Through his mother , he was a descendant of John Ellis , a crew member of the Puritan ship Mayflower .
Brooks was born in Bernardston , Massachusetts to Silas Newton Brooks and Melissa Minerva Burrows .
Through Brooks ' mother , Brooks was Brooks descendant of John Ellis , a crew member of the Puritan ship Mayflower .
Brooks was born in Bernardston , Massachusetts to Silas Newton Brooks and Melissa Minerva Burrows .