“George William Brooks was from Marianna, Florida. They settled there for a little while after they were married but the Seminole War was going on and they moved to Georgia for safety.  I have letters that Ophelia wrote to her brother Edwin Moody that talk about her experiences during that time. ®332On 1 June 1840 William Brooks, age 30-40, lived in Ward 6 of Columbus, Georgia with 1 boy and 1 girl under 5 years, 2 males and 3 females 20-30 years, and another male 30-40 years old. ®538 On 1 June 1850 William Brooks, age 48, and born in Massachusetts lived in Columbus, Georgia with Phila A., age 36, Lyman 12, Frances L., 9, Mary E., 6, John W., 4, and a female infant. Living with them were Chloe Moody, 30, Noah Moody, a 38 year old mechanic, Sophia Moody, 30, Phila Moody, 6, all born in Massachusetts, Louisa Smith, 18 born in Georgia and 7 single male mechanics ranging from 17 to 35 years old. ®466 He owned 6 male, 3 female and 4 child slaves. ®546On 1 June 1860 William Brooks, a 63 year old farmer from Massachusetts with real estate valued at $1000 and personal estate valued at $500 lived in Columbus, Georgia with his wife Ophelia A., 52. They had lived in Georgia for at least 21 years as their old child Lyman, 21, had been born in Georgia, as had Frances 19, Mary 15, and Florida, 11. Also living with them was Cloa [sic] A. Moody, age 48 and born in Massachusetts. ®539He died before the 1 June 1880 census. ®537