John Blankenbaker's Germanna History Notes

Note 2136

[Continuing the discussion of the family of James Wesley Garr and Lourena Wilhoit.]

This family moved, at some time between 1850 and 1870, from Virginia to Indiana, where they appear in the 1870 census (Delaware County, Niles Township, Monroe Post Office, reel M 593, roll 310, p.12):

James Garr	59
Lourena	53
Malinda J.	34
Jonas F.	29
William	25
Henry W.	22
Felix J.	18
Laura	16
Alonzo	13
Emily C.	10
Lucetta E.	6

The marriage certificate for James and Lourena is in Madison Co., VA, and is dated 22 Sept 1835.  Her mother, Mary (X) Wilhoit, gave her permission.  The death certificate for Lourena is in Niles Township, Delaware Co., IN:  "Date of Birth is December 8, 1817; Date of death is August 16, 1905; widow; Father is unknown; Mother is Mary Wilhoit; Information by W. D. Garr."

The identity of James Wesley Garr who married Lourena Wilhoit has not been resolved.  An individual of this name with the specified birthday and a wife of Lourena is not in the " Garr Genealogy ".  Considering the location of Madison County and the name Garr, there can hardly be any doubt that this is a descendant of Andreas Garr who did not make it into the family record.  I have looked through the book but I can’t find a likely place to put the man.  Perhaps his father and mother are also missing.

I also know that the family of a great-grandmother of mine, Mary Garr Finks, who married Julius Blankenbeker, is rather badly done in the book.  The point of this recent series talking about the " Garr Genealogy " is that it does contain errors.  Like all printed material, it is not to be trusted, but used only as a guide.  The current feature article on Burga on www.germanna.com shows that thousands of people have been misled by the " Garr Genealogy " in calling the wife of John Wilhoit, son of the immigrant Michael Willheit, as Margaret (Peggy).
(01 Jul 05)