lived in Prairie, Missouri, in 1870.
His brother Frank L was born on January 25, 1873, in Renick, Missouri, when James R was 5 years old.
His brother William R died on October 29, 1874, in Renick, Missouri, when James R was 7 years old.
His sister Maude B was born on January 25, 1875, in College Mound, Missouri, when James R was 7 years old.
His brother Charles Forrest "Charley" was born on March 2, 1878, in Randolph, Missouri, when James R was 10 years old.
His brother Linnes Edgar was born on January 4, 1880, in Renick, Missouri, when James R was 12 years old.
James R Brooks lived in Prairie, Missouri, in 1880.
His sister Myrtle May was born on November 25, 1881, in Missouri when James R was 14 years old.
His brother Clarence Selby was born on November 25, 1883, in Randolph, Missouri, when James R was 16 years old.
"At the age of 16 J.R. began to work on the Santa Fe Railroad in Texas. "
His brother Roy Erwin was born on August 6, 1886, in Cairo, Missouri, when James R was 19 years old.
James R Brooks married MELINDA MARGARET Linnie Ann LINGO in Belton, Texas, on December 21, 1892, when he was 25 years old.
His daughter Martha Lee MATTIE was born on October 4, 1893, in Temple, Texas.
His daughter Martha Lee MATTIE passed away on October 12, 1893, in Temple, Texas, when she was less than a year old.
His daughter Ida Mae was born on August 25, 1896, in Temple, Texas.
James R Brooks lived in Temple, Texas, in 1900.
James R Brooks lived in Cairo, Missouri, in 1904
His son ALFRED WILLIAM Buster Al was born on April 13, 1906, in Cairo, Missouri.
James R Brooks lived in Jackson, Missouri, in 1910
His father JOSEPH BENJAMIN BEN passed away on June 13, 1920, in Moberly, Missouri, at the age of 74.
James R Brooks lived in Jackson, Missouri, in 1920.
His mother MARY FRANCES MOLLIE passed away on July 2, 1927, in Cairo, Missouri, at the age of 80.
James R Brooks lived in Moberly, Missouri, on March 27, 1929.
James R Brooks lived in South Sugar Creek, Missouri, in 1930.
James R Brooks lived in Moberly, Missouri, in 1932.
His brother Frank L died on September 9, 1936, in Moberly, Missouri, when James R was 69 years old.
His brother Charles Forrest Charley died on February 27, 1937, in Huntsville, Missouri, when James R was 69 years old.
James R Brooks lived in Moberly, Missouri, in 1939.
His wife MELINDA MARGARET Linnie Ann passed away on November 1, 1948, in St Joseph, Missouri, at the age of 79. They had been married 55 years.
His sister Martha Elizabeth Mattie Lizzie died on April 20, 1949, in Beaumont, Texas, when James R was 82 years old.
James R Brooks died on July 28, 1949, in Kansas City, Missouri, when he was 82 years old.