Re: WILLIAM GARRARD b. 1760 Stafford Co., VA

Karyl,
The "History of Crawford County", published in 1980 has a mistake as to the burial spot of William Garrard, Sr.He and his wife Ruth were both buried next to their cabin southwest of Palestine, IL.Ruth died first and he buried her there and placed mussel shells all over her grave.So when William died his children buried him beside her and put mussel shells on his grave too.A Fox family bought the land after William's death and the cabin later was moved to another location and added on to, years later it had to be torn off because of it's condition.Roy Fox, a son of Mr. Fox who bought the land remembered the graves, because when his father went to plow the fields he would play with the mussel shells on the graves, but his father always made him put them back where they had been.I have visited these graves and in the 1970's, Roy Fox and his wife, Pauline wrote to the government telling them about William Garrard, Sr., his Revolutionary War service and that he was buried on the land granted for this service.A monument was sent and put on the grave site.In December of 1995 it was reported in the Robinson Daily News that vandals had taken the stone from the grave which lays at the edge of a farm field and along a blacktop road.The Flat Rock American Legion ordered a new marker and was told that they only furnish one marker per veteran, so they bought it and installed it back on the grave.In January of 1996 is was reported that it was not vandals that had taken the marker, but his great-great-great-great grandson had found the stone with a corner missing and ordered a new stone from the government and to keep it from being hit with farm implements he had it moved to the Netherey Cemetery next to where his daughter Margaret Garrard Martin and her husband John Martin are buried.Therefore, William Garrard, Sr. has two markers, one where he is buried and one next to his daughter.

I wonder if Ruth could be Native American Indian since William placed the mussel shells on her grave?Ruth may be the christian name given to her by missionaries. It's just a thought.
Oneita Brimberry