245Margaret Hinson
Key Facts
Snapshot:moved from Virginia to Georgia
Parents:490Robert Hinson
Her mother's identity is unknown.
Born:late 1770's
perhaps Fauquier County, Virginia
Died:between 13 January and March 1839
Clarke County, Georgia
Buried:unknown

245Margaret Hinson was born circa the late 1770's.1,2 Her father 490Robert Hinson3 lived in Fauquier County, Virginia for many years, so 245Margaret may have been born there.

In Fauquier County on 18 December 1793, 245Margaret's soon-to-be husband 244Presley Garner signed a document indicating his intention to marry her. 245Margaret's father added and signed a statement that he had "no Objection against the match proposed between Presley Garner & my Daughter." 3 For more information on 245Margaret's and 244Presley's life together, etc. (including their move to Clarke County, Georgia), see his profile since that information won't be repeated here.

After 244Presley's death in the summer of 1827, 245Margaret lived on as his widow for ~12 years. The 1830 census (copied below) suggests she had several young children to raise,2 but on the other hand her husband's estate records shows that outsiders were appointed as guardians of (at least some of) the children.4


1830: 245Margaret's family in Clarke County, Georgia. Full page.2

245Margaret's will, dated 16 January 1839 and proved at the March 1839 court,5 is peculiar in that 245Margaret left her entire estate to one child (daughter Eliza) and basically nothing to the other children—all the more jarring since her son Presley seems to have been mentally challenged (often described as "idiot" in his father's estate records).6 245Margaret's motivations here are unclear.

Georgia                 }   In the name of GOD Amen.
Clarke County     }   I Peggy Garner being low in body but
of sound mind and memory, do make
and constitute this my last will and testament,
revoking all others heretofore.--
Recommending my soul to God and
my body to the dust from whence it came.

Item the 1st. I wish and desire that my body be
conveyed buried in a deasent manner & that all my
lawful debts be paid.

Item the 2nd. I will unto my children named as follows:
Nancy Wood, Merrit Wood's orfins, Peggy Whitton,
Susannah Hilmsley, Jesse Garner, Presley Garner,
William Garner & James Garner one dollar each
a peace.

Item the 3rd. All the rest of my property I will unto
my daughter Eliza Garner, that is to say all my
household and kitchen furniture also one cow
my little stock of hogs also a note of hand
on John L. Wood for Seventy Dollars to be her
rites + property. Signed, Seald and delivered in
presence of         this 16th day of January, 1839.
Teste
Josiah Marey        Peggy X (her mark) Garner Seal
Thomas X (his mark) Wood
Susannah X (her mark) Freeman

Sources Cited:

1: 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. We can infer that 245Margaret is the woman age 26-44, and therefore that she was born between 1776 and 1794 (or thereabouts).

2: 1830 U.S. Federal Census. Clarke County, Georgia. Page 315, Margaret Garner household. NARA microfilm publication M19, roll 16. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YYY-37H?i=52&cc=1803958&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXHPF-QP7>, accessed 4 September 2021. The census shows 245Margaret as a woman age 50-59, so we can infer that she was born between 1771 and 1780 (or thereabouts).

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. Returns and mixed records, book E (1820-1830), page 229. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893G-JVV6?i=437&cc=1999178&cat=188782>, accessed 4 September 2021.

5: Clarke County, Georgia. Wills book B (1822-1842), pages 209-210. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893G-VPHX?i=286&cc=1999178&cat=279227>, accessed 4 September 2021.

6: Clarke County, Georgia. Returns and Mixed Records, Book E (1820-1830), page 433. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93G-JKQZ?i=544&cc=1999178&cat=188782>, accessed 29 August 2021.