I first found a record of a Nancy in 1860, Gwinnett County, GA. W. R. Brooks age 26, wife Nancy Brooks, wife, age 18, son, Russell Parks Brooks, age 2 and John Parks Brooks age 3/12 mo. on the same page of the census record there are the following families, Robert H Bradford, James Bradford, William Bradford.
1870 the civil War is over. Family stories said that William Brooks was killed in the war, leaving Nancy a widow with small children. William Brooks is shown on the 1860 census but I cannot find him in 1870, instead I find; 1870 Hog Mountain, Gwinnett County, GA. William Bradford age 25, wife Nancy A, children, John age 10, Nancy O age, 8 (our Nancy) Robert age 4, Mary age 3, Issac age 7/12 mo..
Nancy age 8 would be born about 1862. Her father would be William Brooks. As a widow Nancy must have married one of the neighboring Bradford sons. 1880 the family has moved to Etowah Co. Alabama. The Ridgeway Family has also moved from Georgia and living in Blount Co, AL I don't know where they met but William Hillard and Nancy Octave Brooks were married November 29, 1879 in Blount County, AL.
William Hillard and Nancy Octave lived in what is now know as Susan Moore, Al. They lived and farmed in Blount County, AL. The old home place was destroyed in 1979 when a tornado came through the area.
William and Nancy were the charter members of the Mt. Zion Church of God. They held prayer meeting in their home until a church could be organized. They were married for 59 years before she passed away.
They had 11 children, John William, Russell Parks, Adeline Elizabeth, Mary Octavia, Georgia Naomi, Robert Hillarld, Wiley Judson, Claude Bowman, Lois Pearl, Chester Asberry and Eunice Leon. All the children except Chester are buried in the Ebenezer Cemetery.
Daughter, Adeline Elizabeth is my grandmother, Nancy Octave Brooks Ridgeway is my great grandmother.