EZEKIEL HOLBROOK FAMILY
685
Ezekiel Holbrook, son of Hargis Holbrook and Catherine Groce, was born in the Green-street
 Mountains north of what is now the James Oscar Billings old homeplace in Dockery 
around 1798/1802. Ezekiel obtained a State grant of 100 acres, paying $5.00 for it all, 
on Big Camp Branch of Roaring River near Caleb Holbrooks. This land he later deeded to 
his grandchildren, Dora and Frances Holbrook, daughters of Ralph Holbrook and Ezekiels
 daughter Sarah Ann, with whom he lived his last years. He married first on March 1, 1820, 
Susannah Crouse (Cross or Croft) and they had at least 3 children: Hargis, Elizabeth 
and Martin. Susannah is believed to have died sometime between 1830 and 1840, and Ezekiel
 married second Elizabeth Adams, born around 1815. To them were born 10 children Catherine,
John M., Susan, Phoebe, William, Amelia, Nancy J., Sarah A., Matilda G. and 
Delphia L. Ezekiel and Elizabeth were both alive in 1880 but were gone by 1900, so the
 exact dates of their deaths are not known.
     1) Hargis Holbrook, oldest of the children of Ezekiel and Susannah, was born 
around 1821. He married Susan Roberts, born 1829, daughter of Thomas Roberts and 
Susan Gambill, and they had 6 children: Thomas, born 1843, married Mary Blackburn, 
daughter of John Blackburn and Charlotte Hendrix, and moved to Virginia to rear their
 family in the Speedwell and Comers Rock areas. Rebecca Susan, born Feb. 1848, married
 first Gabriel H. Smoot, son of Granville Smoot and Clarissa Hutchinson. They had one 
child, Martha Jane Smoot on Oct. 25, 1870. She married Alexander Blevins, son of Alvis Blevins 
and Celia Richardson, and they had 13 children. Rebecca Susan married second on Oct. 29, 1876,
 Thomas Shadrack Wiles. From this marriage, one daughter Elzina Wiles was born in Aug. 1882. 
Sylvania Hulday, born around 1849, died in 1895 and is buried at Piney Grove Baptist Church.
 Martha Caroline, born May 5, 1853 did not marry. James Calloway, born 1856 married 
Aisle Cleary, daughter of William Cleary and Martha Combs. Brownlow, born May 2, 1862
 married Sally Ann Combs, daughter of Zadock Combs and Nancy Ann Edwards. Sally Ann Combs
 was born Nov. 5, 1865, was a midwife for many years, remembered by neighbors for knitting
 as she walked to the homes of expectant mothers or on her way to church. In summer she wore 
a long print dress and a large white bonnet. She died April 18, t849. Descendants of Brownlow 
and Sally Ann Holbrook include Spicers, Huies, Kennedy's and Clearys. A grandson, 
Paul Holbrook, is an officer of Northwestern Bank in North Wilkesboro.
2) Elizabeth Holbrook, born Feb. 1827 married on April 2, 1850, William Rufus Adams.
 Born May 15, 1827, son of Chapman Adams and Sarah Higgins. They had 11 children. 
One of their descendants is Paul W. Gregory. Prominent school official and leader in the
 Mt. View community. (See Elizabeth Holbrook Adams.)
3) Martin Holbrook, born about 1829 married Mary Lyon, daughter of Alexander Lyon and 
Sarah Sparks born Sept. 27, 1821. They had 5 children. (See Martin Holbrook)
Two of the Holbrook daughters, Susan and Catherine, married Billings brothers, sons of
 William M. Billings and Sarah Childers. 
4) Catherine Holbrook, born about 1832 married William Wilburn Billings, born around 1836
 and they had 5 children. (See William M. Billings).
     5) John M. Holbrook, born 1835, married on Feb. 12, 1858, Malinda Jane Phillips, born
 1839. Malinda Jane was the daughter of Lindsey and Martha Phillips, and she and John 
had 11 children. She died on April 6, 1907. John ~s believed to be buried in a plot near 
the old Columbus Ford place on the road leading to the L.G. Billings home. America E., the
 oldest child of John & Malinda Jane Holbrook. Was born Dec. 8, 1858, and married
 William D. Gambill, son of Nathan Hardin Gambill and Sadilla M. Kennedy. One of their
 7 children. Walter W. Gambill served as Deputy-Sheriff of Wilkes County for many years. 
Columbus F., born Aug. 29, 1860 married first Martha Caroline Bauguess, born Sept. 25, 1862.
 Daughter of Jonas Bauguess and Matilda Holbrook. He married second Juliana Yale.
 Martha Caroline, born Sept. 4, 1862, married William M. Bauguess, son of Jonas Bauguess 
and his first wife, Martha J. Walker. Mary Jane born June 23, 1865, married in 1887 John
 Ander Richardson, son of Moses Franklin Richardson and Louisa J. Bevins. She married 
second W. Tom Johnson on Sept. 9. 1904. Nancy Ann, born 1868, married first Lewis Prevette, 
son of Alexander Prevette and Martha Mahaffey and married second Mr. Simmons. Alice L. born
 1870 married Columbus Casey. Frances F. was born 1871. Dossie G., born June 30. 1874, 
married in June 1896 Richard Calvin Sidden, son of Frederick Dewey Sidden and Huldah Sparks.
 Descendants include Hutchinsons. Warrens. Kennedy's and Johnsons. William Alfred, 
born Sept. 22, 1877, married Carrie Jane Holbrook, daughter of Joshua Holbrook and
 Nancy Sparks. They had 14 children.
6) Susan Holbrook, born 1838, married on March 12, 1854, Addison Billings, born about 1834. 
They had 6 children. (See Addison Billings.)
7) Phoebe Holbrook, born 1839, married April 29, 1858, Abraham Waddell, son of
 Claiborne Waddell and Sarah Pruitt. Abraham was born July 26, 1831, and died April 1922,
 shortly after Phoebe's death on Jan. 1, 1922. They had 4 children: William Cornelius,
 born Aug. 4, 1861, married Rose Ann Smoot; Nancy Ann, born 1864, married William Spicer; 
Marcus Monroe, born 1868, was killed accidentally; Matthew A., born Sept. 1863, married
 first Aug. 13, 1884 Narcissa C. Gambill, daughter of John Gambill and Mahala E. Smoot.
 He married second Charity Adams Rhodes. Matthew A. served as a country dentist for many years.
 Little is known of, 
 8) William Holbrook, born 1841, who married Jane Esque on June 8, 1858, and 
 9) Amelia Holbrook, born 1843, Who married Dec. 26, 1860, William Eller.
10) Nancy J. Holbrook, born March 1845, married as second wife of William Bowers,
 born about 1803, on Jan. 7, 1876. They had 3 children: Colonel Young, born May 15, 1877, 
married on Sept. 3, 1908, Carrie Caudilt, daughter of Samuel Caudill and Frances Gam-bill.
 His sister Jane married Carrie's brother, Cicero Columbus Caudill, born Oct. 16, 1877. 
Andrew Patrick, born May 15, 1878, married Clementine Miles.
11) Sarah Ann Holbrook, born June 1847, married Ralph W. Holbrook, son of William J. Holbrook 
and Malinda Walker. Their 3 children were: Dora E., born Dec. 29, 1874, married Will Waddell;
 Lula, born Dec. 1882, married John Ford, son of Columbus Ford and Sarah Jane Blevins; and 
Frances, born Aug. 20, 1886, married first N. Verl Alexander, son of Colby and 
Susannah Gambill Alexander, m. second Hardin Bowers, son of Finley Bowers and Mary Ann Cook. 
12) Matilda G. Holbrook, born 1849, married Sept. 5, 1866, Jonas Bauguess, son of
 Emanuel Bauguess and Milty Sparks. They had 7 children: Robert M., born June 15, 1867, 
married Nancy Pruitt; Andrew Patterson, born Dec. 5, 1869, married Lula Pruitt; Neelie J.,
 born Feb. 21, 1872, married Dec. 20, 1888 Rev. Grant Cothren, a Baptist minister and 
outstanding religious leader of his time, son of W.R. & Sarah Bauguess Cothren; Arthur, 
born June 1877, married Esther Cheek; Newton, born Dec. 8, 1879, married Nannie Richardson;
 Trealey, born March 13, 1883, married Effie Lyon; and Lettie Ann, born Oct. 1884, married 
first Grover Holloway, son of J.W. Holloway and Cora A. Wiles, and second Morgan Hawkins.
      13) Delphia L. Holbrook was born 1851. 

Sources: Wilkes Co. Records, cemetery records.
* Naomi B. Gordon
* 
The Heritage of Wilkes Co., North Carolina, Greensboro Public Library, 
Greensboro, North Carolina.  NC 975.682, H54.






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