Key Facts

Snapshot:	lived in colonial Virginia; owned slaves
Parents:	1952John Garner 1953Susanna Keene
Born:	circa 1675, but this is a rough approximation probably Virginia
Died:	betweeen 15 April and 8 June 1726 presumably Stafford County, Virginia
Buried:	unknown

976Thomas Garner's father was 1952John Garner.1 As explained below, his mother was almost certainly 1953Susanna Keene. Also as explained below, he may have been born roughly circa 1675, probably in Virginia (since his father was living there around that time).

Problem: Resolved Who was 976Thomas' mother? 976Thomas' father 1952John had married 1953Susanna Keene by 2 January 1662/3 at the latest, was about 30 years old by that time, and remained married to her until his death, as explained in 1952John's profile. Judging from 1952John's fairly young age, it's somewhat doubtful that he had had any previous marriages. 976Thomas witnessed a will in 1700,2 and therefore must have been of age, and this is the earliest record I've found pertaining to him. He died in 1726.3 Judging from these facts, one could guess he may have been born roughly 1675. Therefore, 1953Susanna is the only plausible identifiable woman who could've been 976Thomas' mother.

Although we don't know when, 976Thomas married 977Mary Bushnell, as proven by a deed written after 976Thomas' death.4

This deed dated 22 November 1726 proves that 976Thomas had been married to 977Mary Bushnell. Full page.4

976Thomas seems to have lived in Stafford County, Virginia for many years since basically all records show him there, beginning with a will dated 10 September 1700 that 976Thomas signed as a witness.2

On 13 December 1715, 976Thomas was granted 1400 acres along the Licking Run branch off of the Occoquan River in (what was then) Stafford County.5 A court record shows 976Thomas still in Stafford County in 1722.6 In spring 1725 976Thomas acquired another 1113 acres on Licking Run and nearby Tinpot Run.7,8

976Thomas wrote his will in Stafford County on 15 April 1726, and it was probated a few weeks later on 8 June. Sadly, during the Civil War, Union soldiers cowards vandalized Stafford County's record books, and the record copy of 976Thomas' will was destroyed. Fortunately for us, though, many decades after 976Thomas' death, his descendants had a dispute over who were the rightful owners of the descendants of 976Thomas' slave Judea, and while working to settle the dispute, the court made a separate copy of 976Thomas' will that did survive the war. The opening lines of his will are illustrated below. You can read a summary of the will, or see the court copy using the details provided below with source citation #9. The will names sons John, Thomas, Vincen, Parish, Charles, James; daughter Susanna; wife 977Mary; and slaves Will, George, Toney, Peter, Frank, Giles, child Cate, and Judea.9

The opening lines of 976Thomas' will.9

Sources Cited:

1: Westmoreland County, Virginia. Deeds & wills book 3 (1701-1707), pages 153-154. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9PX-V9K3-Q?i=175&cat=399056> et seq., accessed 11 August 2021. You can read a transcription here.

2: Stafford County, Virginia. Wills liber Z (1699-1709), page 36. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9PF-DKN4?i=22&cat=366578>, accessed 21 August 2021.

3: Library of Virginia / Chancery Records Index / Fauquier County, index number 1793-012, Thomas Garner etc. vs. executors of Thomas Harrison etc. / a copy of the will of Thomas Garner, dated 15 April 1726, proved 8 June 1726. <https://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=061-1793-012>, accessed 21 August 2021. The copy of 976Thomas Garner's will is on images 71-77 (of 91). You can read a summary of 976Thomas' will itself here, and a synopsis of the overall court case file here.

4: Stafford County, Virginia. Deeds book for the years 1722-1728, page 333. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9PF-ZQQ9?i=176&cat=366578>, accessed 21 August 2021.

5: Virginia Land Office Patents and Grants, Northern Neck Grants and Surveys, Grants book 5 (1713-1719), page 100. Library of Virginia, <https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990008534750205756>, accessed 18 August 2021.

6: Northumberland County, Virginia. Records book for the years 1718-1726, pages 233-234. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9LP-H42M?i=310&cat=363009> et seq., accessed 21 August 2021.

7: Virginia Land Office Patents and Grants, Northern Neck Grants and Surveys, Grants book A (1722-1726), page 137. Library of Virginia, <https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990008534570205756>, accessed 18 August 2021.

8: Virginia Land Office Patents and Grants, Northern Neck Grants and Surveys, Grants book A (1722-1726), page 144. Library of Virginia, <https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990008534580205756>, accessed 18 August 2021.

9: Library of Virginia / Chancery Records Index / Fauquier County, index number 1793-012, Thomas Garner etc. vs. executors of Thomas Harrison etc. / images 71-77 of 91, a copy of 976Thomas Garner's will. <https://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=061-1793-012>, accessed 21 August 2021. You can read a summary of the will, and there's also a description of the court case.