James A. Westbrooks, the son of Hardy J. and Phebe Jane (Briscoe) Westbrooks, according to census records both parents were born in Alabama, and grandson of Allen T. Westbrooks born in Georgia, all pioneers of Sevier and Howard Counties in Arkansas listed in the United States Federal Census as early as 1840 in Jefferson Township, Sevier Co., Arkansas. According to his obituary and his granddaughter Ellen Ruth Westbrooks McKeever, James A. Westbrooks was born on April 28, 1848 in Possum Hollow, Arkansas, about 4 miles south of where the town of Dierks now stands.

 According to Ellen and along with information obtained from census records James A. Westbrooks was the eldest son of Hardy J. Westbrooks and he had 14 siblings. Sarah Elizabeth, Francis Adeline, Thomas H., Joseph (Joe) E., Mary S., Louisa J., Robert W.,  William H. George V., Hector J., Susan E., Joel B., Josephine (Joella) J., and Olie P. Westbrooks. James A. Westbrooks, lived in Arkansas his entire life, with exception of one year where he resided in Texas.  He married Dorinda Jane Choate in 1867, she was born 1850 in Texas, and together they had 12 children, 10 of which we can account for, and Ellen believes that one child was stillborn, and she thinks there was another possible daughter, but she cannot recall her name, the others are, Charles “Charley”, Haddie, Lualie (Lew), Henry, William (Bill), Brock (BR), Arthur Allan, Oscar, Olar, and Oly Carl father of Ellen Ruth.

James A. Westbrooks was a Baptist minister for more than 60 years at the time of his death. His granddaughter Ellen, vividly remembers him being a member of the KKK, although she did not understand why he wore the cloak that covered his face and carried her in a public parade where everyone in the small town knew who he was by his carrying her on his shoulders. 

Dorinda Jane Choate Westbrook died in 1932 and James A. Westbrooks passed away on January 22, 1941. His obituary states that he was the last known Confederate Civil War Veteran that flew the stars and bars in Howard County at the time of his death. Both Dorinda Jane and James A. Westbrooks are buried in McHorse cemetery. This cemetery property was donated and named for John W. McHorse to the Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church of Provo in Sevier Co., Arkansas on November 10, 1859.