Little is known of the early life of William Brooks but according to his pension application of 1834 he was born in 1745 at Yellow Breeches Creek, Lancaster County (in the part later known as Cumberland County), Pennsylvania. The Brooks name is found in records of the area before the birth of William Brooks, but his relationship to those families cannot be determined. The names of his parents are not known.

By February of 1776 William had migrated to Frederick City, Frederick County, Maryland where he enlisted in the army to fight in the Revolutionary War. His twelve-month term was served under Captain Sims' company of Colonel Smallwood's regiment. Soon after enlisting, his unit marched to Annapolis, then to New York, where he fought in the battle of Long Island on August 27, 1776. He was next engaged in the battle of Harlem Heights, which was fought on September 16, 1776, his unit then marched to White Plains, where he participated in the battle fought on October 28, 1776. In this last battle he suffered a broken leg and was sent to the hospital for two months. He was discharged at the end of his enlistment and returned to Frederick, Maryland, in March of 1777.

By December of 1779 William Brooks had migrated to Guilford County, North Carolina where he was drafted into the army for three months and served under Captain Frost's company of Colonel Lytles's regiment. When his tem expired, he re-enlisted under the same command and participated in the siege of Charleston, South Carolina. When the siege proved unsuccessful, the Americans surrendered to the British on May 12, 1780, and soon were paroled for the remainder of their enlistment. In June of 1780 William returned to his home in Guilford County.

In June of 1781 he was again drafted for three months and served in Captain Conner's company of Colonel Paisley's regiment. During this term he was in several skirmishes with Tories (Americans who were loyal to England) in the Deep River area on North Carolina. When this term expired, he enlisted for an additional three months in Captain Frost's company of the same regiment. Upon his discharge he returned to Guilford County after completing a total of two years, one month and ten days service as a Revolutionary War Soldier.

About 1786 he moved to Sandy Run in Rutherford County, North Carolina, where he operated a gristmill for many years. In 1799 he received a land grant in Rutherford County from the state of North Carolina and had several hundred acres prior to his death.
William Brooks died in January 1844 being about 99 years old. His Last Will & Testament,
which was dated August 28, 1840, was filed for probate at the February Term, 1844 of the Cleveland County Court.

William BROOKS entered land on the Sandy Run Creek, middle fork, in the year of 1794 and the grant was made in 1796 for 100 acres, located near the present Drury Dobbins Church on the edge of Cleveland County on the Ellenboro, Polkville Road.
He operated a gristmill in that area for many years, and the mill shoals can still be seen. (This date from his application for pension, filed April 29, 1834, File #S-6716 - National
Archives; and Land Grant by Governor of North Carolina dated December 23, 1796 Rutherford County Deed Book 10-11, page 129).

Note: Sources provided by Genealogical Society of Old Tryon County through third party researcher and William Brooks in his pension application of 1834. Further, William is included in Rutherford County, NC census of Jun 1840.