This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Taylor Elkins Garrison Clayton Posey Clark Wick Peddicord Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.garrison/3515.1.2.1.3.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Hello again Melissa, I cannot help you further. In conclusion, I would suggest: 1. Focus on Dolly CLAYTON, the 2nd wife of Silas Messer Garrison born 23 Feb 1845 in Lawrence Co, Alabama. Her name is found both in Mr. Taylor's letter and in "Tracking Stephen Garrison & Descendants" by author, and researcher, Bill Garrison Sr. (the version of his research paper I am citing from is dated 14 Sept 2000 version). So, Bill Sr makes Dolly CLAYTON the second wife, as does Mr. Taylor. This is highly credible information. 2. Bill Sr writes (source cited above) that Dolly 2nd wife CLAYTON died in Grayson, Alabama and is buried at Mt. Olive Cemetery. But in the version of his paper which I am reading from, no children are cited for Dolly 2nd wife CLAYTON. This is why you are finding a gap. 3. A kind woman at a Alabama nearby cemetery (Winston Memorial) in Haleyville explained to me that there was a country cemetery (with no person to phone) named Mt Olive, in Winston Co, AL. She explained that country cemeteries were usually linked to a church and that finding out which church was involved with which cemetery could be a clue. She suggested to look around Addison, and some other towns. 3. A search on Rootsweb, pasted below, sure enough returned a Mount Olive Cemetery, Winston Co., AL, near Addison, AL. Sure enough, Dollie Garrison is buried there [only confirming Bill Garrison, Sr's paper]. The stone even says "wife of S.M. Garrison", with her born date and death date. (oddly, ancestry is not letting me post the info here, so this entry has been minimized) Mount Olive Cemetery, Winston, Alabama by Ruth Ferguson February 1999 MOUNT OLIVE CEMETERY - Winston Co., AL Surveyed by Stella Pratt and Brad Mattox. * * * GARRISON, Dollie wife of S.M. Garrison 7/6/1862 - 7/22/1892 GARRISON, Lee 9/12/1972 - 11/10/1972 * * * There are 49 graves marked with no names. Directions--- From Addison, Al., go west on Hwy 278 to county road 63. Turn right and go through Moreland and Grayson, Al. The cemetery is on the right after the Church of the Forest. (end of paste from rootsweb link, not allowed to be pasted here- this is my third try at posting) 4. Since the dates you posted for Ira Hitson or ? Garrison ("Sam") matched Mr. Taylor's info, it seems like you are talking about the same man. Switching back to Mr. Taylor's letter (cited previously in these multiple postings on this subject), Dolly CLAYTON had four children. Mr Taylor describes the family as: 1. James D. GARRISON, b. 10 Oct 1877, Newport Ark, m. Mary E. ________. He died 10 Jan 1965, Gray Rock Cem. 2. Ira H. (Sam) GARRISON, born 22 Sept 1880, Lawrence Co., ALab. m. Molly WICK, 14 Aug 1903 Lawrence Co, AL, died 26 Nov 1920, Gray Rock Cem. 3. Mattie GARRISON, b. 23 Feb 1885, Lawrence Co., Ala, m. Mr. _______ POSEY. She died 2 Dec 1963, buried at Pebble Cemetery, Winston Co, Ala. 4. Lula GARRISON, b. 23 Mar, 1890, Lawrence Co., Ala, m. Mr. N.D. (or H.D.) CLARK. She died 10 May, 1968, buried in Oak Grove Cem, Franklin Co., Ala. [ letter at DAR, Clayton Lib, Houston Texas, in multiple file drawers of loose paper files under surname, GARRISON] Order birth certificates for these four children. Birth certificates are more accurate, perhaps. One will not be enough since you do not believe that Dolly Clayton is their mom...Proving this family unit will be very important, since you may prove your way into the Stephen Garrison tree. This is very important too. Realize that their Father is in dispute as well as who their mother is (since you claim Mary Smith, and these researchers cite Dolly Clayton). You could first prove who the 4 kids' father is. With 4 birth certificates and 4 death certificates, and checking of the church records, baptismal, land records, wills, obits, etc- maybe you could get Ira H. Garrison's true name, his father, and his mother. 5. Importantly, Mr. Taylor in attachments to his letter cites a date of birth for Silas Messer GARRISON III. He was born the 23 Feb 1845 in Lawrence Co., Alab. He died 21 Jan 1929, Franklin Co., Alab, Gray Rock Cem. [ clarification- I dont have his letter, but I do seem to have attachments to this letter, which are carefully typed and list out the family members in beautifully clear order] This 23 Feb 1845 date conflicts with the 1852 date which you have claimed for Silas Messer Garrison. I must have missed where that 1852 date came from, but again following Mr. Taylor (who clearly possessed family info) your date is about 7 years late. This could be why he wrote in 1978 with well known researcher, Irene Peddicord, since he too could not resolve this matter. They also wrote about inconsistencies in the census data, etc. 6. Irene Peddicord repeats this date in her reply, 23 Feb 1845, writing about the 1860 census, "This record must have been full of errors; I gather that you [Mr. Wm Taylor of Georgetown IL] MUST HAVE A BIBLE RECORD on Silas M. III for his birthdate Feb. 23, 1845, which would make him 15 years old instead of 11, and push the marriage date back to about 1843-44. Anyhow, it's good have [sic] have records that don't depend on census." [Irene Peddicord's letter of 16 June 1978] 7. Mr Wm Taylor cites to at least two TAYLOR men who intermarried with this line, so it may be family info was passed down to him, i.e. bible, etc. Otis Vernon Taylor married Ruby Garrison b. 1916 (daughter of Stonewall J. Garrison and Nancy Ann Kennedy) on the 3 Mar 1935, Franklin Co, ALab. If he was born via this marriage, he could be still alive.... Vertis (yes Vertis) A. Taylor married Jewell Florean Garrison (daughter of Stonewall) - she was b. 1923, Loretto TN (think it says that she is also buried at Gray Rock) [ Mr Wm Taylor's letter attachments] 8. SSDI shows a Vertis Taylor born 5 Jan 1912, died 5 Mar 1998, last residence Stanton, Chilton Co, Alab 36790. 9. Going back to Mr. Taylor's letter they married the 17 July 1937, Franklin Co Alab. Good Luck and Goodbye. This is not my family and I lack any personal knowledge. red1403.