Early Rockwall Pioneers
Marriage: Circa 1844 - Marion Co TN
After their marriage, George and Mary Ann decided to move to Texas and did so quickly. Only their first child was born in Tennessee - the others were all born in Texas.
The Gardenhires raised their family on Rockwall's open prairie. There they farmed the land, raised cattle and rounded up wild mustangs to tame and sell.
George enlisted in the Confederate States Army in the spring of 1864 - Co. F 16th Texas Cavalry - and served until the close of the war. He filed for a Confederate Pension with the state of Texas in 1893 - # 3792. And after his death, Mary filed and received a Confederate Widow's Pension - # 9511.
CENSUS RECORDS
Children of George & Mary Ann:
1.
CENSUS
Brown Gardenhire served as the postmaster of Rockwall, Texas for more than 40 years.
CENSUS
*NOTE- Many researchers feel that Jordan Gardenhire was the epitome of a true cowboy - always on the range - and that is why he was not enumerated on census records for 40 years.
Obit
Married #1: 18 Feb 1871- Kaufman Co TX
Child:
Married #2:
Charity Jane "Jenny" Bex
3.
Children:
CENSUS
CENSUS
Sadly, Eliza was pregnant with George when her husband died.
5.
Children:
CENSUS
6.
Married: 8 Dec 1892 - Archer Co TX
1880 Census - With his parents - Tarrant Co
See his remarkable life story here
Children:
7.
CENSUS
8.
Children:
1910 Jim was a Ft. Worth city policeman and 1920 he was a Tarrant County Deputy Sheriff
CENSUS
9.
10.
Children:
CENSUS
George Washington Gardenhire
Born: Nov 1821- Overton Co TN
Died: 30 SEP 1902 - Fort Worth,Tarrant Co TX
Son of Thompson Gardenhire & Martha Susan Copeland
Mary Ann Webb
Born:Mar 1827 - TN
Died: 19 Sep 1919 - Fort Worth, Tarrant Co
The family moved to Rusk County Texas in the spring of 1846. There George and his brother William Jord settled a community called Peatown and remained there until their sister, Agnes Watson and her husband arrived in Texas about 1850.
By 1854 George and his family were settled in the northern portion of Kaufman County, near the community of Rock Wall, living in a used log cabin they acquired in the purchase of their land. By 1860 they had constructed a dog-trot style house on their homestead.
- Illustration made from descriptions of what the dwelling looked like -
Drawing by K K Hunt
George and Mary Ann moved from the home place to Stephens County on a place near their son, John, in 1879, and were enumerated there in 1880. By 1890 they were living in Tarrant County and remained there the rest of their lives. After George's death, Mary Ann lived with their son, Lee, until her death.
1850 Census - Rusk Co TX
1860 Census - Kaufman Co TX
1870 Census - Kaufman Co TX
1880 Census - Stephens Co TX
1900 Census - Tarrant Co TX
Aaron Brown Gardenhire
Born: 17 Sep 1845 - Marion Co TN
Died:11 Dec 1933 - Rockwall Co TX
Burial: Old Rockwall Cemetery - Rockwall TX
He was called "Brown".
Some records show his first name spelled "ARON".
1870 Census - Kaufman Co TX
1880 - 1930 Census - Rockwall Co TX
Brown enlisted in the Confederate States Army at McKinney in Collin County on March 1, 1862 and served until August 16, 1862. Eight months later he re-enlisted in the Ranger Service under Col. Bell Boulder and served until the war ended. He filed for a soldiers pension on 29 August 1930.
Brown and Martha were living with her father Ben F. Boydstun and his family in 1870.
Dallas Morning News - 12 Dec. 1933
Married: 8 Sep 1869 - Kaufman Co TX
Martha Isabell "Mattie" Boydstun
Born: 15 Jan 1850
Died: 3 Sep 1933 - Rockwall Co TX
d/o Benjamin F Boydstun & Mary Elizabeth Isabelle Crenshaw
See Boydstun Family Info Here
Children:
1. Gus 1871 - 1920
2. Abbia 1873-1874
3. George 1876 - 1928
4. Mary 1879 - 1910
5. Aron Benjamin "Boss" 1881 - 1921
6. Amely "Daisy" L 1884 - 1962
7. John Ruddell 1887 - 1930
2.
William Jerd "Jordan" Gardenhire
Born: 27 Jan 1847 - Rusk Co TX
Died: 4 Dec 1920 - Ft Worth, Tarrant Co TX
He died from injuries sustained in a buggy accident near his home
Buried: Oakwood Cemetery - Ft. Worth
1870 Census - *Unable to locate
1880 Census - *Unable to locate - his son, Emory was living with his parents
1900 Census - *Unable to locate
1910 & 1920 Census - Tarrant Co TX
Fort Worth Star Telegram - Sunday December 5, 1920
"W.J. Gardenhire, 73, died at 1:15 o'clock Saturday afternoon at the family residence 2827 North Main Street, after an illness extending over six months. The funeral services will be held at Oakwood Chapel at 10:15 o'clock Monday morning, with burial in Oakwood Cemetery.
Gardenhire, who has been a resident of Fort Worth for the past sixteen years, is survived by three sons G. L. of Klondike, Arizona, Charles of Mangum, Oklahoma, and E. M of Fort Worth, by five brothers A. B. and A. L. of Rockwall, J. L. and G. W. of Cisco, and J. T. of Fort Worth, two sisters, Mrs. J. E. Fridge of Fort Worth and Mrs. J. W. Hartman of Cisco."
He lived on north Main Street, about 1/2 mile from the cattle yards and Packing Plants.
Mary L Cannon
Born: 9 May 1850
Family lore says she died three days after Emory was born, supposedly becoming ill after eating snow with milk and sugar on it. However, records show the couple split and Mary married Francis Shute in Rockwall. She died 8 Jan 1885 from complications of childbirth. Buried Chisholm Cemetery, near her parents,
Emberry L Cannon & Manerva J Patillo.
1. Emory Maryland Gardenhire
He was called "Emaline" and "Em" by kin and friends
Born: 22 Jan 1872 - Kaufman Co TX
Died: 22 Sep 1956 - Wichita Co TX
Born: 1869 -IL
Died: unknown
Children:
1. William Charles 1886 Baylor Co TX - 1965 Greer Co OK
2. George Elmer - called "Jim" 1892 AZ - 1952 Pinal Co Arizona
3. Belle 1897 - Cochise Co AZ - died before 1920
Abner Lansing Gardenhire
He was called "Abb"
Born: 21 Dec 1849 - Rusk Co TX
Died: 9 Dec 1936 - Rockwall Co TX
Burial: Boydstun Cemetery - Rockwall
Married: 26 Jul 1876 - Rockwall Co TX
Nancy Ellen "Nannie" Boydstun
Born: 5 Feb 1853 - Kaufman Co TX
Died: 20 Aug 1934
She was sister of Martha I Boydstun Gardenhire. See Boydstun Family Info Here
1. Mary Adella "Della" 1877 - 1964
2. Ella Babe 1878 - 1879
3. Willie D
4. Eula Lee 1883 - 1955
5. Agnes Leta 25 Jul 1885 - 13 Nov 1908 *see photo below
6. George Homer 1887 - 1930
7. Benjamin Franklin "Frank" 1891 - 1927
8. John Fred "Ted"
1880 - 1930 Census - Rockwall Co
Agnes Leta Gardenhire -1900
4.
Elizabeth Tennessee "Eliza" Gardenhire
Born:1853 Rusk Co TX
Died: *unknown
Buried: Oakwood Cemetery - Ft. Worth TX
Married: Circa 1874 - Unknown place
E T "Wiley" Parker
Born: circa 1831 NC
Died: 1879 -Stephens Co TX
Known Children:
1. Colonel B 1876 - 1963
2. Lenore "Nora" 1879 -
3. George 1880 -
1880 Census - Stephens Co TX - Eliza as a widow.
1900 Census - Tarrant Co TX - Eliza, Nora & George
1910 Census - Hunt Co TX - with Nora
Mary Ann Gardenhire
Born: 11 Apr 1854 - Rusk Co TX
Died: 27 Mar 1934 - Eastland Co TX
Married: circa 1875
John Wesley "JW" Hartman
s/o Wm. H Hartman & Rockwall Pioneer, Lucinda Register.
See Hartman Family Info Here
Born: 22 May 1850
Died: 23 Feb 1920 -Tarrant Co TX
1. Charles - 1878
2. Maude - 1888
1880 Census - Rockwall Co TX
1900 Census - Eastland Co TX - Cisco
1910 Census - Eastland Co TX - Cisco
1920 Census - Eastland Co TX - Cisco
1930 Census - Eastland Co TX - widow living with son, Charles
John Thompson "Sad" Gardenhire
Born: 23 Jan 1857 - Kaufman Co TX
Died: 15 Oct 1938 - Ft Worth Tarrant Co TX
Buried:Oakwood Cemetery - Ft. Worth
Cora Jane Bellah
Born: 4 Oct 1872- TX
Died: 26 Apr 1942 - Tarrant Co TX
d/o Samuell Bellah III & Emily Maddux
1900 Census - Baylor Co TX
1910 Census - Wise Co TX
1920 Census - Tarrant Co TX
1930 Census - Tarrant Co TX
1. Trula Beulah 12 Nov 1893 Kaufman Co TX - 10 Mar 1977 Tarrant Co TX
Never Married
2. Aron Brown 8 Jul 1895 Kaufman Co TX 2 Feb 1992 Tarrant Co TX
3. Mary Mae 12 Nov 1897 Kaufman Co TX 24 Dec 1984 Tarrant Co TX
Never Married
4. Samuel Bellah 8 Jan 1900 Baylor Co TX 17 Nov 1982 Tarrant Co TX
5. Gladys 24 Feb 1903 Baylor Co TX 11 Dec 1989 Tarrant Co TX
Never Married
James Lee Gardenhire
He was called "Lee"
Born: circa 1858 Kaufman Co TX
Died: after 1920
He Never married
1880 Census - with his parents
1900 Census - *Unable to locate
1910 Census - Tarrant Co TX - his Mother was living with him
1920 Census - Eastland Co TX
In 1910 listed occupation as Butcher, in 1920 he owned a Lunch Stand.
Susan Frances "Fannie" Gardenhire
Born: 1861 - Kaufman Co TX
Died: 24 May 1944 - Tarrant Co TX
Buried: Oakwood Cemetery - Ft. Worth
Married: 24 Dec 1879 - Stephens Co TX
James Ernest "Jim" Fridge
Son of James Frazer Fridge & Ann Tuohy, Scotish imigrants
Born: 1852 - NY
Died: 19 Apr 1928 - Tarrant Co - buried Oakwood
1. William Ernest Marion 1880-1930
2. Audie Lee 1881-1964
3. James Frazer 1885-1907 - buried Oakwood
4. Herbert Carvin 1884 -
1880 Census - *unable to locate
1900 Census - Tarrant Co TX
1910 Census - Tarrant Co TX - living next to James' parents
1920 Census - Tarrant Co TX
1930 Census - Tarrant Co TX - daughter Audie Hall living with her
Laura Gardenhire
Born: circa 1865 - Kaufman Co TX
Died: after 1880 Census
Nothing more known about her
George Walter Gardenhire
He was called "Walt"
Born: 22 Apr 1870 - Kaufman Co TX
Died: 11 Jun 1957 - Bell Co TX
Married: after 1900
Ina Hewett
1. Alton H - 1906
2. Lynn Brown - 1908
3. George Walter - 1915
1880 Census - with his parents
1900 Census - Bell Co TX
1910 Census - *Unable to locate
1920 Census - Eastland Co TX
1930 Census - *unable to locate
of the Dallas Morning News tell of George Gardenhire & his sons, and
their early days rounding up mustangs on the prairie along the East Fork bottoms.
Kathey Kelley Hunt