Nancy Viola Elizabeth "Ola" (Ward) Garrett said during a 1969 interview that her grandfather-in-law was William "Spills" Garrett.  According to Charlotte Blankenship, Nellie Garrett (Spillsbury's granddaughter) also said Spillsbury's name was William.

Spills was listed in the 1850, 1860, 1880 and 1900 census records of Saline Co., Arkansas. Spills deserted during the war between the states which may account for him not being enumerated on the 1870 census. Possibly the census taker simply missed Spills and his family during the 1870 census or maybe Spills possessed the same nomadic habit his descendants later exercised by moving from Arkansas to Oklahoma to Texas and back to Arkansas again...numerous times.

According to the 1880 census, Spills and his wife, Elizabeth (Smith) Garrett's, children were all born in Arkansas. There was a five year gap between 1862 until their twins were born in 1867. The census lists a child born in Arkansas in about 1868 and in 1872.  

In the 1880 census, Spills was going by Samuel P. Garrett.  Could this have anything to do with him deserting during the war?

Katrina Johnson <[email protected]>, who is researching the families buried at Wesley Chapel Cemetery, noted the grave of an unknown child next to Elizabeth, so it is possible that Spillsbury and Elizabeth had another child of whom we have no record.

The names of Spillsbury's chidren are very intriguing when compared to other Garretts listed in the 1850 census, some of whom we haven't proven a relationship.

*Jacob and William were residing in the home of John A. & Rebecca E. Obarr.
**Until recently, I theorized Mariah was a Garrett, but Shiela <[email protected]> gave me the name and number of a Dr. Cooper who has since verified that Mariah was a sister to Spillsbury. I was suspicious that she was a Garrett when I noticed her in the 1860 census as having, among other children, Jacob, Nancy A., John, Spillsbury and Mackey (m.). Charles Garrett from the 1850 census had a daughter named Mariah A.  Also, there was a Nancy A. Vanderpool (55; b. VA) living next door to the John and Mickey (Garrett) Curtis family in the 1860 census.  Nancy had a 9 year old female living in her household named Mariah A.  Could Nancy Vanderpool be connected to the Garretts some way?

1850 Saline Co., Arkansas Census

				Date  Md.
10 11	Garrett,	Robert Malissa A. Bransford A. Hartford Robert L. Susan M. Mary C.	38 M W VA Carpenter 38 F W TN 11 M W TN 9 M W AR 7 M W AR 5 F W AR 2 F W AR	1837	[Andrus Bransford; bd. where other members of the Sir Knight William Garrett clan are bd.]
	Bumsey,	James	16 M W IN Laborer

Blakey Burying Ground (Burleson Cem.), Bastrop Co., TX

Garrett, Andrus Hartford 5/18/1841 5/29/1855 Son of Robert & Millisia

[A Shadrack Garrett (b. 1807; Campbell Co., VA/d. 1889; Oakgrove, Pickett Co., TN/Parents: Elijah & Mary Polly (Casey) Garrett.) md. 1843 in Pickett Co., TN to Catherine Angel. Children were: Mary Ann G., Malvina, Elijah, Alfred L., John Page, Leann, Isaac Bransford, Josephine and Shadrack "Shade" Garrett. I have found no connection to these Garretts and ours, but thought the use of such an unusual name, Bransford, was something of which to make note. I noticed one account had Shadrack as a descendant of Sir Knight William Garrett, but I don't know how accurate the information is.]

There were a number of people with the surname, Bransford, residing in Smith Co., TN.   

1850 Saline Co., Arkansas Census Continued

				Date Md.
22 23	Cooper,	William Mariah Ann Jacob Nancy Ann Rachel E. Emeline James	33 M W TN Farmer    32 F W VA 10 M W AR 8 F W AR 6 F W AR 3 F W AR 1 M W AR	1839	[Could Nancy Vanderpool's dau. be named after this Miriah A.?] [Could she be named after Nancy A. Vanderpool (#489 507)?]
44 47	Obarr,	John A. Rebecca E. Saline	30 M W TN Physician 22 F W TN 1 F W AR	1845	[A John H. Obarr in 1880 Pope Co., AR census]
	Oliphant,	Thomas W.	18 M W MS
	Garrett,	Wm. A.	18 M W AR		[b. ca AR 1832]
	Garrett,	Jacob D.	4M W AR
338 356	Garrett,	Charles	22 M W VA Farmer	1848	[Charles Garrett md. Melissa Gage July 12, 1846 John G. Lindsey, MG; Saline Co. Marriage Records, P-101]
		Mary	24 F W AR		[Charles Garret md. Mary Page April 30, 1848 John G. Lindsey, MG; Saline Co. Marriage Records, P-129]
		Mariah A.	3 F W AR
		William J.	1 M W AR
489 507	Vanderpool,	Nancy A.	55 F W VA Housekeeper	Wd	[CURTIS, Eliza and Lymore VANDERPOOL married on Aug. 17, 1845 by John G. Lindsey, MG----p. 86  Related to Nancy? or Mickey's husband?]
		Mariah A.	9 F W AR
490 508	Curtis,	John	40 M W TN Farmer	1832
		Micky	38 F W VA		[b. ca VA 1812]
		Sirena	14 F W TN		[b. ca TN 1836]
		Josephine	11 F W AR		[b. ca AR 1839]
		Mary	7 F W AR
		John	5 M W AR
		Narcissa	1 F W AR
	Garrett,	Spittsberry	20 MW TN Laborer		[b. ca TN 1830] [ANCESTOR: Spillsbury]
491 509	Garrett,	Reubin	34 M W VA Farmer	1843	[b. ca VA 1816]
		Sally	23 F W MO
		Nancy	4 F W AR
		William	6/12 M W AR		[Reuben Garret md. Sarah Tate July 12, 1843 V. Brazil, Jr., JP; Saline Co. Marriage Records, P-62]

1860 Saline Co., Arkansas Census, Dyer Twp.

Page 108
701 701	Curtis,	Mary	43 TN F farmer	[Mary Mickey (Garrett) Curtis]
		John	15 AR M farmer
		Narcissus	10 AR F
		Alexander	8 AR M
		Harrison R.	3 AR M
702 702	Rushing,	Robert	28 KY M laborer 100
		Lucy	28 TN F laborer	[And children]
703 703	Rushing,	William M.	33 TN M farmer	[And children]
		Sarah	17 AR F farmer	[I've seen an account noting John and Mickey (Garrett) Curtis had a child named William Rushing Curtis. I don't know how accurate this information is.  I have a list of children which was prepared by a descendant. No William Rushing is on the list, but there's a James Russian Curtis.]
Page 109
710 710	Taylor,	John	40 MO M farmer
		Francis	30 AR F farmer	[And children]
711 711	Cooper,	William	44 M TN farmer
		Mirah	35 VA F farmer	[In 1850 age listed as 32; need to check microfilm for accuracy]
		Jacob	18 AR M farmer
		Nancy A.	16 AR F farmer
		Rachel E.	15 AR F
		Emeline	12 AR F
		Jane	11 AR F
		John	8 AR M
		Spillsbury	6 AR M
		Mackey	1 AR M
712 712	Bridges,	Malinda	40 MO F farmer	And children]
713 713	Caldwell,	Jacob	45 TN M farmer
		Eliza	33 TN F farmer
		Mary	14 TN F
		William	11 AR M
Page 123
794 794	Staner,	McHenry	26 TN M farmer
795 795	Garrett,	Spillsbury	25 TN M laborer
		Elizabeth	22 LA F
		Reuben	6 AR M
		Charles A.	3 AR M
796 796	Caldwell,	Liotle	56 TN F farmer
		William	17 TN M farmer
		Cynthia	20 TN F farmer
		George W.	14 TN M farmer
		Greenville	4 TN M
797 797	Caldwell,	Robert M.	24 TN M farmer
		Sophia S.	16 AR F farmer

If all of the following from the 1850 Saline County census were siblings, for the most part their migration pattern shows them not to have lived in Tennessee long enough to put down roots or establish themselves with any one particular Garrett line. According to these records, the Garret family would have left Virginia after l828 and simply traveled through Tennessee, arriving in Arkansas by 1832. By the birthplaces of some of their children, Robert would still have been in Tennessee by 1839 and Mickey Curtis by 1836.

	1850 Data	Approximate Birth Date	Age In 1820	Age In 1830	Age In 1840
Garrett, Robert	38 M W VA Carpenter	[b. VA 1812]	ca 8 yrs.	ca 18 yrs.	ca 28 yrs.
Curtis, Micky	38 F W VA	[b. VA 1812]	ca 8 yrs.	ca 18 yrs.	ca 28 yrs.
Garrett, Reubin	34 M W VA Farmer	[b. VA 1816]	ca 4 yrs.	ca 14 yrs.	ca 24 yrs.
Cooper Mariah Ann	32 F W VA	[b. VA 1818]	ca 2 yrs.	ca 12 yrs.	ca 22 yrs.
Garrett, Charles	22 M W VA Farmer	[b. VA 1828]	0	ca 2 yrs.	ca 12 yrs.	Ten year gap between Mariah and Charles.  Other children?
Garrett, Spillsberry	20 MW TN Laborer	[b. TN 1830]	0	1or less	11 or less
Garrett, Wm. A.	18 M W AR	[b. AR 1832]	0	0	8 yrs.

Since at least some of our Garretts would have been in Arkansas by 1832, we need to study earlier census records. Saline County was created in 1835 from Pulaski and Hempstead Counties. The 1840 Pulaski County census index listed an R. H. Garrett. I haven't seen the actual census record, but it may provide some needed clues. If Robert still lived in Tennessee (if the 1850 census can be depended upon for accuracy???) Then R. H. couldn't be him. Reubin would have been about 24 years of age so could have been a head of household by this census. R. H. (If he/she is connected to our Garretts at all) could have also been the father of our clan or for that matter, the mother.

The 1830 Pulaski County census index has the following:

page 237
GARIOT
GARRET

If only these early census records listed given names of every member of the family instead of just the head of house. At least we can view the family structures in these early census records. My next step will be to find copies of the complete records so I can discover how many males and females were in these households and what their approximate ages were.

Dr. Cooper mentioned as per our telephone conversation of Sunday, February 20, 2000, that he believes he has traced his Coopers to Lincoln Co., Tennessee. Mariah Garrett and family were traveling through Tennessee when William Cooper met her. When the Garretts moved on to Arkansas, William and Mariah either married in Tennessee or William went after the Garretts and married Mariah after arriving in Arkansas. At any rate, the census gives their marriage date as 1839. The 1850 Saline County census lists their oldest son, Jacob, as born in Arkansas.

I will keep searching for the missing link to establish our connection to the clan of Sir Knight William Garrett of England which I believe is the family to which we belong. Since we're not sure which of our Garretts were here and which were still in Tennessee during the 1830 to 1840 time period, a study of the Tennessee census records might also be helpful. It is not known if Mickey met her husband, John Curtis, in Tennessee or Arkansas. At least one source said they married after arriving in Arkansas, but census records show their first son born in Tennessee. The 1840 Tennessee census index mentions John Curtis heads of house living in Carter, Blount, Dekalb and Henry Counties. Actual census records for each of them need to be studied for family structures. Of the four counties mentioned, a Daniel Garret lived in Blount. A Robert Garrett lived in Marshal.

Since we're also not exactly sure where William Cooper and Mariah were when they got married, the following census comparison for Garrett, Cooper and Curtis families of 1840 Tennessee was compiled. It is a long shot to say that all three families lived in the same Tennessee county, but not having anything better to go on, a study of these county groupings might help us.

There is a large variety of spellings for the name Garrett in the census records. In some documents a person's name will be spelled Garrett, in another document Garrott, etc. For this reason, I'll simply spell all the names Garrett even though the following varieties are found in the 1840 census: Garret, Garrett, Garrit, Garritt, Garrott. This same liberty will be taken with the Curtis surname as there is more than one spelling used for Curtis (Curtus; Curtice).

1840 Tennessee Census

Following are a few more details about our Spillsbury and his family:

Spillsbury Garrett & Elizabeth Smith (dau. of William in 1850 census?) md. in Saline Co., AR.

Garrett, Spillsbury Private—Enlisted in Co. H, 6th Arkansas Cavalry, at Benton, Arkansas, June 19, 1862; absent without leave since July 12, 1863; deserted, January 15, 1864; born in Tennessee, c1835; filed Arkansas pension application #10826 from Saline county, August 28, 1901

Children  and Grandchildren:

Children
1. Reuben Garrett (b. ca 1855) Md. Myrtle Deaton	2. Charles A. Garrett (b. ca 1858) Md. Louise	3. Jacob Leroy Cobb "Jake" Garrett (b. 1862; AR/d. winter of 1937?) Md. Martha Jane Williams. Contact	4. Sarah J. Garrett (b. ca 1867) Contact for Sarah's branch of clan	5. Mary S. Garrett (b. ca 1867) Twin to Sarah Md. a Dunn.	6. Nancy C. "Nanny or Nan?" Garrett (b. ca 1868) Md. an Addey.	7. Wiliam Robert "Bob" Garrett (b. Arpil 10-1871/d. Feb. 4,1944)   Md. Amanda Jane "Mandy" (Green) Garrett Contact for Robert's branch of clan	8. John Garrett (b. ca 1876)	9. Mickey Garrett (b. ca 1879/80)
Grandchildren
1. Ida Garrett 2. James Vander Garrett 3. Clemmie Jane Garrett	1. Charles Garrett 2. Corbit Garrett 3. Susie Garrett 4. Maud Garrett 5. Corie Garrett 6. Lillie Garrett 7. Davis Garrett 8. ? Garrett (fm)	1. John A. Garrett who Md. (1) Fannie Carter Md. (2) Rosie Della "Dellar" Ward (my grandmother's sister.) 2. Infant son 3. William Henry Harrison Garrett (b. 7-3-1888/bd. Lightning Ridge Cem.; Pontotoc Co., OK) Md. Nancy Viola Elizabeth "Ola" Ward. (my grandmother) 4. Elvira Garrett (twin of "Henry") d. at three months of age. 5. Elmin Garrett Md. Myrtle Shaw 6. Nellie Elizabeth Garrett Md. Charles Lewis	1. Pearl Taylor (b. 1882) Md. Albert Lee Garrett 2. Nancy Louise (Ludie) Pugh (b. 1888) Md. Hardy Mathis 3. Della Pugh (b 1887) Md. H. L. Cato 4. Martha J. Addie (b. 1895) Md. H. E. Garrett 5. Ethel Addie (b 1896) Md. ? Medford 6. Rosella Addie (b. 1899) Md. ? Parker 7. Elizabeth Addie (b. 1902) Md. ? Brown 8. Judge Duffie Addie (b. 1904) Md. Dorothy 9. Viola Addie (b. 1907) Md. ? McElroy 10. Ruie Addie (b. after 1910)	1. Bill Dunn 2. John Dunn 3. Jay Dunn 4. Ida Dunn 5. Boley Dunn 6. Alice Dunn 7. Margaret Dunn	1. Johnny 2. Sam Fletcher	1. Oscar Evert  (b. 8-11-1899/d. 9-3-1899) 2. Spillsberry Garrett, stillborn (6-8-1900) 3. Margaret Amanda (b. 7-24-1901/d. 9-8-1908) 4. Mattie Rosella (b. 5-8-1904/d. 4-19-1975) 5. Hubert Caufield (b. 9-17-1906/d. 1-12-1960) 6. William Franklin (b. 12-23-1908/d. 4-17-1975) 7. Houston Olin  (b. 3-5-1911/ d. 2-27-1964) 8. Sarah Charline (b. 8-23-1914/d. 9-14-1915) 9. Louis Albert (b. 8-3-1917/d. 1-12-1990) 10. Walter Edward (b. 5-8-1919/d.12-8-1988) 11. Millard Russell (b.10-31-1923/  d.12-2-1969)	1. Danny Garrett

GARRETT Family Tree Details

Off Site Links:

The Original Arkansas Genealogy Page:  http://www.couchgenweb.com/arkansas/

http://www.couchgenweb.com/arkansas/izard/cwar/6cavcoh.html

http://www.state.ar.us/ahc/

http://www.rootsquest.com/~garrett/

Saline Co., AR Cemeteries: https://sites.rootsweb.com/~arsaline/cemeter.html

Garrett List: http://www2.netdoor.com/~cch/lists/GARRETT.htm

http://www.genexchange.org/ar/saline/index.cfm

Garrett Surname site: http://www.rootsquest.com/~garrett/

Directory & Email