Descendants of Leonard Garrett
Generation No. 1
1. LEONARD1 GARRETT was born Abt. 1759 in Maryland, and died February 01, 1826 in Missouri. He married MARGARET GOVER September 23, 1784 in Wet Sleeve Presbyterian Church, Callands, Virginia, daughter of JOHN GOVER and ELIZABETH DUVALL. She was born Abt. 1760 in Prince George Co., Maryland, and died in South Carolina or Missouri.
Children of LEONARD GARRETT and MARGARET GOVER are:
2. i. WESLEY2 GARRETT, b. April 29, 1785, Pittsylvania Co., VA; d. May 24, 1861, Clarksville, Johnson Co., AR.
ii. JOHN GARRETT, b. 1788.
iii. NANCY GARRETT, b. January 03, 1790.
iv. HENRY GARRETT, b. 1792.
v. ELIZABETH GARRETT, b. 1793.
vi. WILLIAM THOMAS GARRETT, b. November 07, 1794.
Generation No. 2
2. WESLEY2 GARRETT (LEONARD1) was born April 29, 1785 in Pittsylvania Co., VA, and died May 24, 1861 in Clarksville, Johnson Co., AR. He married ELIZABETH COBB July 31, 1807 in Pendleton Dist., Anderson Co., South Carolina. She died March 05, 1828 in Saint Francois Co., Missouri.
Children of WESLEY GARRETT and ELIZABETH COBB are:
i. GEORGE WASHINGTON3 GARRETT, b. May 05, 1808, South Carolina; d. September 11, 1854, Johnson Co., Arkansas; m. ELIZABETH DENNIS ELAM, December 24, 1829; b. November 25, 1809, Kentucky; d. December 25, 1875, Johnson Co., Arkansas.
3. ii. LEONARD JEFFERSON GARRETT, b. June 16, 1810, Pendleton Dist., Anderson Co., South Carolina; d. September 18, 1886, Johnson Co., Arkansas.
iii. WILLIAM COBB GARRETT, b. January 01, 1812.
iv. WILSON MADISON GARRETT, b. November 27, 1814.
Generation No. 3
3. LEONARD JEFFERSON3 GARRETT (WESLEY2, LEONARD1) was born June 16, 1810 in Pendleton Dist., Anderson Co., South Carolina, and died September 18, 1886 in Johnson Co., Arkansas. He married ELIZABETH LOGAN DUNIVAN March 03, 1836 in Johnson Co., AR Territory (Arkansas became a state in Nov 1836. She died Bet. 1880 - 1886 in Johnson Co., Arkansas.
Notes for LEONARD JEFFERSON GARRETT:
In the 1850 city of Clarksville, Johnson Co., Spadra Township census 2nd day of November, Leonard Jefferson Garrett was listed as 40 years of age and as a Blacksmith. In 1880 census of the above he was listed as a 69 year old farmer living with his wife and grandson, John Wilson Eily (Ely).
Children of LEONARD GARRETT and ELIZABETH DUNIVAN are:
i. SARAH JANE4 GARRETT.
4. ii. MARY CATHERINE GARRETT, b. February 04, 1837, Clarksville, Johnson Co., AR; d. September 1869, Texas.
iii. WESLEY CYRUS GARRETT, b. 1842.
iv. JENNETTA E. GARRETT, b. 1844.
v. GEORGE W. GARRETT, b. 1847.
vi. DOROTHY ANN GARRETT, b. 1850.
Generation No. 4
4. MARY CATHERINE4 GARRETT (LEONARD JEFFERSON3, WESLEY2, LEONARD1)1,2 was born February 04, 1837 in Clarksville, Johnson Co., AR3,4, and died September 1869 in Texas. She married (1) CHARLES D. ELY5,6 December 02, 1852 in Clarksville, Johnson Co., AR, son of THOMAS ELY and ISABEL SHACKLEFORD. He was born October 28, 1830 in VA -- he was on the 1850 Virginia census, and died 1864 in Poison Springs, AR. She married (2) JOHN C. SIMPSON 1864. He was born December 31, 1829, and died August 1869.
Notes for MARY CATHERINE GARRETT:
Mary Catherine Garrett Ely married John C. Simpson after the death of her first husband in the Civil War. This couple had two children and Mary was expecting another child when John Simpson was shot and killed by Sarah Minerva Ely's boyfriend. (Sarah Minerva was Mary's eldest daughter)
Mary died a month later along with the child she was expecting. Mary and Charles' four youngest children were sent to live with their Garrett Grandparents, Leonard and Elizabeth, in Clarksville, Arkansas. The two Simpson children were raised by the Simpson relatives. The two parts of the family must have kept in touch, because Amanda (Maud) and Samuel were both mentioned as heirs in Leonard Garrett's will along with Mary E. Lavinia Isabell, and Artemesia Elizabeth (a.k.a. Arta, Artie, Missy) Sarah Minerva was not mentioned.
Notes for CHARLES D. ELY:
Charles D. Ely joined the Thirtieth Texas Cavalry which was organized during the summer of 1862 at Waco, Texas. The unit was one of three Texas units which was also known as the First Texas Partisan Rangers. "G" company was organized of men from Comanche and Erath Counties. Like almost all Civil War units, the Thirtieth Texas Cavalry was often known by an alternate designation derived from the name of its commanding officer. Charles Ely was in G. W. Goodrich's Cavalry. the regiment served primarily in the Indian Territory during its career, but it also saw service in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. The list below shows the specific higher command assignments of the regiment.
Aug 5, 1802 Garrison, Waco, Texas, District of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, Trans-Mississippi Dept.
Dec 19, 1862 Attached, district of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, Trans-Mississippi Department.
April 23, 1862 Attached, sub-Military District of Eastern Texas, District of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, Trans-Mississippi Department.
July 11, 1863 Attached Northern Sub-District of Texas, District of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, Trans-Mississippi Dept.
Oct 6, 1863 cooper's Brigade, District of the Indian Territory, Trans-Miss Dept.
April 18, 1864, Killed in Battle of Poison Springs, Arkansas.
Notes for JOHN C. SIMPSON:
John C. Simpson was murdered in August of 1869, supposedly by a boyfriend of one of the older daughters -- Probably Belle's. About a month later Mary Catherine Garret Ely Simpson died in Sept of 1869
Children of MARY GARRETT and CHARLES ELY are:
i. SARAH MINERVA5 ELY, b. December 29, 1853.
5. ii. MARY E. ELY, b. February 14, 1855, Arkansas.
iii. LAVINA ISABELL ELY7,8, b. September 03, 1857, Arkansas; m. J.C. HENDRIX9,10, August 11, 1878, Johnson Co., AR Territory; b. Abt. 1839.
iv. JOHN WILSON ELY11,12, b. February 29, 1860.
6. v. ARTEMECIA ELY, b. June 07, 1862, On a river bank near DeLeon, (Dublin) Erath Co., TX; d. August 29, 1938, Tulia, Swisher Co., TX.
Children of MARY GARRETT and JOHN SIMPSON are:
7. vi. AMANDA CAROLINE5 SIMPSON, b. December 31, 1865; d. Love Grove, Love Co., Oklahoma.
vii. SAMUEL T. SIMPSON, b. April 1867.
Generation No. 5
5. MARY E.5 ELY (MARY CATHERINE4 GARRETT, LEONARD JEFFERSON3, WESLEY2, LEONARD1)13,14 was born February 14, 1855 in Arkansas. She married CHARLES MILLER15,16 in Eureka Springs, Johnson Co., Arkansas.
Children of MARY ELY and CHARLES MILLER are:
i. LOY6 MILLER.
ii. FLOY MILLER.
6. ARTEMECIA5 ELY (MARY CATHERINE4 GARRETT, LEONARD JEFFERSON3, WESLEY2, LEONARD1)17,18 was born June 07, 1862 in On a river bank near DeLeon, (Dublin) Erath Co., TX19,20, and died August 29, 1938 in Tulia, Swisher Co., TX. She married JAMES WILLEY21,22,23 December 24, 1879 in Johnson Co., Arkansas23,24,25, son of EDWARD WILLEY and MARTHA MCCRACKEN. He was born November 02, 1857 in Olany, Wayne Co., Illinois25,26,27, and died June 12, 1937 in Big Springs, TX28,29,30.
Notes for ARTEMECIA ELY:
Nancy was known variously as Arta, Artie, and Missy, and was rarely referred to as Nancy. She has been reported to have been born in Dublin, TX., but her youngest daughter Nancy Kathryn Willey (Cassie) reported that her mother was born on a riverbank near DeLeon TX. DeLeon and Dublin are within approximately 10 miles of each other in Comanche Co., TX.
Family traditions vary. Undoubtedly as time passes stories related by individual family members become confused and tangled -- often seemingly contradictory -- which makes it difficult for later generations to untangle. Generally speaking if the whole story was known all the pieces would fall into place. Unfortunately we must work in reverse -- trying to make what seem to be unrelated pieces fit together in an intelligible order -- to "know" the whole story.
Both "Cassie" Willey McKinney and her older sister, Mary Bell (Maxine) Willey Lindsey DeSelle, said that their mother was adopted. This adoption however has not yet been proven. The reported adoption was for some reason an embarrassment to Mary Bell, who often told her own two daughters that she hoped no one ever tried to research her family history. This reluctance, in and of itself, makes little sense. A few years later I was interviewing one of Grandfather's sisters, Minnie Maud Lindsey "Aunt Maud" and another unverifiable but interesting clue was added to the puzzle. The Lindsey children Maud, Mira (Mickie) and Oda John (Jack) grew up with the Willeys and Maud was a close friend to Mary Belle as well as the others. Maud told me during the course of this interview that Artie was "found" on a Riverbank and taken in by the Elys. She also said that there was speculation she "had some Indian" in her. Maud's relating of this information was matter of fact. She also told me at that time that Grandmother had run away from home to marry Jack, Maud's brother. This I was able to verify with other relatives. It has been suggested that perhaps, Mary Garrett Ely's second husband adopted the other children, but since the girls did not take the Simpson name, this seems unlikely.
But what about this so called adoption? While it is obvious from photos of Artie and her sisters that there was little physical resemblance between the siblings, this is not uncommon among in any family. It is worth noting, however, that from at least the seventeenth century on and well into the twentieth, there has been a racist attitude and mutual distrust between Anglos and the indigenous population. It has only been in the mid to late twentieth century that it has become popular, even desirable, to claim Indian heritage. No doubt many things which we consider common places today were looked at with an entirely different sensibility decades ago. There are most assuredly many such facts that will never come to light. Still, in the case of our Artimesia there can only be speculation. Perhaps a little mystery, even if in the end unjustified, is not to be overcome.
Addendum: Another claim is that Artie saw her father murdered by Indians. This does not match with the facts of his death in the Battle of Poison Springs. Could Sarah Minerva's boyfriend who killed Mr. Simpson have been Indian? That too seems unlikely but possible. Was it Mr. Simpson that Artie saw killed?
Notes for JAMES WILLEY:
James and Artimesia were living near Clarksville, Arkansas in 1883, on land acquired from Leonard Garrett, when a tornado destroyed their house. They then moved to the Huntsville area of Arkansas.
James was a circuit riding Methodist minister.
Children of ARTEMECIA ELY and JAMES WILLEY are:
i. SAMUEL MONROE6 WILLEY30,31, b. September 21, 1880, Clarksville, AR; d. May 1948, Shafter, CA; m. (1) ROSIE LITTLE; m. (2) MARTHA VIRGINIA ANN ARMSTRONG, Abt. 1921; b. August 28, 1887, Huntsville, AR; d. January 27, 1966, Bakersfield, CA.
More About SAMUEL MONROE WILLEY:
Burial: Shafter cemetery
More About MARTHA VIRGINIA ANN ARMSTRONG:
Burial: Shafter cemetery
ii. MARTHA WILLEY32,33,34, b. October 08, 1882, Arkansas; d. TX; m. (1) WILLIAM EDWARD EVERETT34,35; m. (2) THOMAS JEFFERSON ARMSTRONG36,37, Abt. 1902.
Notes for WILLIAM EDWARD EVERETT:
Died two months after his marriage to Martha Willey by falling off of a horse. He reportedly jammed his spine.
iii. GROVER CLEVELAND WILLEY38,39,40, b. November 04, 1884; d. Abt. 1964; m. ROSA WAID, December 24, 1907.
Notes for GROVER CLEVELAND WILLEY:
According to Crawford Kiker, son of Ada Willey, Grover Cleveland Willey was his full name, but he preferred to go by "Cleve." My own mother Nina Lindsey Carlson Martin, and her sister Marie Lindsey Perman always referred to this uncle as Cleve.
Both Mary Belle Willey and her sister Cassie also referred to this older brother as Cleve.
iv. CHARLES B. WILLEY41,42,43, b. December 12, 1886; m. MARGARET MAY JONES, August 10, 1915, Ardmore OK; b. November 26, 1892, Ranger, Eastland Co., TX; d. December 30, 1977, Los Alamitos, CA.
v. JAMES EDWARD WILLEY, b. December 14, 1888; m. STELLA WILLEY.
Notes for STELLA WILLEY:
Stella's last name is reported as Willey. This may have been a mistake, but more likely she was from another Willey family line.
vi. NELLIE WILLEY44,45,46, b. February 21, 1891; d. Watsonville, CA; m. JAMES LAFAYETTE POLK.
Notes for NELLIE WILLEY:
Nellie has known grandchildren are Jack Polk and Evanell Polk (?). I do not know if these children are William's or James's.
vii. ADA LETITIA WILLEY47,48,49, b. August 17, 1893, Arkansas; d. April 01, 1974, Tulia, TX; m. AUDRY SCHLEY KIKER49,50, 1918; b. February 05, 1898, En route from Atlanta, GA to Swisher Co., TX (Throckmorton, TX); d. February 17, 1977, Tulia, TX.
Notes for AUDRY SCHLEY KIKER:
A.S. Kiker was known as "Sly." Audrey Schley Kiker.
viii. LYDIA E. WILLEY51,52,53, b. January 07, 1896; m. (1) HUGH MCKINNEY53,54, Abt. 1918; m. (2) JAMES WATT KIKER55,56, September 1927; b. Abt. 1866.
Notes for JAMES WATT KIKER:
According to Irene Kiker Gardener Luther Carrico, daughter of Lydia and James, by the time Frank was born, James was 70 years old. The income tax people came out to the farm and questioned him. Of course he was Irate!
ix. ARTIE MILLIE WILLEY57,58,59, b. August 12, 1898; m. (1) IVEY GOODWIN; m. (2) ODA JOHN FRANCIS LINDSEY60,61, Bet. 1940 - 1945; b. August 23, 1892, Sherman, Grayson County, TX62,63; d. February 29, 1988, Verteran's Home in Port Orchard, WA64,65.
x. BABY BOY WILLEY, b. June 10, 1901.
Notes for BABY BOY WILLEY:
Born and died June 10, 1891.
xi. MARY-BELLE WILLEY66,67,68,69, b. September 01, 1902, Arkansas70,71,72,73; d. May 29, 1992, Shohomish, Sno. Co., WA74,75,76,77; m. (1) DAVID A. DESELLE; m. (2) ODA JOHN FRANCIS LINDSEY78,79, December 19, 192080,81; b. August 23, 1892, Sherman, Grayson County, TX82,83; d. February 29, 1988, Verteran's Home in Port Orchard, WA84,85.
Notes for MARY-BELLE WILLEY:
Mary Belle Willey Lindsey DeSelle changed her first name to Maxine somewhere between her marriage to Jack Lindsey and her marriage to David A. DeSelle.
xii. NANCY KATHRYNE WILLEY86,87,88, b. January 29, 1905; m. ALBERT AUTRY MCKINNEY88,89.
Notes for ALBERT AUTRY MCKINNEY:
Albert Autry McKinney went by the name of "Dutch." He was Uncle Dutch to all the cousins.
7. AMANDA CAROLINE5 SIMPSON (MARY CATHERINE4 GARRETT, LEONARD JEFFERSON3, WESLEY2, LEONARD1) was born December 31, 1865, and died in Love Grove, Love Co., Oklahoma. She married JEPTHA LORENZO DOW JONES, son of WILLIAM JONES and SARAH DANIEL. He was born December 10, 1854 in Georgia, and died December 23, 1921 in Wilson, OK.
Children of AMANDA SIMPSON and JEPTHA JONES are:
i. JULIA EDNA6 JONES, b. October 18, 1884.
ii. CHARLES L. JONES, b. January 01, 1887; d. January 19, 1987.
iii. JIM DEE JONES, b. December 12, 1887, Eastland Co., TX (near the towns of Ranger and Eastland); d. August 18, 1969, AZ; m. KATE JEWELL TUCKER, August 31, 1911.
More About JIM DEE JONES:
Burial: Rest Haven Cemetery, Glendale, AZ
iv. MINNIE LEE JONES, b. November 01, 1890, Gorman, Eastland Co., TX; d. August 08, 1961, Vincent, Howard Co., TX; m. JESSE SMITH BLACKFORD, July 27, 1910, Vincent, Howard Co., TX.
v. SAM JONES, b. November 03, 1896; d. December 24, 1946.
vi. WILLIAM HOLLICE JONES, b. July 15, 1899; d. January 04, 1919.
vii. GEORGE HENRY JONES, b. April 08, 1905; d. November 21, 1964.
viii. ROBERT KNOX JONES, b. October 06, 1907; d. January 10, 1967.
ix. MARGARET MAY JONES, b. November 26, 1892, Ranger, Eastland Co., TX; d. December 30, 1977, Los Alamitos, CA; m. CHARLES B. WILLEY90,91,92, August 10, 1915, Ardmore OK; b. December 12, 1886.