Do you have any ‘same name’ struggles in your family tree? If your tree is like mine, you may have several. During 2023, I researched my 4th great grandfather, David Franklin Ralston. In the process, I uncovered a deed that suggests David’s wife, Hannah Barr had a sister named Elizabeth. One of those deeds is between David Ralston and James Barr. The other deed is between James Barr and James Steele.

Since there are two men named James Barr in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania prior to 1820, it is difficult to separate these two men. A Ralston cousin contacted me to see whether I had any other information connecting Elizabeth Steel to James Barr. Unfortunately, I had to tell him that I’ve just barely started researching James Barr and thus I don’t know much more about James Barr.

Thus, more research of James Barr is needed! When you don’t know much about a family, a starting point is needed. For my research of James Barr, I used two starting points. First, we looked at Ancestry’s DNA ThruLines to see if our Ancestry DNA ThruLines showed Elizabeth as a sibling of Hannah Barr Ralston. And we not only found Elizabeth but other potential siblings.

Not only does ThruLines suggest Elizabeth and Nancy as children of James Barr but my brother’s ThruLines also finds a son named John.

When I tried to find Elizabeth Barr [G9KR-LS4] and James Steele [G9KT-M3F] on the FamilySearch tree, it did not show any children. Thus, I turned back to ThruLines to identify potential children of Elizabeth Barr.

So I started trying to document the family of James Steel and his wife, Sarah Reeves. So far, I’ve only researched descendants of one of their 10 children: Margaret Steel.

Margaret Steel married WIlliam Lair Garriott in 1842 in Hancock county, Indiana. It was fairly easy to research their descendants. However, what I was finding for the family of their son, Henry Clay Garriott did not match the family structure shown on the FamilySearch tree. John Wesley Garriott was missing from the family of Henry Clay Garriott and Eliza Anna Newman.

Since John Wesley Garriott was born about 1882 and married before 1900, there isn’t a census record placing him with his parents. This lack of census records might explain why John Wesley Garriott was not connected to his parents. However, there is a wealth of resources linking John Garriott either to his parents or to his sibings.

First, the 1922 obituary of Henry Clay Garriott identifies his living sons.

Mr. Garriott on December 15, 1864, married Miss Eliza A. Newman, of West Virginia, who with nine sons survives him. One son, Walter, was killed accidentally in Wilkinson, August 7, 1882. The sons living are William I., Oliver N. Garriott, of this city; Charles O., Knightstown; Allen, of Indianapolis; Koric and John Wi., of Wilkinson; Homer C., of Kennard; Herbert L. of Columbus, Ohio; and Frank E. Garriott of Muncie

“Veteran of War Passes Away,” The Daily Reporter (Greenfield, Indiana), 10 April 1922, page 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 26 February 2024).

Then, in 1932, the obituary for Charles Garriott identifies living brothers.

Mr. Garriott was one of the originally nine brothers, seven of whom are still living, William I., of Greenfield; Oliver M. of Anderson; Henry A. of Indianapolis; Homer C. of Kennard; Kora C  and John W. of Wilkinson and Herbert L., of Michigan.

“Death Thursday Chas. Garriott,” Greenfield Republican (Greenfield, Indiana), 14 January 1932, page 1; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 29 February 2024).

In 1941, another son of Henry Clay Garriott passed away. Again, his obituary identifies John W. Garriott as a brother.

In 1886 he was united in marriage to Fannie B. Armstrong, who survives him after almost fifty-five years of marital loyalty and happiness. to this marriage, two children were born, Mrs. Ethel New and Lawrence E. Garriott, both of this city and both of whom also survive. The son has been a member of the insurance office partnership of W. I. Garriott & Son for twenty years or more. In addition, there is one grandson Carl G. New, a student at DePauw University and six brothers: Henry A Garriott, of Charlottesville; Korac C. Garriott and John W. Garriott of Wilkinson; Homer C. Garriott, of Kennard; Oliver Garriott, of Anderson, and Herbert Garriott, of Columbus, Ohio.

“Will Garriott Succumbs at 75,” Greenfield Republican (Greenfield, Indiana), 1 May 1941, page 8; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 29 February 2024).

Not only do these obituaries tie John Wesley Garriott to the family of Henry Clay Garriott, but records created at the death of John Wesley Garriott also identify Henry Clay Garriott as his father. First, his obituary idenfies his parents.

Mr. Garriott was born in Warrington, the son of Henry and Eliza Newman Garriott.

“John W. Garriott Dies at Wilkinson,” The Hancock Democrat (Greenfield, Indiana), 17 October 1957, page 4; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 29 February 2024).

Then the Indiana death certificate for John Wesley Garriott also identifies his parents.

Since all of these sources connect John W. Garriott to his father Henry C. Garriott or to his brothers, I added Henry Clay Garriott and Eliza Anna Newman as parents of John Wesley Garriott on the FamilySearch tree.

Since I want other researchers to understand the research process that led to my connecting John Wesley Garriott to Henry Clay Garriott, I uploaded images of these various sources to John Wesley Garriott’s memories.

Using these uploaded ‘memories’ I was able to add the associated sources.

Hopefully these sources and the attached images will help other researchers understand why John Wesley Garriott was attached to the family of Henry C. Garriott.

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John Wesley Garriott

John Wesley Garriott [1] was born on 9 Jul 1882 in Wilkinson, Hancock, Indiana, United States. [2–7] He lived in Brown Township, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1900. [8] He lived in Brown Township, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1910. [9] John was the father of Marjorie Eliza Garriott who was born on 20 Sep 1915 in Hancock, Indiana, United States. [5,10–11] He registered for the military draft in 1918 in Wilkinson, Hancock, Indiana, United States. [12] He lived in Brown Township, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1920. [13] John lived in Wilkinson, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1922. [2] He lived in Wilkinson, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1930. [14–15] He lived in Wilkinson, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1932. [16] John lived in Wilkinson, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1940. [17] He lived in Wilkinson, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1941. [18] He registered for the military draft in 1942 in Wilkinson, Hancock, Indiana, United States. [1] John lived in Wilkinson, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1950. [19] He died on 13 Oct 1957 at the age of 75 in Wilkinson, Hancock, Indiana, United States. [5–7] He was buried on 16 Oct 1957 at McCray Cemetery in Wilkinson, Hancock, Indiana, United States. [5,7,20]

John Wesley Garriott and Mabel E. Gibbs were married on 13 Dec 1899 in Indiana, United States. [21–24] Mabel E. Gibbs was born in 1882. [25] She lived in Brown Township, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1900. [8] She died in 1902 at the age of 20 in Indiana, United States. [25] Mabel was buried in Wilkinson, Hancock, Indiana, United States. [25]

John Wesley Garriott and Amy Dell Lett were married on 23 Jul 1906 in Indiana, United States. [3–4,26] Amy Dell Lett was born on 14 Sep 1876 in Jennings County, Indiana. [5] She lived in Brown Township, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1910. [9] She was the mother of Marjorie Eliza Garriott who was born on 20 Sep 1915 in Hancock, Indiana, United States. [5,10–11] Amy lived in Brown Township, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1920. [13] She lived in Wilkinson, Brown Township, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1930. [15] She lived in Wilkinson, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1940. [17] Amy lived in Brown Township, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1950. [19] She died in 1958 at the age of 82. [5] She was buried on 9 Sep 1958 in Wilkinson, Hancock, Indiana, United States. [5,20] John Wesley Garriott and Amy Dell Lett had the following children:

11. Martha Elizabeth Garriott [5] was born in 1909 in Indiana. [5] She lived in Brown Township, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1910. [9] She lived in Brown Township, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1920. [13] Martha lived in Wilkinson, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1930. [15] She lived in New Castle, Henry, Indiana, United States in 1957. [6] She lived in New Castle, Henry, Indiana, United States in 1958. [20] Martha died on 13 May 1997 at the age of 88 in Tipton, Tipton, Indiana, United States. [5] She was buried in 1997 in New Castle, Henry, Indiana, United States.

Dennis Anderson was born in 1909 in Indiana. He died in 1964 at the age of 55 in Indiana.

12. Marjorie Eliza Garriott [5,10] was born on 20 Sep 1915 in Hancock, Indiana, United States. [5,10–11] She lived in Brown Township, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1920. [13] She lived in Wilkinson, Hancock, Indiana, United States in 1930. [15] Marjorie lived in Cranbury, Middlesex, New Jersey, United States in 1957. [6] She lived in Cranbury, Middlesex, New Jersey, United States in 1958. [20] She died on 9 Mar 1998 at the age of 82. [5,11]

Max Casey was born in 1913 in Indiana. He died.

ENDNOTES:

1. “U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942,” digital images, NARA Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 29 February 2024), John Wesley Garriott; citing .
2. “Veteran of War Passes Away,” The Daily Reporter (Greenfield, Indiana), 10 April 1922, page 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 26 February 2024).
3. “Indiana, Marriages, 1810-2001,” database, Ancestry, (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 29 February 2024), John W Garriott.
4. “Garriott-Lett,” The Hancock Democrat (Greenfield, Indiana), 2 August 1906, page 1; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 29 February 2024).
5. Find a Grave, database and images, Find a Grave (www.findagrave.com : viewed online 29 February 2024), memorial for John Wesley Garriott (1882-1957), Find a Grave Memorial no. 110017206, created by Texas Two Step, citing McCray Cemetery, Wilkinson, Hancock County, Indiana; accompanying photograph by Tammy, John Wesley Garriott.
6. “John W. Garriott Dies at Wilkinson,” The Hancock Democrat (Greenfield, Indiana), 17 October 1957, page 4; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 29 February 2024).
7. Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2017, John W Carriott, 13 October 1957; database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 29 February 2024).
8. 1900 U.S. Census, Hancock County, Indiana, population schedule, Brown Township, Hancock County, Indiana, ED 37, Sheet 4B, Image 8 of 26, family 76, John Garriott; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 29 February 2024)
9. 1910 U.S. Census, Brown Township, Hancock County, Indiana, population schedule, Brown Township, Hancock County, Indiana, ED 57, sheet 15A, family 284, John W. Garriott; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 29 February 2024)
10. Indiana, Birth Certificates, 1907-1944, Margery Eliza Garriott, 20 September 1915; database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 29 February 2024). Original Source: Indiana Archives and Records Administration.
11. Social Security Administration, “Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007,” database on-line, Ancestry, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60901/ : viewed online 29 February 2024), Marjorie Eliza Garriott.
12. “World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” database, Ancestry (Ancestry.com : viewed online 29 February 2024), John Wesley Garriott.
13. 1920 U.S. Census, Hancock County, Indiana, population schedule, Brown township, Hancock County, Indiana, ED 89, Sheet 1B and 2A, family 26, John Garriott; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 29 February 2024)
14. “Frank E. Garriott Commits Suicide,” The Star Press (Muncie, Indiana), 4 June 1930, page 16; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 29 February 2024).
15. 1930 U.S. Census, Hancock County, Indiana, population schedule, Brown Township, Hancock County, Indiana, ED 4, sheet 1A, Image 1 of 7, family 22, John W Garriott; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 29 February 2024)
16. “Death Thursday Chas. Garriott,” Greenfield Republican (Greenfield, Indiana), 14 January 1932, page 1; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 29 February 2024).
17. 1940 U.S. Census, Hancock County, Indiana, population schedule, Wilkinson, Brown County, Indiana, ED 30-4, Sheet 2B, Image 5 of 13, line 59, John Garriott; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 29 February 2024)
18. “Will Garriott Succumbs at 75,” Greenfield Republican (Greenfield, Indiana), 1 May 1941, page 8; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 29 February 2024).
19. 1950 U.S. Census, Hancock County, Indiana, population schedule, Wilkinson, Hancock County, Indiana, ED 30-5, Sheet 5, Image 6 of 16, line 1, John W Garriott; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 29 February 2024)
20. “Mrs. Amy Garriott of Wilkinson Dies,” Tri-County Banner (Knighstown, Indiana), 11 September 1958, page 25; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 29 February 2024).
21. “Indiana, Marriages, 1810-2001,” database John W Garriatt.
22. “Indiana, Select Marriages Index, 1748-1993,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 29 February 2024), John W. Garriott.
23. “Indiana Marriages, 1811-2019”, database with images, FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org: viewed online, 29 February 2024; John W. Garriott, 13 Dec 1899; Indiana, Clark County. Vol. U, 1899-1900: Image 277 of 297 images.
24. “Indiana, Marriage Index, 1800-1941,” Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : County Court Records at Williamsport, IN, Clark County, Indiana, viewed online (29 February 2024), John W. Garratt.
25. Find a Grave, database and images, Find a Grave (www.findagrave.com : viewed online 29 February 2024), memorial for Mabel E. Gibbs Garriott (1882-1902), Find a Grave Memorial no. 142223347,
26. “Indiana Marriages, 1811-2019”, database with images, FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org: viewed online, 29 February 2024; John W. Garriatt, 13 Dec 1899; Indiana, Clark County. 1899-1900 Volume U: Image 227 297 images.