Am I Missing Something?

[Cumpston1862]

Hey Guys-

Reading about John Winn's breakthrough with his genealogy made me think about presenting my "dead-end" here to see if I am missing something in my search.

WHAT I DO KNOW;

I have a 4th great grandmother that was named Nancy Garrett. According to all the census records and documents I have been able to find she was born in June 1799 in Virginia. On March 23, 1815 in Highland County, Ohio she married my 4th great grandfather Enoch Cox. Now if you do a little math you will note she was about 15 years old when she married. This in itself is a mystery as my understanding was that if a person was younger than 16 they had to have their parents' consent to be married and there is no such record for her.

The other point of interest is Enoch Cox was a Quaker and Nancy was not. Because of this Enoch was disowned for marrying out of unity/ their faith. This is in the Quaker meeting minutes of the Fairfield MM dated April 29, 1815. On January 22, 1816 Nancy and Enoch welcomed my 3rd great grandfather Alexander U. Cox into the world. Soon there after Nancy apparently became pregnant again with their second child but before he was born Enoch, a man in his early 20's, died. There is no record of his death anywhere. Had Enoch been accepted back into the Quaker faith before his death there would be a record somewhere but there is not so he must have died before he could make things right.

Nancy Garrett Cox is a widow with a small child and expecting another one. A rough fix to be in for sure. The Quaker meeting minutes show that Enoch's father and brother had asked to have their membership transfered to Indiana so Nancy either followed them out or maybe Enoch died on the way. Because the next record shows Nancy Cox marrying her brother-in-law Harmon Cox in December of 1817.

Eventually Nancy converts to become a Quaker and all the children both Enoch's and Harmon's are accepted as well in April 1824. Nancy and Harmon have a good life together until he passes away in about 1847. Nancy moves to Iowa surrounded by her family until she passes in August 1857.

The problem I am having is trying to connect Nancy Garrett back to her parents. I have tried to find a Garrett family in Highland County about 1810-15 which there are but I can not connect my Nancy to any of them conclusively.

Does anyone have any ideas what else I can look for???

Any suggestions or help are appreciated

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

Female ancestors are hard to trace because of their annoying habit of changing their last names upon marriage.

Nancy may indeed have been 16. The census process was inexact enough that one can allow a few years' leeway to the ages, though more so for older folks than younger...

You may already have found this, but if not: http://www.usgennet.org/usa/oh/county/highland/

How far away from Ohio are you? The Ohio History Center in Columbus has a fair amount of genealogical information, including material that has not been digitized.

The other question I'd have is if you've found any leads in Virginia where the Garrett family might have come from.

 

[Cumpston1862]

Female ancestors are hard to trace because of their annoying habit of changing their last names upon marriage.

Nancy may indeed have been 16. The census process was inexact enough that one can allow a few years' leeway to the ages, though more so for older folks than younger...

You may already have found this, but if not: http://www.usgennet.org/usa/oh/county/highland/

How far away from Ohio are you? The Ohio History Center in Columbus has a fair amount of genealogical information, including material that has not been digitized.

The other question I'd have is if you've found any leads in Virginia where the Garrett family might have come from.

Mark-

Thank you for the reply. I am pretty sure on her age as it stays pretty consistent on all the census records and her headstone gave her age as 58 years, 2 months and 15 days or something to that extent, doing this off the top of my head, when she died in August 1857. Anyway when you count it back its around June 20, 1799. She says on several of the census records she was born in Virginia. There are several Garrett lines going back into Virginia and I have tried to track her to one of them but the results have been inconclusive.

I did find a family headed by a William Garrett that was from Virginia but moved to Highland County, Ohio and he had a daughter named Nancy...problem is she married a guy with the surname of Milner or something and not my Enoch Cox. What are the chances!!??

http://mydunrovin.net/garrett_family.htm

Thanks for the link. I have seen it and checked it over the years but its been a while since I have been on it. Always good to check again though as more stuff gets added.

Oh and I live in Des Moines, Iowa so I am a fair distance from Ohio

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

Well, I'm about 20 minutes from the Ohio History Center/State Archives, and I've got a library card... if you can get me a list of things you'd like checked, I could take it along the next time I head down there; not sure when exactly that will be, but conceivably soon. (At the very least I could scope out what the Highland County material looks like.)

I have a very similar situation as your Nancy problem with my Watson ancestors in Harrison County. The names don't QUITE match up right, which has me suspicious-- but not any the wiser as to which way to turn at this point.

 

[donna]

Mark that is really nice. I wish you luck on finding information for Cumpston. 1862.

 

[Littlestown]

Have you searched West Virginia records for your Garrett ancestors?

 

[Littlestown]

There's a Garrett's Creek and a Garrett Cemetery in Wayne County, WV, that was Virginia at that time.

 

[AndyHall]

Cumpston, there's a family tree on Ancestry that gives Nancy's parents as William Garrett (1770-1825) and Winifred Minnie Bolt (1774-1824). William Garrett's birthplace is listed as Grayson, Virginia.

William Garrett's parents are listed as Benjamin Garrett (1733–1818) and Nancy Grimes (1740–1777). Benjamin Garrett's birthplace is listed as Surry, North Carolina.

Benjamin Garrett's parents are listed as John Garrett (1706–1784) and Martha Frances Scott (1716–1788). John Garrett's birthplace is listed as Kent, Virginia.

It's a user-created tree, and not exhaustively sourced, so the usual caveats apply, but there may be some information here that serves as a jumping-off point for your research.

 

[Littlestown]

Wayne County, WV was established on January 18, 1842 from Cabell County. Cabell County was established on January 2, 1809 from Kanawha County. Kanawha County was established on November 14, 1788 from Greenbrier and Montgomery Counties.

Cumpston, there's a family tree on Ancestry that gives Nancy's parents as William Garrett (1770-1825) and Winifred Minnie Bolt (1774-1824). William Garrett's birthplace is listed as Grayson, Virginia.

William Garrett's parents are listed as Benjamin Garrett (1733–1818) and Nancy Grimes (1740–1777). Benjamin Garrett's birthplace is listed as Surry, North Carolina.

Benjamin Garrett's parents are listed as John Garrett (1706–1784) and Martha Frances Scott (1716–1788). John Garrett's birthplace is listed as Kent, Virginia.

It's a user-created tree, and not exhaustively sourced, so the usual caveats apply, but there may be some information here that serves as a umping-off point.

Unfortunately, that's the same family tree that Cumpston listed above in post #3. http://mydunrovin.net/garrett_family.htm

 

[Cumpston1862]

Well, I'm about 20 minutes from the Ohio History Center/State Archives, and I've got a library card... if you can get me a list of things you'd like checked, I could take it along the next time I head down there; not sure when exactly that will be, but conceivably soon. (At the very least I could scope out what the Highland County material looks like.)

I have a very similar situation as your Nancy problem with my Watson ancestors in Harrison County. The names don't QUITE match up right, which has me suspicious-- but not any the wiser as to which way to turn at this point.

Mark-

Thank you sir! That is a very generous offer. As far as what to look for I am unsure. I know that the Cox family had asked for their Quaker membership to be transferred from Cane Creek MM in North Carolina to Miami, Ohio MM in the fall of 1807. From there the Cox family including my Enoch Cox is listed as being received into the Miami MM in April 1808. Shortly there after in May of 1808 they are received into the Fairfield MM in Highland County, Ohio. The next thing I can find for Enoch Cox is his marriage to Nancy Garrett on March 23, 1815. See the attached record below. This comes from the Early Ohio Marriage Book Volume 1 as I recall.

Transcripted:

"I do certify that I joined in marriage Enoch Cox + Nancy Garrett about the 23rd of the last month. Given under my hand the 8th of April 1815. Samuel Terrell"

As I mentioned because of this marriage Enoch was disowned for marrying out of unity or in other words marrying a non-Quaker. He was disowned according to the Quaker meeting minutes on April 29, 1815 as I recall. After that there are no records for Enoch Cox Jr. or at least I can't find anything. Enoch Cox Sr his wife and Harmon Cox their son, Enoch's older brother transfer their Quaker membership to Indiana about this time. So the Cox family appears in Indiana by the time of the 1820 census. In Jackson or Hamilton County, Indiana...can't remember without my paperwork here.

My Enoch Cox Jr. (1795-1817) who married Nancy Garrett (1799-1857) was the son of Enoch Cox Sr. (1757-1832) who was the son of Isaac Cox (1724-1797).

Long story short Mark if you are willing I would want to know more about the Garretts of Highland County. William Garrett (1770-1825) looks like a good possibility especially having a daughter named Nancy but is she the one who married my Enoch or was there another Nancy Garrett?? I guess any information that comes up or that can be found on the Garretts of Highland County may give us some clues. I do have in my possesion the will of William Garrett dated to 1825-26 but it doesn't have much to tell us. Maybe I need to look it over again.

Anyway thank you for the offer and feel free to fire any questions to me public or private my friend!

In my own searches there are other Garrett Families in Fayette County, Ohio so maybe she came from there?

 

[Cumpston1862]

Cumpston, there's a family tree on Ancestry that gives Nancy's parents as William Garrett (1770-1825) and Winifred Minnie Bolt (1774-1824). William Garrett's birthplace is listed as Grayson, Virginia.

William Garrett's parents are listed as Benjamin Garrett (1733–1818) and Nancy Grimes (1740–1777). Benjamin Garrett's birthplace is listed as Surry, North Carolina.

Benjamin Garrett's parents are listed as John Garrett (1706–1784) and Martha Frances Scott (1716–1788). John Garrett's birthplace is listed as Kent, Virginia.

It's a user-created tree, and not exhaustively sourced, so the usual caveats apply, but there may be some information here that serves as a jumping-off point for your research.

Andy-

This line does seem to be the obvious one but it becomes difficult connecting my Nancy Garrett to this line because the Nancy William Garrett (1770-1825) had seems to have married a man by the name of Milner I believe which shatters this theory. But for Lord's sake how many Garretts can be living in Highland County, Ohio!!!???

After Nancy Garrett Cox lost her husband Enoch Cox Jr. around 1817 she married Enoch's brother Harmon Cox in December 1817 in Jackson County, Indiana I believe. In 1830 or 1840 they are still living in Indiana but I think in Hamilton County at this point and there is a "Welcome Garrett" living close to them. Coincidence or family to Nancy I don't know?

 

[AndyHall]

Andy-

This line does seem to be the obvious one but it becomes difficult connecting my Nancy Garrett to this line because the Nancy William Garrett (1770-1825) had seems to have married a man by the name of Milner I believe which shatters this theory. But for Lord's sake how many Garretts can be living in Highland County, Ohio!!!???

After Nancy Garrett Cox lost her husband Enoch Cox Jr. around 1817 she married Enoch's brother Harmon Cox in December 1817 in Jackson County, Indiana I believe. In 1830 or 1840 they are still living in Indiana but I think in Hamilton County at this point and there is a "Welcome Garrett" living close to them. Coincidence or family to Nancy I don't know?

I didn't see a reference to a Milner. The other thing to keep in mind is that we shouldn't assume that that genealogy is certain -- the Milner thing may be incorrect, or any number of possibilities. As you say, "how many Garretts can be living in Highland County, Ohio!!!???" I still think this is a strong lead.

 

[Cumpston1862]

I didn't see a reference to a Milner. The other thing to keep in mind is that we shouldn't assume that that genealogy is certain -- the Milner thing may be incorrect, or any number of possibilities. As you say, "how many Garretts can be living in Highland County, Ohio!!!???" I still think this is a strong lead.

I would agree Andy. Although possible it seems highly unlikely that there are other Nancy canidates or very many...hopefully. As I mentioned I do have the William Garrett probate record. There are about 30-40 pages of information there. Including the ledger of the executor settling William Garrett's accounts and having to travel to Virginia to do it. I am going to have to look through it again.

 

[Cumpston1862]

Have you searched West Virginia records for your Garrett ancestors?

Littlestown-

Interestingly enough I have tracked several of my lines back through West Virginia now Virginia when they lived there. The records are sparce and incomplete unfortunately due to the early time frame and apparently some where destroyed during the Civil War.

At some point I will have to bite the bullet and make a road trip out there to see what is actually there as few records are on-line I am sure. You are correct though I believe the Garretts possibly even the William Garrett line was in Wayne County, Virginia.

I am going to try and look through the William Garrett probate during lunch. I will post anything of interest. Or maybe some of the records will tell some here more than they do me.

 

[Cumpston1862]

This probably doesn't help much but its interesting for a couple of reasons...I think. First it shows the few and common items a man would have owned in the United States in 1825 and their value. Second we can assume Mrs. Garrett has already passed away as there would be no need for such an inventory if she were alive. Third the appraisers include the man who married Enoch Cox Jr. and Nancy Garrett...Samuel Terrell. Also there is an Elias Cox helping but where he may fit into my Cox tree is unknown at present.

From William Garrett's probate record dated 1825.


"An inventory of the goods and chattels of William Garrett deceased late of Madsion Township, Highland County, Ohio taken by Samuel Amos, Elias Cox and Samuel Terrell appraisers.

1 wagon + seed trough $ 30.00
1 steering chain + 2 swing? 2.00
2 pair hind gears of wagons 7.00
2 leather collars ?.??
1 blind bridle .25
1 wagon whip .25
1 pair breast chains .50
1 mare colt 15.00
1 ladies saddle 8.00
1 feather bed, 2 coverlets + blanket 16.00
4 framed chains 1.00
1 skillet + lid .75
1 fire shovel .25
5 knives + 5 forks ?.??

Given under our hands the 17 day of May AD 1825

Samuel Terrell
Elias Cox
Samuel Amos"

 

[Cumpston1862]

This is a list of people who appear to owe money to the estate of William Garrett as of May 17, 1825 by hand of Elihu Hiatt- Justice of the Peace

George Garrett $ 77.00
Robert D. Milner 53.70
Tiry Garrett 30.00
Barton Terry 40.00
John Bolt 26.50 (This maybe William Garrett's father in law as he is supposed to have married a Minnie Bolt)
Frederick Thurman 12.74
Joe Capps 5.18-3/4
John Star 4.00
William McKinney 2.57
Sam Littler 4.37-3/4
John Garrett 62.14
Thomas Thurman 13.60
Phillip Thurman 2.81
William Darnil 7.90
Thomas Berry 2.87-1/2
Aaron Thurman 3.00

 

[Littlestown]

Leesburg Monthly Meeting ~ Fairfield (Highland County)

Old Fairfield Meetinghouse & Graveyard

http://qugenswohio.blogspot.com/2005/10/leesburg-monthly-meeting-fairfield.html

 

[Littlestown]

I wonder if this site http://www.swohioresearch.com might offer any leads for you? Or this one? http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~quakers/index.htm

 

[Northern Light]

You cannot assume that there would be no inventory if the wife was still alive. Depending on the laws in place and age at (his) death she may have already been provided for by informal agreement, ie; provision made for her to live with a daughter or son. The inventory might have been made to divide the real property and goods among children who had not already been provided for earlier by deed or gift of land to establish themselves.. Something to keep in mind.

 

[Cumpston1862]

You cannot assume that there would be no inventory if the wife was still alive. Depending on the laws in place and age at (his) death she may have already been provided for by informal agreement, ie; provision made for her to live with a daughter or son. The inventory might have been made to divide the real property and goods among children who had not already been provided for earlier by deed or gift of land to establish themselves.. Something to keep in mind.

Interesting points. I must confess I have not gone through the 40 some pages of William Garrett's probate/estate settling as throughly as I could or should have. His wife is not mentioned at all even when there is a distribution of items to the children. William Garrett is supposed to have had a large family but off hand there only about 5-6 children mentioned in the documents. In fact even though William Garrett appears to have passed away in March/April 1825 some of the accounts are not settled until 1829.