My great-great-great grandmother, Elizabeth (Garee) Haver, was the daughter of Joseph and Margaret (Cochran) Garee who spent most of their later life in Jennings Township, Van Wert County, Ohio, where Joseph was a cooper. They came to this area from Tuscarawas County, Ohio in the mid 1850s, probably in the company of the Jacob and Isaac Haver families.
Joseph Garee was born on 13 January 1800 in Pennsylvania.[1] One record states that he was born in Yorkville, Pennsylvania.[2] The city of York, seat of York County in eastern Pennsylvania, was once known as Yorkville. Other aspects of this narrative (a biography of Joseph’s grandson, Solomon Arnold) are suspect, so this information is not necessarily reliable. Census records, below, confirm his birth in Pennsylvania. His link to father, John Garee, is confirmed by the abovementioned history as well as residence of John Garee with Joseph’s daughter in 1850.[3]
Margaret (Cochran) Garee was born on 20 May 1802 in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. This is based on her age at death on 13 Aug 1886 as 84y, 2m, 24d, as indicated in her death notice in the Van Wert Times announcement of her death.[4] This differs from her death record, which was filed almost a year later, with the age listed as 84y, 3m, 16d. The death record lists her father as John Cothrun, mother as unknown.[5] Another potential birthdate is 18 May 1802, which may have come from a Bible record.[6] The 1880 census indicates that Margaret was born in Pennsylvania, her father in Scotland, and her mother in Virginia.[7] It does not appear that Margaret was directly related to the large Cochran families of Allen County, Ohio.
Census records indicate that Joseph and Margaret were living in Pennsylvania in 1826 at time of birth of eldest daughter, Martha.[8] By 1828, they were living in Virginia at time of birth of daughter, Sarah.[9] They were probably living in Henry County, Virginia at the time of the 1830 census.[10] This seems to align with the census-recorded birth of second daughter and possibly third daughter, Elizabeth. Joseph is listed as Joseph Gear and is listed next to John Gear. All ages seem to match what we know of the Garee family. Records of the Murphy family (see below) also indicate that the Garees moved to Virginia.[11]
By 1832, Joseph and Margaret were living in Ohio at time of birth of daughter , Rosanna.[12] In 1840 they were living in Union Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio.[13] Joseph is listed as Joseph Gray and was employed in agriculture. In 1850 they were living in Clay Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio.[14] Joseph’s occupation is listed as cooper. Both Joseph (aged 50) and Margaret (aged 48) were born in Pennsylvania. Both were able to read and write.
In the mid 1850s, they moved to Van Wert County, Ohio. In 1860, Joseph and Margaret were living in Jennings Township, Van Wert County, Ohio, with son Roseanna Garee Walter and family.[15] Joseph was aged 60, born Pennsylvania. Margaret was 58, born Pennsylvania. His occupation was carpenter. On 10 September 1867 Joseph Garee wrote his will, giving to each of his children $2, with remainder of estate passing to his son, Henry Garee, provided that he cares for Joseph and Margaret for the remainder of their life. [16]
In 1870, Joseph and Margaret were living in Jennings Township, Van Wert County, Ohio, near son Henry and family and Trippy family.[17] Joseph died on 13 April 1879 in Jennings Township, Van Wert County, Ohio.[18] On 21 April 1879, Joseph’s 1867 will is entered into Probate Court in Van Wert by Henry Garee.[19]
Margaret Garee appears on 1880 Census of Jennings Township with son Henry Garee and family.[20] She died on 13 August 1886 in Jennings Township, Van Wert County, Ohio at the age of 84 years, 2 months, 24 days. The cause of death is old age.[21]
Children of Joseph and Margaret (Cochran) Garee
The Ancestry of Joseph Garee
It seems certain that John Garee was the father of Joseph, based on the recollections of Solomon Arnold as well as the appearance of John Garee with Martha Garee Fackler’s family in 1850.
We know from the 1850 census that John was born about 1775 in New Jersey[22] He appeared next to Joseph on the 1830 census of Henry County, Virginia.[23] He is listed as John Gear and as head of a large household. In 1840, he is resident in Mill Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio in 1840, alone, aged 60-70.[24]
Beyond this, we can speculate that John Garee is the same person as the younger of two John Garees who lived in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. This younger John Garee likely married Martha, daughter of Henry and Susannah (Foster) Murphy who were early settlers of Fayette County, coming from New Jersey.[25] Several members of the Murphy family went south into Virginia about the time the Garee’s appear there. The Murphys and Garees appear on censuses together throughout this period.
In 1790, a John Gairy appears on the 1790 census of Washington Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Listing includes 3 males 16 and over, 2 males under 16, and 3 females. Henry Murphy appears in the same township. In 1794 a John Gary patented land on which a mill was built near Redstone in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. John Gary operated the mill. [26] A John Gary was also listed as among the original landholders of Franklin Township, owning 9 acres.[27]
In 1800 a John Gery appears on the 1800 census of Redstone Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania.[28] The listing includes 1 male under 10, 1 male 26-45, 1 female 16-26. In 1810 a John Gary is living in Washington Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. He is listed on same page as Henry and John Murphy and Isaac Briggs (who married Henry Murphy’s daughter, Mary).[29] In 1820 a John Garee is living in Washington Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Both a John Garee Senior and a John Garee Junior are listed immediately above Henry Murphy and John Murphy.[30] The ages indicate that John Garee senior would be older than the John Garee born around 1775.
Tentative Conclusions
It appears certain that Joseph Garee was the son of John Garee of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. It seems quite likely that John Garee is the same man who married Martha Murphy, daughter of Henry and Susannah (Foster) Murphy of Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
It is possible that the John Garee who married Martha Murphy is himself the son of a John Garee Sr., also of Fayette County, Pennsylvania. A Sarah Garee, wife of John, is buried in a cemetery near Redstone, Pennsylvania. She died 15 May 1800, aged 58 years.[31] This may be the wife of John Garee Senior and the mother of John Garee who married Martha Murphy.
What Remains to be done
Will records in Tuscarawas County, Ohio (John Garee Jr.) and in Fayette County, Pennsylvania (John Garee Sr.) may shed light on this family. Further research on the Murphy family’s migrations to Virginia may also assist.
Although Margaret (Cochran) Garee is listed as the daughter of John Cochran on her death record, she has not yet been tied into the Cochran families of Western Pennsylvania.
References
[1] Records of Pierre Haver, 14 Apr 1994. Original information from Eleanor Walters Treece, 1993.
[2] Miller, Charles, Ed. History of Allen County, Ohio and Representative Citizens. Chicago: Richmond and Arnold, 1906.
[3] 1850 Census of York Twp, Tuscarawas Co, OH, p. 15A.
[4] Van Wert Times, 20 Aug 1886. “DIED – Grandmother Garee died at her daughter’s, August 13th, aged 84 years, 2 months and 24 days. The funeral was preached by Rev. Holland, of Spencerville.”
[5] Death Records of Van Wert County, Ohio, Volume 1. Recorded 1 Jun 1887.
[6] Records of Pierre Haver, 14 Apr 1994. Original information from Eleanor Walters Treece, 1993.
[7] 1880 Census of Jennings Twp, Van Wert Co, OH, p. 502.
[8] 1850 Census of York Twp, Tuscarawas Co, OH, p. 15A, etc.
[9] 1830 Census of Rush Twp, Tuscarawas Co, OH, p. 130B, etc.
[10] 1830 Census of Henry Co, VA, p. 192.
[11] A. Kerezy. Posting on Braxton Co, WV forum on ancestry.com. 28 Dec 2006. http://boards.ancestry.com/thread.aspx?mv=flat&m=2567&p=localities.northam.usa.states.westvirginia.counties.braxton
[12] 1860 Census of Jennings Twp, Van Wert Co, OH, p. 405, etc.
[13] 1840 Census of Union Twp, Tuscarawas Co, OH, p.
[14] 1850 Census of Clay Twp, Tuscarawas Co, OH, pp. 149-150.
[15] 1860 Census of Jennings Twp, Van Wert Co, OH, p. 405.
[16] Van Wert County, Ohio Probate Court. Record of Wills. Vol 2, p. 404.
[17] 1870 Census of Jennings Twp, Van Wert Co, OH, p. 286B.
[18] Records of Pierre Haver, 14 Apr 1994. Original information from Eleanor Walters Treece, 1993. Although it does not give a death date, the obituary that appears in the Van Wert Times on 9 May 1879 under “Jennings News” indicates that “A few weeks ago the remains of Mr. Jos. Garee, one of the oldest, if not the oldest citizen of our township, were deposited in their last resting place. Mr Garee was seventy-nine years and three months old at the time of his death. His trade was that of cooper, which he followed up to a short time previous to his death.”
[19] Van Wert County, Ohio Probate Court. Record of Wills. Vol 2, p. 404.
[20] 1880 Census of Jennings Twp, Van Wert Co, OH, p. 502.
[21] Death Records of Van Wert County, Ohio, Volume 1. Recorded 1 Jun 1887; age drawn from Van Wert Times, 20 Aug 1886.
[22] 1850 Census of York Twp, Tuscarawas Co, OH, p. 15A.
[23] 1830 Census of Henry Co, VA, p. 192.
[24] 1840 Census of Mill Twp, Tuscarawas Co, OH.
[25] Will of Henry Murphy. Fayette County, Pennsylvania. 1826. Lists daughter Martha, wife of John Garee.
[26] Ellis, Franklin, Ed. History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co., 1882., p. 730.
[27] Ibid., p. 554.
[28] 1800 Census of Redstone Twp, Fayette Co, PA, p. 576.
[29] 1810 Census of Washington Twp, Fayette Co, PA, p. 1014 ½ .
[30] 1820 Census of Washington Twp, Fayette Co, PA, p. 115.
[31] Cemetery records of Little Redstone M. E. Church. http://files.usgwarchives.org/pa/fayette/cemeteries/lrsme001.txt.
