244Presley Garner
Key Facts
Snapshot:moved from Virginia to Georgia; owned slaves
Parents:488Charles Garner
mother uncertain
Born:sometime between 1766 and 1771 or thereabouts
probably Fauquier County, Virginia
Died:between 1 June and 7 August 1827
presumably Clarke County, Georgia
Buried:unknown

The 1787 tax list of Fauquier County, Virginia shows that 488Charles Garner paid tax for 244Presley Garner, who was age 16-21. From this record, we can reason that 488Charles was probably 244Presley's father, and that 244Presley was born roughly between 1766 and 1771. 488Charles seems to have lived in Fauquier County for most/all of his life, so it's likely that 244Presley was born there, too.


This tax record strongly implies that 244Presley's father was 488Charles Garner. Full page.1

Problem: Unresolved
Who was 244Presley's mother?

488Charles Garner had married Ann Darnell, daughter of Waugh Darnell, by 22 July 1748.2 However, I haven't found Ann mentioned in later records, so one can't be certain how long she lived, and thus can't be certain that 488Charles and Ann were still married when 244Presley was born circa the late 1760's.

Furthermore, the somewhat long gap (~20 years or more) between 488Charles' marriage to Ann and 244Presley's birth means that Ann—were she still living—would have been ~40 years old when Presley was born. Since female fertility declines with age, this gap could cause one to surmise that 488Charles may have had another wife after Ann, even though she isn't identified in the available records.

A Fauquier County, Virginia record dated 18 December 1793 mentions 244Presley's intention to marry 245Margaret Hinson.3

244Presley had relocated to Clarke County, Georgia by 1802, when he was listed as a taxpayer there.4

Problem: Resolved
How can we be confident that 244Presley Garner of Clarke County, Georgia is the same person as the 244Presley Garner of Fauquier County, Virginia?

244Presley Garner married 245Margaret Hinson in Fauquier County, Virginia on or about 18 December 1793.3 Therefore, one would hope to find a record in Clarke County, Georgia that names 244Presley and 245Margaret together, and indeed we do: 245Margaret was appointed administratrix of his estate.5 (Note that "Peggy" is a nickname for Margaret.)


This record mentions both 244Presley and his wife 245Margaret together in Clarke County, Georgia, and thus helps prove that 244Presley moved to Georgia after his marriage to 245Margaret in Virginia. Full page.5

Another consideration is that 244Presley's age is reported consistently in both locations: A Virginia record shows that he was born sometime between 1766 and 1771,1 and a Georgia record shows that he was born before 1775.6

Below is a summary of some of 244Presley's entries in the Clarke County tax digests. Wildcat Creek is marked on the master map. The creek is roughly 5 miles long, but I don't know precisely where 244Presley lived.

Year Property Image Source
1802 none listed link 4
1803 60 acres of land adjoining Wildcat Creek originally granted to Freeman link 7
1804 same land as above link 8
1806 same land as above, and 1 slave link 9
1807 same land and slave as above link 10
1808 same land and slave as above, plus:
202.5 acres in Baldwin County's 8th district, lot 105, adjoining Walnut Creek		 link 11
1809 same land and slave as above link 12
1810 same land and slave as above, except the 202.5 acres is now said to be in (recently created) Jones County link 13
1815 60 acres of land adjoining Wildcat Creek originally granted to Freeman, and 3 slaves link 14
1816 same land as above, and 4 slaves link 15
1818 62 acres of land adjoining Wildcat Creek originally granted to Freeman, and 4 slaves link 16

The 1820 census includes 244Presley's household. The numbers below represent: 2 boys age 0-9, 2 boys age 10-15, 1 man age 16-25, 1 man age 45+, 1 girl age 0-9, 3 women age 16-25, 1 woman age 26-44, 5 agriculture workers, 2 male slaves age 0-13, 2 female slaves age 0-13, and 1 female slave age 26-44.6 (I made a spreadsheet to help identify some of the individuals enumerated in this census. However, the spreadsheet doesn't include source citations and is intended as mere "scratch notes." Use at your own discretion.)


1820: 244Presley's family in Clarke County, Georgia. Full page.6

244Presley apparently was still alive on 1 June 1827. A local newspaper mentions him on that date, but doesn't describe him as deceased.17


The last record I've found that shows 244Presley alive. Full page.17

He had died by 7 August 1827, though, since his widow applied to administer his estate on that date.18


This newspaper clipping proves 244Presley had died by 7 August 1827. Full page.18

Records pertaining to 244Presley's estate are listed below. An inventory of the estate mentions: slaves Molly, Winney, Isam, and Peter; cows and pigs; farm tools/equipment; a rifle and a musket; and other items. (The inventory is the first record listed below, i.e. Returns and Mixed Records, Book E, page 230.)

 
Clarke County, Georgia County Records
 
 
Returns and Mixed Records, Book E (1820-1830), pages 224-230, 403, 404, 432, 433, 442, and 477-479
 
 
Returns and Mixed Records, Book G (1835-1845), page 547
 
From The Athenian (Athens' newspaper)
 
 
10 August 1827, page 3, column 4, near the bottom (link) — 245Margaret is appointed administratrix.
 
 
9 November 1827, page 3, column 4, about ⅔ down the page (link) — The slaves Molly and Isham, which belong to 244Presley's estate, will be sold. His other slaves will be hired out for one year.
 
 
25 November 1828, page 1, column 4, about halfway down the page (link) — Three slaves owned by 244Presley's estate will be sold.
 
 
30 December 1828, page 1, column 1, about ⅓ down the page (link) — 244Presley's 60 acres on Wildcat Creek will be sold, along with three child slaves.

Sources Cited:

1: Fauquier County, Virginia. Personal property tax list for the year 1787, page 9, entry for Charles Garner. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSQ2-Q3RL-N?i=127&cat=775969>, accessed 22 August 2021.

2: Prince William County, Virginia. Deeds book L (1748-1749), pages 44-50. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4N-H953-T?i=167&cat=369642>, accessed 22 August 2021. On pages 44-45 we find, "[...] Charles Garner & Anne his Wife of the County of Prince William [...] have sold [...] part of a tract of land [...] granted to Waugh Darnall deced [...] the division line between the two Daughters of Waugh Darnal [...]."

3: Fauquier County, Virginia. Marriage bonds & returns, volume 1 (1759-1800), page 406. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9XF-61GL?i=232&cat=363669>, accessed 27 August 2021.

4: Clarke County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1802, Captain Strong's district, entry for Presley Garner. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKK-KQJY-N?i=17&cat=212536>, accessed 29 August 2021.

5: Clarke County, Georgia. Returns and mixed records book E (1820-1830), page 224. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893G-JV27?i=434&cc=1999178&cat=188782>, accessed 27 August 2021.

6: 1820 U.S. Federal Census. Salem, Clarke County, Georgia. Page 141, Presley Garner household. NARA microfilm publication M33, roll 8. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YB9-S4L5?i=8&cc=1803955&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXHLW-D1W>, accessed 27 August 2021. Since the 1820 census often lacks column headers, you may find this template helpful.

7: Clarke County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1803, Captain Brown's district, second sheet, entry for Presley Garner. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKK-KQJK-G?i=64&cat=212536>, accessed 29 August 2021.

8: Clarke County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1804, Captain Jeremiah Brown's district, second sheet, entry for Presley Garner. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKK-KQV9-3?i=78&cat=212536>, accessed 29 August 2021.

9: Clarke County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1806, Tramil's district, second sheet, entry for Prisly Garner. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKK-KQV1-J?i=233&cat=212536>, accessed 29 August 2021.

10: Clarke County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1807, Capt Danl. Tramel's district, sheet 10, entry for Pressley Garner. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKK-KQV2-8?i=301&cat=212536>, accessed 29 August 2021.

11: Clarke County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1808, Capt. Trammel's district, first sheet, entry for Presley Garner. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKK-KQVL-7?i=342&cat=212536>, accessed 29 August 2021.

12: Clarke County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1809, Tramill's district, first sheet, entry for Presley Garner. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKK-KQVJ-V?i=416&cat=212536>, accessed 29 August 2021.

13: Clarke County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1810, Capt. Tramel's district, second sheet, entry for Presley Garner. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKK-KQVN-C?i=451&cat=212536>, accessed 29 August 2021.

14: Clarke County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1815, Capt. Smith's district, second page, entry for Presley Garner. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, U.S., Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892" / Clarke / 1815 / image 24 of 50), accessed 29 August 2021. The column headers are on previous page.

15: Clarke County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1816, Capt. Smith's district, second page, entry for Presley Garner. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, U.S., Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892" / Clarke / 1816 / image 16 of 50), accessed 29 August 2021.

16: Clarke County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1818, Capt. Bearden's district, page 206, entry for Presley Garner. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, U.S., Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892" / Clarke / 1818 / image 26 of 58), accessed 29 August 2021.

17: The Athenian (Athens, Georgia), 1 June 1827, page 3, column 4, near the bottom of the page. Georgia Historic Newspapers, <https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn85027027/1827-06-01/ed-1/seq-3/>, accessed 27 August 2021.

18: The Athenian (Athens, Georgia), 10 August 1827, page 3, column 4, near the bottom of the page. Georgia Historic Newspapers, <https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn85027027/1827-08-10/ed-1/seq-3>, accessed 27 August 2021.