Born on June 6, 1858, at Vinton, Iowa, the son of Lorenzo and Jane (Peace) Brooks, natives of New York State. He is self-made and self-educated and deserves a great deal of credit for his achievements in the world. He received his elementary education in the common schools and subsequently, attended the Blairstown Academy. After this he taught school and worked on the farm during vacations, later taking up the study of medicine, and was graduated from Rush Medical College, at Chicago, with the class of 1883. Upon receiving his diploma, Doctor Brooks commenced to practice his profession at Gray, in Audubon county, and was there for five years, at the end of which time, in 1888, he moved to Audubon and has there built up an excellent practice. Doctor Brooks was a member of the Audubon County Medical Society, the Iowa State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. He was also a member of the International Association of Railway Surgeons. Dr. Brooks was married in 1887 to May Langworth, who died in 1898. On June 20, 1901, he married, secondly, Caldona Young. Doctor Brooks is identified with the Republican Party and has served as coroner of Audubon County. He was elected to the twenty-fourth Iowa General Assembly and served during the session of 1891, filling places on many important committees and assisting materially in passing much important legislation. Fraternally, Doctor Brooks was a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and a member of the Knights Templar and the Mystic Shrine at Des Moines. He was also a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Methodist Episcopal Church.