The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1897-04-23
Charles Luther Brooke

Son of Oliver and Eliza Jane
Brooke, was born in Fairfield county,
Ohio, November 10Th, 1860. and died
at Phoenix, Arizona, April 18th, 1897,
aged 86 years. 4 months and % days.
His parents having moved to Lo-
gan during his early boyhood,
Charles attended the public schools
here graduating from the High
School with the class of 1880. During
the following year, in company with
some fellow students, he continued
his studies, adding years work to
the High School course.
Being an eager student, and de-
prived of the advantages Of a collegi-
ate course, he was thrown upon his
own resources for the accomplish.
ment of his ambition to attain emin-
ence in the legal profession; and to
that end, early in the year 1881
Charles left Logan for Chicago, that
being the city which promised to
him broad field of action and the
fruition of his hopes.
lie entered Chicago a stran ger,
and with but meager means Of sup
port beyond a fixed purpose, an in
domitable will, and sterling man
hood. He first took service as office
boy with a Lawyer, at three dollars
a week, and was glad to have even
this opportunity of working along
I he line of his chosen profession.
From this beginning, he worked his
way up through difficulties almost
unconquerable. bettering his salary
by change of employer whenever
opportunity offered, and adding to
his meager wages as office boy by
operating a newspaper route in the
city. After two years of struggle
and study, he was enabled to enter
the Union Law School, from which
he graduated in the class of 1888,
among his classmates being the Hon,
WI. Bryan, late democratic cam
didate for the presidency.
Upon his graduation, he entered
actively into the practice of law In
the city, becoming a partner with
Judge Lyman Trulnbull in the law
firm of Trumbull, Robbins, Willis,
Trumbull and Brooke. But after
several years of a very successful
practice, his health failed him, and
he was forced to abandon his pro-
fession, to battle for his life. He left
Chicago for the mountains spending
his time in Colorado, California,
Arizona, and New Mexico. He
acquired interests in mining claims
at Cripple Creek, Colorado, and here
centered most of the business of the
last years of his life. On July 10Th
1896, he was married to Mary Edith
Cover, who survives him.
This short sketch can put poorly
set forth the story of his life. Con-
scious from early manhood of his
failing physique, endeavoring to
conserve his powers, impelled by an
extraordinary intellectual activity,
sustained by courageous will, pro-
tected by a sterling manhood and a
strict morality, he has striven well
and prolonged his life ten years be.
yond the fondest hopes Of his friends.
BY the failure of his health he was
taught that his ambition was thwart-
ed, and the dearest purposes of his
life mus be set aside. TO one his
temperament this was dispensation
hardly to be borne. Yet the true
man that he was, with his usual
compelling service from
adverse circumstances, he accepted |
the situation, and bent his energies
to making the most of life that re-
to him in new fields of action.
To those who were acquainted |
with Charles Brooke, 1t Is known |
how severe trial was this abandon
ment of his hopes, and the failure of
poNSl w ptllNC lOi tiO kOhl VI nlb /
ambition. The hopes of years, the
hardships of his earlier life, the
won, mast be ignored and
lew plans, new strivings. new vict-
ories henceforth must occupy him.
And while as seen through the
clouds of disappointment, 1t may
)nce have seemed that his life was
allure, yet in his last years, he was
,ble to say my life has not been
wasted; i have accomplished good;
have not failed.'
We ask no cnarity to shield his
aulte. We who knew him best loved
him most. But to every one with
whom he came In contact he was
ield dear and all who knew him
night point the world to him and
ay, "There walks man." With
humanity as broad as his mind, he
owed his fellows, and many have
asted of the charity and encourage
nent and sympathy, kindly and