lula rhodes brooks
1875-1917
Life Story
A Life Rooted in Mississippi Soil
Lula Rhodes Brooks was a woman whose life was shaped by the deep roots of her Mississippi heritage—and whose tragic death in 1917 shook the Riser community of Newton County.
Born in December 1875 in Scott County, Mississippi, Lula entered the world in the final years of the Civil War. She was the daughter of Joseph and Mary Rhodes, both originally from Georgia, part of a generation rebuilding life in the uncertain years of Reconstruction.
Early Life and Family
Lula grew up in a large and bustling household in Beat 2 of Scott County. By 1880, she was one of at least eleven children, raised in an environment where survival depended on shared labor and strong family bonds.
Like many young women of her time, her early years were likely spent assisting with domestic duties—cooking, tending to siblings, and supporting the agricultural rhythms of rural Mississippi.
In 1897, Lula married Joseph “Joe” Brooks. The couple settled in Newton County, where they began building a family.
Over the next two decades, Lula bore eight children, six of whom were living by 1910. Census records provide a glimpse into her life as a mother:
- 1900: Living in Beat 1, Newton County, raising four young children—Walter, Isaiah (Isa), Joe, and George.
- 1910: Her household had grown to include Henry and James. At this time, Lula was 35, while her husband Joe was listed as 64, reflecting a notable age difference within the marriage.
Her life during these years was defined by caregiving, endurance, and the daily demands of raising a large family in the rural South.
A Marriage in Crisis
By 1916, Lula’s marriage had begun to unravel.
Newspaper accounts indicate that Lula and Joe had been separated for a year or more. Lula remained in the family home, while Joe relocated to a house approximately three-quarters of a mile away.
What had once been a shared life had become marked by distance, tension, and, ultimately, danger.
The Tragedy of January 1, 1917
In the early hours of Monday, January 1, 1917, tragedy struck.
Before dawn, Lula was engaged in a familiar task—stooping over her fireplace to start the morning fire. In that quiet moment, an assailant fired a shot through a window. The weapon, believed to be either a rifle or revolver, struck Lula in the leg, the bullet traveling upward and causing catastrophic internal injuries, described as “perforating the bowels.”
Despite the severity of her wounds, Lula demonstrated remarkable strength. She managed to crawl into another room and pull herself onto a bed.
Her young son, awakened by the gunshot, ran through the darkness to his father’s nearby home to seek help.
For nearly twenty-four hours, Lula lingered in pain. Shortly before midnight on that same day—January 1, 1917—she passed away.
Investigation, Trial, and Conviction
The investigation, led by Sheriff J. A. May, quickly centered on Joe Brooks.
During the preliminary hearing before Justice of the Peace E. E. Powe, witnesses testified that Joe had previously threatened Lula’s life and had attempted to enlist others to carry out the act.
Though Joe Brooks pleaded not guilty and was represented by attorney Jas. L. Byrd, the weight of the evidence proved decisive. Nearly thirty witnesses contributed testimony during the proceedings.
He was denied bond and, upon conviction in Circuit Court, was sentenced to life in the state penitentiary.
Resting Place and Record of Death
Lula was laid to rest on January 2, 1917, at Union Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery in Lawrence, Newton County—a place deeply connected to the community she lived in and helped sustain.
Her death certificate, signed by Dr. Grace Pounds, lists the cause of death in stark clinical terms: “A Gun Shot Wound.”
Behind those words lies a life defined not by violence, but by motherhood, labor, and perseverance.
Biographical Summary
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Lula Grace Rhodes Brooks |
| Birth | December 1863, Scott County, Mississippi |
| Parents | Joseph Rhodes & Mary Jones |
| Spouse | Joseph “Joe” Brooks (m. 1897) |
| Children | Walter, Isaiah (Isa), Joe, George, Henry, James |
| Death | January 1, 1917 (Age 53) |
| Cause of Death | Homicide (Gunshot wound) |
| Burial | Union Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery, Newton County, MS |
Remembering Lula
Lula Rhodes Brooks’ story is one of both life and loss.
She was a mother of six surviving children, a woman rooted in family and community, and a survivor of the hardships of Reconstruction and the Jim Crow South. Her life reflects the quiet strength of countless Black women whose labor sustained families and communities across generations.
Her death, however, stands as a stark reminder of the realities of domestic violence—an issue that, though often hidden in historical records, left lasting scars on families and communities.
By preserving her story, we ensure that Lula is remembered not only for the tragedy that ended her life, but for the life she lived and the legacy she carried.
Resting Place
Union Chapel United Methodist Church
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1880, 1900, 1910 Federal Censuses
- U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
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