Clay County Constable's Office - Precinct 4, Texas
End of Watch: Monday, November 24, 1879
Age: 31
Tour of Duty: 1 year
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: November 24, 1879
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Arrested
A party of cowboys got on a drunken spree and began shooting promiscuously close to the business portion of the county seat of Henrietta. Clay County Precinct 4 Constable Berrian Brooks, hearing the firing, walked to where the cowboys were, and commanded them to halt. They refused to obey, and he fired his revolver. They turned and fired on Constable Brooks, shooting him in the back and mortally wounding him. Twenty-five armed citizens started in pursuit and captured four of the party and lodged them in jail. It is unknown at this time whether any of the cowboys were charged or convicted in the death of Constable Brooks.
John McPherson Berrian Brooks was born in 1848 in Jackson County, Georgia. He was survived by his wife Nancy Eveline Simmons Brooks and four children. His place of burial is unknown at this time. He had been elected one of eight constables for Clay County on November 5, 1878, and had served one year. Today Clay County has one elected constable.