William Garner/Gardner

Submitted by Margie Nell Smitherman

Born about 1794 NC, died before 7 December 1863 Bibb Co., Al.
William Garner/Gardner was born according to the census records 1794 in North Carolina. The exact year William Garner and his family arrived in Bibb Co., Al. is not known. We do know that they had left from the Randolph County NC area and arrived with the William Smitherman Sr. family sometime before 1820. William Garner married Nancy Latham on 4 June 1820 in present day Bibb Co., Al. He was listed on the marriage license and on the 1850 US Bibb Co., Al. census as William Gardner. His estate lists him as Garner.

NANCY LATHAM according to the 1850 US Bibb Co., Al. census was born 1799 NC and could not read or write. She was the daughter of William Latham Sr. [b. ca 1776 NC d. 1821 Bibb Co., Al.] and Catherine Smitherman [b. ca 1778 VA. d. after 1860 and before 1863 Bibb Co., Al.]. Nancy Latham Garner died after the 1850 US Bibb Co., Al. Census was taken and before 25 January 1860 when William married Mary Elizabeth Corley.

In the 1850 US Bibb Co., Al. census there is also a Wm. Gardner age 90 living in his household. This was most likely his father who would according to the census record have been born 1760 NC. Neither William Garner was listed as being able to read or write and both were also listed as having been born in NC. After the death of wife Nancy, William Garner married Mary Elizabeth Corley. It is known that William was still living on 11 Feb. 1861 when he signed a note. His estate was first filed for probate in December of 1863

William and Nancy had the following children:
1. CATHERINE E GARNER b. 1828 Bibb Co., Al. married Daniel Caldwell. This was his second marriage. He married first Catherine Lawley who was a 1st cousin to Catherine Garner. Catherine and Daniel were married 23 April 1854 in Bibb Co., Al. They had one child according to the 1860 & 1870 US Bibb Co., Al. Census records, Joseph b. ca 1856.
2. MARY RECEBBA GARNER b. 3 March 1833 Bibb Co., Al. Married 1 Feb. 1848 to John Albert Killingsworth in Bibb Co., Al. They moved to Gregg Co., Texas prior to 1870. They had 14 children.
3. SARAH JANE GARNER b. ca 1834 Bibb Co., Al. Married John Killingsworth on 7 August 1850 Bibb Co., Al. At the time her fathers estate was settled she was listed as deceased with two children: John William and Emeline both under fourteen and residents of Texas.
4. MARGARET ELIZABETH GARNER b. ca 1838 Bibb Co., Al. She was married twice. Her first husband was Noah Self. She married 2nd Enoch Harrison Brown on 29 May 1854 in Bibb Co., Al. Enoch died in June 1902. They had 9 children all born in Bibb Co., Alabama.
5. WILLIAM JACKSON GARNER b. 4 March 1840 Bibb Co., Al. Married Rebecca Caroline Fulgham [daughter of John R Fulgham and Sarah "Sally" Smitherman] on 6 October 1859 in Bibb Co., Al. William and Rebecca moved their family to Longview, Gregg County Texas. They are buried in Winterfield Cemetery, Longview, Texas.
6. JULY GARNER b. 14 July 1841 Bibb Co., Al. July was also married twice. His first wife was Martha/Mary Ann Howard whom he married on 17 July 1860. His second wife was Martha Monteria Garner. He moved to Panola Co., Texas.
7. SELA/CEDY GARNER b. ca 1846 Bibb Co., Al. Married Issac M Latham on 10 Jan. 1860 in Bibb Co., Al. At the time her fathers' estate was settled she was listed as Seely Howard wife of John Howard, residents of Bibb County, Alabama. Moved to Tuscaloosa Co., Alabama.

The following is from the loose papers Bibb Co., Al. William Garner file. Partial list of the estate sold.
J A Killingsworth purchased 1 pitcher 2.25
J A Killingsworth 2 waiters 3.00
J M Davis 1 cup cream mug 3.75
Mrs. Jack Garner 1 dish / set of tea spoons 3.03
Western Lathem II cups & saucers 7.10
Harrison Brown lamp pitcher 2.25
Mrs Ben Jones 4 plates 2.50
Enoch Morgan 4 bowls 2.05
Mrs. D Caldwell Molasses Pitcher 2.25
Robert Keith 7 Tumblers 7.25
Harrison Brown Preserve dish 1.40
Mrs. Andrew Garner II 1 bowl .75
Mrs. Isaac Latham camwood 2.15
Mrs. Isaac Latham logwood .50
Mrs. Isaac Latham 2 canisters 1.30
Mrs. Isaac Latham 1 set knives and forks 17.00
Mrs. Isaac Latham 1 stand of curtains 20.00
Harrison Brown 1 stand of Bees 11.18
Mrs. Jack Garner 1 Clock 15.00
Harrison Brown 1 set of plates 6.25
July Garner 1 trunk 4.00
Wm. Smitherman 19 Geese 15.39
J W Latham 8 gallons Brandy 600.00
John Brown 500 lbs. fodder 15.75
C Culwell 1 wheel 1.00
E Latham 1 Bell 5.75
Mrs. Garner 1 pot 3.00
J L Purie [? spelling] 130 acres land 1,710.00
320 acres land 3,200.00
40 acres land 1,200.00
5 acres land 15.00

At the time of William Garners' death his estate listed that he owned the following parcels of land:
[1.] S 1/2 of SW 1/4 of Sec. 25, Township 22, Range 11E
[2.] S 1/2 of NW 1/4 of Sec. 25, Township 22, Range 11 E
NOTE: The original land patent for this property was sold on 1 November 1858 in the Greenville Land office to John Spinks. The N 1/2SW of Section 25, Township 22-N, Range 11 E was also sold to John Spinks that same date. [Taken from Government Land Office Records]

[3.] SE 1/4 of NE 1/4 of Sec. 25, Township 22, Range 11E
NOTE: The original land patent for this property was sold on 15 November 1853 to Little B. Horne and consisted of 40.21 acres [Taken from Government Land Office Records]

[4.] SW 1/4 of NE 1/4 of Sec. 26, Township 22, Range 11 E
NOTE: The original land patent for this property was sold on 12 August 1834 to John Hicks and consisted of 39.84 acres. [Taken from
Government Land Office Records]

[5.] NE 1/4 of SE 1/4 of Sec. 26, Township 22, Range 11 E
NOTE: The original land patent for this property was sold on 3 May 1848 to William J. Latham and consisted of 39.84 acres. [Taken from
Government Land Office Records]

Total of 280 acres which was sold to Ann E Ray [no land description given].

Funeral expenses 18.00
Attorney Fee 25.00

On 25 December 1863 Andrew Smitherman [Uncle of Nancy Latham Garner] signed an inventory on the estate of William Garner which listed the estimated value at $14,104.85
Which seems like a rather large amount of money for that period.

SOURCES: US Bibb Co., Al. Census records, Marriage records of Bibb Co., Al. William Garner estate loose papers [located in Bibb Co., Al. probate office]. US Dept. of Land Management, government land office records. Jesse Smitherman 1863 final estate settlement.