The 1816 Marriage of Lewis GAAR & Catherine KENDRICK of Morgan Co., GA
On 24 Sept 1816 Lewis GAAR, widower, and Catherine KENDRICK, widow, were married in Morgan Co., GA by Rev. Samuel PATILLO, a Methodist minister.This marriage has not been widely known due to a transcribing error made at the time by John NISBET, court clerk.
There were two locations in the marriage book where the bride & groom's names were recorded:the index and the detailed narrative.Although both of the names should have been the same in the two entries, they were not.The index stated "Lewis GARR (sic) to Catherine KENDRICK".The narrative authorized the marriage of "Joel GAAR & Catherine KENDRICK".
It is the latter entry that was excerpted for modern publication.However, recognition of the other (and correct) index entry can enlighten researchers of both the GAAR and KENDRICK lines about the following:
1)Joel GAAR (nephew of Lewis) was already married to Lucy HEAD and remained so until his death in 1824.He was the only known GAAR named "Joel" residing In Morgan Co., GA during 1816.
2)In the 1832 Lottery Catherine GAAR of Wood's District, Morgan Co., GA, "widow of a Revolutionary Soldier", was not Catherine WEAVER who was the first wife of Lewis GAAR.(Lewis GAAR & Catherine WEAVER, originally members of the German-founded Hebron Lutheran Church in today's Madison Co., VA, migrated to Wilkes Co., GA from Orange Co., VA where Lewis had served in the county militia and owned land.The part of Wilkes in which they resided became Elbert Co., GA.)
Presumptive death dates are now possible to make for both of Lewis' wives.The last-known date regarding Catherine (Weaver) GAAR occurred on 20/21 July 1812 when she & Lewis sold 400 acres in Elbert Co., GA bordering Van's Creek & Coldwater Creek.(This deed, which appears on page 78 of Elbert Co. Deeds & Mortgages Book Y 1839-1842, was not recorded until 20 Aug 1839.)So, sometime between the 1812 deed and the 1816 marriage, Lewis' first wife died.As for Catherine (Kendrick) GAAR, her death would have occurred after registration for the 1832 Lottery (in which both of her tickets won).
3)Catherine KENDRICK was the widow of Burwell KENDRICK (variant spelling Burrell KENDRICK) of Morgan Co., GA when she remarried on 24 Sept 1816.Therefore, her first husband would not have died , as researchers thought, on 1 July 1817 (the date of his estate sale).His administrators were John GARRARD (aka GARROTT/GARRETT) and William KENDRICK.At the estate sale Joel GAAR purchased only two items (fire tongs, tea kettle), but Lewis GAAR purchased many more items (such as a gray mare, fox horse, 1 cow calf & heifer, bed & furniture, trunk, table, 3 chairs, kitchenware, 1 lot of old irons, 1 lot of pewter, etc.).
The 1817 Tax Digest of Morgan Co. GA also noted Lewis GAAR as "agent for the estate of Burrel KENDRICKS".Like his nephew Joel, Lewis GAAR also died in 1824.
4)The maiden name of Catherine KENDRICK appears to have been DOWD.(A letter written on 17 Aug 1879 by James FORD, son of John FORD who was one of two brothers who married KENDRICK daughters, says she was "Katy DAVID of Moore Co., NC".)Other researchers say she was probably a daughter of Connor DOWD, a Loyalist who emigrated as a young man from Cavan Co., (North) Ireland and settled in NC.
Connor DOWD was known to have a son, Cornelius (20 Sept 1767-10 Oct 1840), who is buried at the Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery in Carthage, Moore Co., NC.(See FINDAGRAVE website)In the 1830 census of Morgan Co., GA Catherine (Kendrick) GARR (sic), widow, is reflected as a female age 60-70.This would place her birthdate between 1760-1770 and is commensurate with the birthdate of Connor's son, (Major) Cornelius DOWD.Adjacent to Catherine's name in the census is that of her son, James Cornelius KENDRICK, who later became a Baptist minister whose gravestone (died 2 Dec 1881 aet 84 years) can be found in Webster Co. GA at the Macedonia Baptist Church Cemetery.(FINDAGRAVE website)