U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Garner, Samuel (1820-1900) --------------------------------------------------------------------- A History of Preston County West Virginia Biographical Department, Supplied by J. R. Cole Kingwood, W. Va., The Journal Publishing Company, 1914 by H. S. Whetsell Pages 758-760, THE GARNER FAMILY. The Garner family are of English descent. They are known in Preston county as thrifty farmers and as an enterprising class of people. Lewis Garner, the first of the family, came from Loudoun to Ryans Glade in Garrett some time prior to 1800. The widow took up her residence in the Craborchard and married Amos Roberts, whose daughter Frances married William, the only one of her sons to remain in the county. He settled three miles northeast of Kingwood. Their children were: (1) Simon, who lived near Bruceton Mills. He married Rebecca Smith and had two children, a boy and a girl. (2) William, who married Nancy Ridenour and lived and died near Terra Alta. (3) Alfred, who married Mary Smith, lived in Morgantown. (4) Samuel, who lived on the place now occupied by his son, Thomas F. (5) Amos, never married. (6) Hulda, married Amos Payne and moved to Iowa. (7) Margery remained single. (8) Julia, married Daniel Feather, both now dead. Samuel Garner was born July 4, 1820. He was raised a farmer, and died August 16, 1900. He was a large man, very stout, and was never sick until taken with his fatal illness. He married Anna Rebecca Ridenour, in 1841, and moved on a farm east of Kingwood, where he remained two years, then moved to the place now occupied by his son. Thomas. Here he built a cabin, where he lived until his death. In those days hardships were many. When this young couple went to housekeeping they had but one vessel for cooking, and that was a skillet, which was used for the making of coffee. His wife was born February 11, 1822, and died April 19, 1896. Their oldest child was William M., born August 17, 1842, died August 2, 1907. He was a cooper by trade and manufactured staves for sugar and molasses barrels to be shipped to Cuba. He was also a successful agriculturist, on the homestead farm adjoining that of Elmer Garner, of whom mention will be made. His wife was Margaret Jane Rodeheaver, born May 31, 1843. Their children were: (1) _______; (2) Walter Bunker, born April 29, 1866; (3) Waitman T. W., of whom mention will again be made; (4) Elmer Clay, born May 3, 1871; (5) Dora Belle, born June 3, 1873; (6-7) Mollie Grace and Minnie May, twins, born July 2, 1878; (8) Samuel Haymon, to be mentioned later. Samuel's daughter, Margery, married Josiah Calvert. She born in 1845, and died in October, 1911. They had seven children, and lived in the Wesley Chappel neighborhood. (3) Susan, married Lewis H. Dodge. They had four children, now all dead but John, who lives near Terra Alta. (4) Savilla, deceased, born October 19, 1852, married George Nestor and lives at Amblersburg. They have seven children. He is a farmer. (5) John H., is a baker. He married Anna Gibson, and lives at Kingwood, no children. (6) David, a cripple, was born May 9, 1856. (7) Joanna, born July 26, 1858, married Wesley Messenger. He is a farmer, and to this union were born five children. (8) Julia Ellen, never married, was born November 25, 1860. (9) Thomas F., the youngest of the family, was born November 26, 1864, and resides on the home place. He owns a good grazing farm as well as a good corn and wheat producing land, comprising 195 acres in all. He is a stock grower also, and speculates considerably in sheep, which are bought and shipped to the Baltimore market. In his younger days he attended school at Pleasant Dale. Mr. Garner's first wife was a Miss M. K. Field. She was the daughter of Hiram and Margaret Field, who lived at Reedsville. They were married April 22, 1888, and on January 31, 1890, she died, twenty years, three months and five days old. One daughter, Jessie K., born October 15, 1889, married Sherman Brand (son of Frank Brand), October, 1907, and lives near Herring, West Virginia. Mr. Garner's second wife, Dora L. Kelly, is daughter of Elias and EHzabeth Kelly, of Terra Alta. They were married August 28, 1895. Their children are: Darrel, born December 13, 1896; Edith, born on the 23rd of March, 1901, and Velma, born March 28, 1908. The new residence was built in 1905. The family worships in the M. E. Church at Pleasant Dale. Mr. Garner is a member of the Knights of Pythias. --------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Preston County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/preston/bios.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------