This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: JudyFlorian Surnames: McGary, Lowery, Johnson, Grim, Grimm, Rossell Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.pennsylvania.counties.greene/10899/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I have some new but confusing clues for my ancestor, Thomas McGary, Cameron, WVA died 1905. He was married to Sarah Grim or Grimm Jan 1871 West Alexander PA. Do records exist for marriages performed by J. Finley Mays, Esq -- Justice of the Peace -- West Alexander PA? A first cousin of Sarah Grim/Grimm identified himself as Abraham Johnson---I need to know more about the Grim/mm and Johnson families. I assume one of Sarah's aunts married a Johnson? I do not know Sarah's parents or sublings' names. The government tried to prove Thomas McGary was married to someone else and so, cheated Sarah A McGary out of her widow's pension. The govt cited that "a" Thomas McGary married Elisabeth LOWERY Dec 4, 1866 both of Marshall Co WVA. This was found by the gov't examiner in 1910 in the marriage docket of Baptist Rev. Job Rossell who was pastor at South Wheeling Baptist Church Greene Co PA , and at the 1st Ridge and Wolf Run Baptist Churches in Marshall Co WVA near Ryerson's Station -- he pastored from 1861 until his death 1884. Does anyone in Greene Co PA know if Rev. Job ROSSELL's marriage dockets exist anywhere? Does anyone know anything about this Elisabeth LOWERY ? Now it appears the gov't or the son-in-law of Rev. Rossell (who was looking in Rossell's dockets) got a bit confused because the son-in-law, Thomas J. McCleary looking at the records on Feb 5, 1910 (his wife was daughter of Job Rossell) said he found no evidence of Thomas McGary marrying "Sarah BURKETT" ! Well, Sarah A. Grim / Grimm was never a BURKETT by birth or marriage. It makes no sense why they mentioned looking for Burkett. Sarah A. Grim / Grimm claimed she married ONCE to Thomas McGary. So I believe the gov't or Mr. McCleary was looking for a name that either never existed or they simply got confused. The Pension examiners supposedly culled court house records in WVA and Washington PA and found no record of marriage (for Grim/Grimm or for the *supposed* 1st wife Lowery) and no record of divorces. It'd be interesting to prove that the gov't made a huge mistake in saying Thomas McGary had a first wife named Elisabeth Lowery. IF there was a 1st marriage to Lowery, possibly HER family-descendants have a family story about her husband leaving her? He would have left before 1871, if the gov't is right that she existed. (He married Jan 1871 to Sarah Grim/Grimm). Also, maybe Lowery descendants heard of one identifying physical mark that Thomas McGary had?? The "death of former wife" the gov't wrote occurred about 1892---(again, IF this person existed!). Attacking the problem from another angle-- Was there a completely different Thomas McGary of WVA (once VA) who did marry Elisabeth Lowery? Are there descendants? If anyone knows the couple Thomas McGary m. 1871 to Sarah Ann (Anne) Grim or Grimm, please reply. She went by "Annie McGary." After 1905, she lived on Weirich Ave., Washington, Pa. They had several or more children; 3 were minors in 1905, under age 16. If anyone knows more about the Greene Co info, I'd love to hear from you. Thomas McGary and Sarah Ann "Annie" Grimm McGary are my 4th great grandparents. Judy Florian Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.