Born: Paris, Missouri, December 28, 1869
Died: Kissimmee, Florida, October 23, 1934

W. T. Brooks was born eight miles north of Paris, Missouri, on the 28th of December, 1869. His parents were Evan S. Brooks and Malvina Kennedy Brooks, both of Kentucky stock--the father from Mason County, Kentucky, and the mother's people from Bourbon County.

To these parents were born four boys--Crayton Sandifer, William Tebbs, Clyde Evans and Arthur Kennedy--three of whom entered the ministry; the other one (Clyde E. Brooks) entering the profession of medicine.

The Brooks family has had in its line many preachers, notably John Thomas Brooks, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, and John A. Brooks, an uncle. John T. Brooks was a pioneer preacher, editor and lecturer of Kentucky and Missouri. John A. Brooks was noted as a lecturer, preacher, revivalist and politician. He was candidate at one time for Governor of Missouri, and at another time was candidate for Vice-President of the United States.

W. T. Brooks graduated from Perry College in Missouri and from the Bible College of Kentucky University, receiving his diploma from the latter institution in June, 1896. He taught school two years in Missouri before entering college, receiving a State certificate from the Paris Institute when only eighteen years of age. During his college life in Kentucky he was editor of the college paper, The Transylvanian, manager of the Lyceum Lecture course, and pastor of two churches--Bridgeport and Turnersville, Kentucky.

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After graduation he was married to Miss Minnie Christy, of Lexington, Kentucky. The newly married couple moved at once to Ladoga, Indiana, where they held a pastorate for six years, which resulted in six hundred being added to the church.

In 1904, W. T. Brooks entered the evangelistic field, and has since that time been actively engaged in revival work. He retains his home at Ladoga, Indiana, where reside at this date his mother, wife and little daughter, Virginia.