Individual Details

Was the father of Enoch Garner and siblings a Henry? He wasn't the following Henrys are are often mixed together and cited as his father. A Henry Garner who is said to have married a Nancy Poole (Nancy Van Pool) has no proof cited for such a marriage and none of the databases claiming Nancy Poole have documentation for her.

A Henry Garner and wife who was Nancy, perhaps Nancy Poole, are often seen as the parents of these Garners, it was certainly not the same Henry Garner of Hardin Co TN who applied for his Revolutionary pension. That Henry was born in Rowan Co, North Carolina, in 1760, did live for a time in Wayne Co, Kentucky, but a court case in 1851 concerning the sale of his land for the benefit of his nine heirs, proves that he had a very different family, see later. However, a power of attorney from a son,in the Pension file says that the son's mother was Nancy who died in 1819. Henry himself lived until 1835 and he seems to have married a second time to an Elizabeth "Betsy".

The Pension, R3919, was Rejected. Henry Garner deposed on 16 Dec 1834, Hardin Co TN. He was then aged about 75 [or born 1759]. He was born in Rowan Co, NC in 1760 as he believes. He served in the Revolution in 1780 and was hired by 16 men to serve. He entered as a volunteer under Capt. Peter Hetrick & Col Haynes. They marched to Charleston, then held by the British, and marched back to Salisbury, then to the state of Virginia where he was discharged. He served not less than 18 months. He was a drafted soldier in 1781, Rowan Co NC under Capt Frederick Smith & Col. Hayes - they were marched to Deep River & joined Gen. John Butler and then to within 20 miles of Wilmington, NC. They went to Cross Creek, NC and he was discharged. He feels certain he served not less than 6 months. He has no documentary evidence nor knows of no person whose Testimony he can procure. He resided in Rowan Co two years after the revolution, then moved to Virginia where he lived about 8 years, then to Kentucky for about three months, then to East Tennessee for three years; then back to Kentucky where he lived for 24 years before moving to Hardin Co TN where he now lives. He signed with his mark. Charles B. Neilson and Bowan Davy, his neighbors, testified to his age and veracity.
There is a power of attorney in the Pension File, dated 1 Nov 1852. John F. Garner age 64, is one of the heirs of Henry Garner, a Revolutionary soldier of North Carolina who died 17 Oct 1835. His mother, Nancy Garner, died in 1819. To the best of his information they were married in 1783 in North Carolina. They resided in Tennessee at their deaths. Garner authorizes F. E. Hassler of Washington DC, his attorney to obtain any pension or land. Signed John F. Garner for all the heirs of Henry Garner.

Hardin Co TN Court Minutes, Book F, p.125
1 Dec 1581.
John F. Garner, Robert McMahan, Sally Brown, Leah Eades, Harriet Garner, dau of Peggy Garner dec'd
vs
David Garner, Gabriel D. Garner, Polly Decker, formerly Nancy Garner, dau of Peggy Garner, dec'd. Henry G. Garner in his own right and as guardian of Joshua & James Garner.
Petition to sell land. The parties to the petition are the children & representation of Henry Garner, dec'd. The tract contains only 55 acres and there are nine heirs to divide it. It was ordered the land be sold to the highest bidder.
Although other papers in the court minutes state they are nine heirs, it is impossible to determine if that was nine children, including deceased children, or if it included the heirs of the deceased children, since one cannot tell for sure which is which. It is possible that Joshua and James who required a guardian were sons of a second wife Elizabeth. who by now was also deceased. Since the father Henry had died in 1835, the boys would be at least 16 by 1851 - but they could still require a guardian.

Another problem with the pensioner Henry is his birth as 1760 - if that was accurate as he testified, he would have been only 19 when Enoch was born. Possible, but a little young for the norm.


There is another Henry Garner who is said to have married a Nancy Poole. They are buried in a family cemetery in Pickens Co, SC. This Henry said to have been born 18 Sep 1773 in Randolph Co NC and died 23 Nov 1843 in South Carolina. Nancy, wife, was born 1776, died 1851. Two of the daughters, Mary Garner Boggs and Ruhama Garner Neighbors are also said buried in this cemetery.


What I have found about the Garner siblings and why they are place here together follows.

I have grouped these siblings shown here together partly on the bases of the following:
Moses Trader Shepherd's life story compiled by Bliss Brimley in the
Moses Trader Shepherd Family Organization Newletter, June 1978:
"...Some of Nancy's brothers, Job, Henry, James, and Enoch Garner also
were early settlers in Delaware Co., Ind, Job Garner having been appointed
guardian of the minor children of Nancy Adamson..."
Note: I have added Vincent who was not named in the above, but was certainly present near Enoch in Wayne Co IN and Enoch named his youngest son Vincent. Vincent named sons Henry and Enoch. Vincent did not settle in Delaware Co.
There also seem to have been sisters.


There is a deed, 23 Oct 1822, in Wayne Co KY, from a Henry Garner and his wife Betsey of Hardin Co TN, to Vincent Garner of Wayne Co KY - the land was in Wayne Co. The parcel contained 20 acres and was on both sides of Beaver Creek, bounded Wm. Smith's line, and was sold for $50. The deed was acknowledged the same day by Henry Garner and wife Elizabeth relinquished her dower rights. This is land owned by the Rev War Henry above. This is probably not the Vincent Garner later in Wayne Co, IN, but that cannot be ruled out.
Another Vincent Garner? Pulaski Co KY. 9 Oct 1837 - Thomas Hansford Sr of Lincoln Co, KY sold to John Evans Jr. of Pulaski Co for $20 paid by Vincent Garner and bond executed by Hansfrod to Garner 25 Feb 1834, binding Hansford to convey the land to Garner which afterwards was assigned to Squire Denham and then to John Evans Jr. by Denham. 25 or 30 acres in Pulaski on Pitman's Creek, a residue of land Hansford bough of Bob Morris. Geings on Garners Springs Brach running with lines of Singleton and William Hansford. Signed, Thomas Hansford, SR. Wit: T. Hansford, K. Gossett. 12 Jan 1849 proved by K. Gosset and on 3 Feb by Thomas Hansford Jr. Recorded 3 Feb 1849. [Pulaski KY DB 13, p 536-537]

The above Revolutionary soldier Henry Garner is in the 1830 census in Hardin Co - a Hardin Co history shows he was there about 1820.
However there was also a Henry Garner in Wayne Co KY in 1830:
1830 Census. Wayne Co KY
Henry Garner: 2m 5-10, 2m 10-15, 1m 30-40 [more of an age to be a brother to Vincent!] 3f under 5, 1f 5-10,1f 10-15, 1f 15-20, 1f 40-50
David Garner: 1m age 60-70, 1f age 60-70

Still another Henry Garner can be found in Henry Co IN, 1830, along with Job Garner.

By 1830, Vincent was in Wayne Co IN, living near Enoch Garner.

Land patents in Indiana, Madison & Delaware County, beginning about 1834, can be found for these Garner brothers.
There is also a patent dated 14 Nov 1830, to Archibald Garner of Franklin Co IN, for the East half of the NE 1/4, Section 33, T 18, R 6 - 80 acres. Land listed as being in Madison Co IN.


I have found one record suggestive of an older Henry Garner with wife named Nancy that could have given impetus to these as parents of the Garner siblings. However, this same record suggests that the older man, who might have been a Henry, was deceased before the 1820 census. He cannot be the Henry Garner from Rowan Co NC because he lived until 1835.

In 1820, some of the family was apparently listed as "Gardner" in Wayne Co IN.
On the same page:
Henry Gardner, 3 males under 1, 1m 26-45. 1f 5-10, 1f 16-26
one household - that of Zachariah Stedham and then
Henry crossed out and Nancy Gardner written in: 1m 16-18, 1m 16-26 [could be the same boy]. 1f under 10, 1f 10-16, 1f 16-26, and one female over age 45.
Note: I suspect this is why the assumption has been made that Henry Garner and a Nancy Poole were parents. However, there were other Henrys with wives named Nancy and most have place the younger Garners with them. The other Henrys - one in Hardin Co TN and one in Pickens Co SC who had wives named Nancy both lived until the 1830's.
Job Gardner: 2m under 10, 1m 16-26. 1f 16-26.
Also in Wayne Co was Enoch Gardner, on p.193:
2 males under 10, 1m age 26-45. 1 females under 10. No mark for an older female but the census spans a crease in the page about where a mark would have been made for a female age 26-45. By 1820, Enoch and Elizabeth had 4 children - two sons Edom & George, and two daughters, Rachel & Nancy.

And there was also in Wayne Co, a Labam Gardner who is unidentified as being part of this family. Labam, most likely Laban, had 2 males under 10, himself age 16-26, and 2 females under 10, and one age 16-26. He is certainly the right age to be part of the family, but the family names don't seem to place him there.

Online databases indicate there was a Laban Garner born about 1797 in NC, died 1867. He married Jane Little, 6 Dec 1814, Wayne Co, IN. Children are said to be
Shelby (1816-1901)
Peter (1819-1894)
Charity (1823- )
John (1824-1891)
Hannah (1827-1911) married Thompson
Fanny/Frances (1829-1913 married Smiley
Amelia (1837- )
Sarah (1839-1907)
Laban and Jane are buried King Cemetery, Dallas Co, Iowa.

Additional information about any of these Garner families would be helpful.

It is also true that there is an earlier Garner family that uses the given name Vincent. Some members of this family are definitely associated with the Ratcliffs in an earlier generation. I very much suspect that at least one Garner family came with some of the Ratcliffs to Highland Co, Ohio. Two children of James & Mary (Moon) Garner married into the Ratcliff family - their son John married Eleanor, daughter Amos Ratcliff & Elanor Cashatt; daughter Elizabeth Garner married John Ratcliff, son of Edom Ratcliff & Rachel Cashatt - these marriages likely took place between 1810-1818 just before the families settled in Ohio. James Garner's lineage appears to go back to the early Garners that used the name Vincent, although that name doesn't show up in the Garner line of James. It is also true that the Henry Garner who married Nancy Poole is part of this older Garner family - John Garner who married Susanna Keene is the progenitor. There are just too many coincidences in names and places - the correct link has yet to be discovered.

Spouse	Living
Child	ENOCH Garner (1780 - 1850)
Child	Susannah Garner (1789 - 1867)
Child	Henry Garner (1790 - 1858)
Child	Elizabeth Garner (1792 - 1857)
Child	Vincent Garner (1794 - 1874)
Child	Job Garner (1795 - 1879)
Child	Nancy Garner (1797 - 1860)
Child	James Garner (1800 - 1840)
Child	Lydia Garner (1805 - 1860)

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