Hi Jim. Yes, we have corresponded before on the Brooke and Carroll
families...My husband and I were back there last May visiting our son in
Gaithersburg, and I said that I needed to find St. Ignatius. The reason
is that a year before that trip, I had visited DC and had gone to the
DAR library, hoping to find Brooke info that I did not have.
The DAR library was about to close, but decided on a very far-fletched
whim to put in "Clement Hill Brooke" in their search engine, even though
I knew he would have not been a patriot or fought in the war.
Lo and behold, there were two hits....so I ordered both applications,
which, if I remember right, were the applications of two sisters, or
perhaps an aunt and a niece, who joined under Nicholas Brooke, or
perhaps under Henry Brooke, Nicholas' father.
Clement Hill Brooke was listed as a son of Nicholas, and Anne Carroll as
his wife, which I already knew since my grandmother's notes had that
info. The big nugget of info was that they both supposedly died and
were buried in Silver Hill, Md. Someone told me that Silver Hill's name
changed to Oxon Hill...Anyway, when I found out about St. Ignatius, had
to go visit.
I called first and there was no info there, according to a lady. But my
husband and I went and walked through the cemetery, and then went back
to the building, and a lady let us in, and went with us into the church.
We did not actually see the window, as it is the middle window above the
front door with the names of the parents, and their 7 children listed.
They would not let us go up to take an actual photo.
The gold mine is -- and since you are sooo close, if you go to the
office, ask them about a slim green covered book they put together about
1976. In it is a photo of Clement Hill Brooke, Sr. (who has to be
Nancy's husband). Also a photo of a Margaret Brooke....Now, I believe
this Margaret was Clement Hill Brooke, Sr.'s daughter-in-law. Clement
and Nancy had a son named Clement Hill Brooke, Jr. There were 7
children listed in the church window. Please write me in a few days and
I hope to be able to get to my stuff to give you their names, as they
were written on the glass window.
I have connected with another descendant, who actually comes through
CHB, Jr. named Joe Purdy who lives in DC. I had planned to meet him
last summer, but never made connections. I did get two copies of the
green book from St. Ignatius and mailed him a book. I'll get his e-mail
address for you when I can dig it out.
The woman in the office showed a box with maybe 50 more copies of the
book and they gave the copies to me free, and so hopefully you can go
and get a copy or two for yourself. I would tell her that you heard
from another Brooke descendant about the box of books in the closet in
one of the front offices.
I also left a paper there stating that I would love to correspond with
any descendants of the Brooke clan, but don't know if they ever posted
it or not, since I have not had any replies.
I'd be happy to send you more info, including Joe's address. He is most
interested in finding out more Brooke and Carroll info, and is also
stuck on Nancy Carroll's parents.
I have a lot of stuff, but just had major surgery, so am unable to dig
through my big boxes, but maybe this is a start for you.
Please keep in touch. I'll be happy to share with you what I find!
Ann