Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1874-03-10
THE LATE HENRY L. BROOKE,

This gentleman, so widely and favorsbly
known in the State of Virginia. where he was
knru'and raised. died in this county on Sum
day morning the 1st of March, in the
sixty-sixth year of his age. he was born in
Stafford county, Virginia. on the 10th day of
July, 1908. His father, John T. Brooke,
was the twin brother of the late Judge Frank
Brooke, of the Court of Appeals of Virginia,
and younger brother of Governor Robert
Brooke, former governor of Virginia, after
whom Brooke county in this State was named.
The only sister of these brothers was married
to FOntaiue Maury. and was the grandmother
of the distinguished General Dabpcy Maury,
of the Confederate States army.
The subject of this notice was the youngest
Of these brothers and was the last survivor Of
five children He was left an orphan at the
carly age of ten, aud for few years lived
~ish his maternal uncle, Cary Selden. at
''SalviugtOn," on the Potomac River
Thence he removed TO the residence of
relative, Col. William Garuett. at Lexington,
He en'e-"d business !ire rs clerk in tho book
store of Larnav & Co. of Richmond. Virginia,
where he availed himself of the opportunity
to render himself good 5elles>Iettres scholar.
and an accomplished historian.
In 1880 he studied law with Judge
John Robertson, noble old Roman but re-
Gently deceased
After having been at the bar for some years,
Mr.. Brooke formed partnership with John
i Cooke. and in this connection attained a
Distinguished position as practitioner in the
Cour. of Appeals of Virginia, which he main
tanned for many years, as the records and re-
ports of that Court attest In 1887, he
married, at wv oodhury" in this county, Vir-
g7uia Tucker, youngest daughter of Judge
Henry ST. George Tucker, of Virginia.
Mr.. Brooke was d''ieent. learned, and la
korious in his profession. which stood him in
such good stead. that he acquired not only
reputation, hut handsome fortune
Engaging afterwards in some unfortunate
contracts on the South Side Railroad, he lost
almost every thing, aud the late war COM
pleted the wreck, unless his Western property
can be saved from the fraudulent dispositions
made by inscriptions agents and attorneys.
without his knowledge, during the late
struggle But the loss of fortune could de-
tract nothing firm the native dignity of such
character as his. Unaspiring ard unas>
suu'ng. he was genuine type of the true
gent'eman-a link. as it were, which bound
US of this generation to the best of those of
the past He was even more than this. for
many can be trained to be gentlemen, but
very few were ever trained 10 lie good, gentle,
just, aud loving, aud LciOccd mcn-ail Of
which he IN truth was Among the qualities
which in him rose high above the plain of
commonplace eulosy, there we're several upon
which we cannot fnrbear to comment No
man in the world more materially fulfilled the
idea of truth teller than he He hated
falsehood with his very heart ard no one who
knew him would have doubvcd his word, more
than they wonld the oath of another
Another trait, no less beautiful, was his uni
versai and habitua charity in judging or crit
lcising the motives, conduct ard characters
of others. No one ever heard him detract
from the fair fame of man. woman. or child.
If he were present when others denounced
the absent, he would, if te could say nothing
good, remaio si!ert and never lend his coun-
tenauce to cs!umnv, dctracton lie was
essentially just man. of wide and spontaneous
charities. lie vas no nisgard in love for his
fellows, but gave them full credit, and admi-
ration and praise for all they possessed. In
: VOID, there Was in him a uuion of good
qualities which consnicuousIy stamped him,
aud lifted fim far above the average of men.
III his JOSS we mourn the noblest of Gods
94fEhET Creations good man: not faultcss,
indeed. hat one whose faults were in mezzo-
tine while his virtues were, as we fondly
hope, painted for eternity