William GARRISON
Elizabeth DICKERSON

Husband:  William GARRISON
Birth:  21 Jul 1769, Henry Co., Virginia 
Death:  3 Oct 1853, Flat Creek, Buncombe Co., North Carolina
Burial:  Oct 1853, Garrison Cemetery, Weaverville, Buncombe Co., North Carolina
Father:  Thomas GARRISON
Mother:  Comfort ROBERTS

Marriage:  16 Jul 1791, Patrick Co., Virginia 

Wife:  Elizabeth DICKERSON
Birth:  28 Sep 1772, Virginia 
Death:  10 Aug 1840, Asheville, Buncombe Co., North Carolina
Burial:  Aug 1840, Garrison Cemetery, Weaverville, Buncombe Co., North Carolina  
Father:  Obediah DICKERSON 
Mother:  Patience TERRY 

Children:
1. (Infant) Male GARRISON, b: 1 Mar 1792, Buncombe Co., North Carolina
                                        d: 3 Mar 1792, Buncombe Co., North Carolina
                                     bur: Garrison Cemetery, Weaverville, Buncombe Co., North Carolina
2. Comfort GARRISON, b: 1 Jul 1794, Buncombe Co., North Carolina
                                   d: 1 Oct 1800, Buncombe Co., North Carolina
                                bur: Garrison Cemetery, Weaverville, Buncombe Co., North Carolina
3. Catharine GARRISON, b: 21 Jun 1796, Buncombe Co., North Carolina
4. Elizabeth GARRISON, b: 16 Dec 1798, Buncombe Co., North Carolina
5. (Twin) Thomas Morrison Hickson GARRISON, b: 3 Nov 1801, Buncombe Co., North Carolina
6. (Twin) Griffe Jefferson Dickerson GARRISON, b: 4 Nov 1801, Buncombe Co., North Carolina    
7. William Claiborne GARRISON, b: 16 Sep 1807, Flat Creek, Buncombe Co., North Carolina 
8. Absalom Raburn GARRISON, b: 8 May 1810, Flat Creek, Buncombe Co., North Carolina
9. James Wilburn GARRISON, b:13 Apr 1813, Flat Creek, Buncombe Co., North Carolina
10. Narcissa S. GARRISON, b: 21 Jul 1815, Flat Creek, Buncombe Co., North Carolina
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Notes:
From A Short Record and Autobiography of the Garrison Family of North Carolina:
Captain William Garrison, Thomas Garrison's and Comfort Garrison's eldest child, married Elizabeth Dickerson of Virginia.  They had five sons and three daughters, Jefferson Griffe-Dickerson Garrison and Thomas Garrison, their eldest, were twins and so much alike that no person could tell or distinguish one from the other except their mother, and she could only do so by a mole on one of their necks.

        1800 Federal Census Data (M32_0029, Page 170), Morgan Twp., Buncombe Co., North Carolina 

        1810 Federal Census Data (M252_0039, Page 287), Not Stated, Buncombe Co., North Carolina 

1820 Federal Census Data (M33_0080, Page 90), Not Stated, Buncombe Co., North Carolina

1830 Federal Census Data (M19_0118, Page 254), Unknown Twps., Buncombe Co., North Carolina

1840 Federal Census Data (M704_0354, Page 165), Southern Division, Buncombe Co., North Carolina

The Following is a transcript of a letter from William to his son James Wilburn Garrison

                  Return Address: French Broad, North Carolina

                  Posted:         January 30th, 1850

                  Addresss:       Mr. James W. Garrison

                                  State of Iowa

                                  Dubuque County

                                  Tivoli Post Office
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State of North Carolina, Buncombe County

                                  January the 23, 1850

Dear Son,

   I embrace one more opportunity of writing you an answer to your letter dated the 8th of March 1839 which came to hand on the 8th of Aprile about a month from the time you wrote it, and was truly gratified to hear from you once more and to learn that you were enjoying the blessing of health.

   I should have answered your letter previous to this time, but wished to give you all the information I could, relative to the friends, and expected I should have had the pleasure of hearing from David Merrell.   But I have had no account from him since 1848 and have concluded to delay an answer no longer.

   David Merrell has moved from where he formerly lived about 150 to Dallas county from Trinity River, and if you should want to write to him, direct your letter to Dallas Post Office, Texas. 

   Also, your brother Thomas has moved to Union county Georgia. I was at their house in December and the family were all well and desired to be remembered to you when I should write. If you should wish to write to him, direct your letter to Georgia, Union County, Bragstown Creek, Greenwood Post Office.

   In reply to your letter relative to what you stated about the winter snow etc., I can only reverse the matter. Here we have not had a snow for several years six inches deep and this last November was a beautiful month, the winter, so far warm, no snow of any consequence but a great deal of rain.

   I have the pleasure of informing you that the friends and relatives in this country are all enjoying good health. I am myself enjoying a tolerable degree of health. I still have a great desire to see you but got disappointed about my trip as contemplated in my other letter, but still intend to go to Kentucky if I am blessed with life and health and should meet with no appointment.
   Should I set out on this trip I will write to you.  I am still living with my son Clabourn, but not well satisfied a living with my children, as when my children were living with me.  Your brother Absolom lives in Parotsville, Tennessee and his family were all well Christmas and he follows waggoning for a livelihood. 
 James Weaver lives where Peter Davis used to live, desires to be remembered to you.  Old Mr. Roadman deceased the 20th August.  William Forby and wife are both dead.  Joseph Huff's wife or widow married to John Dillard.
Clabourn's and Jefferson's families are all well and desires to be remembered to you. Your sister Narcissa and her family are well.  Mr. Edwards lives with Esquire Hunt Big Ivy they have had the misfortune to loose their two youngest sons, they have two living, a son and a daughter.  One of the sons that died was about four years old.  His clothes took fire and burned him so badly he died in about 24 hours.
     I wish you to write to me when this comes to hand, and don't be so neglectful about writing to me as I have been writing to you, and I think I will write more frequently.  Write to me as soon as this comes to hand.    You request in your last that I should send you the date of the age myself and your mothers and the children which I will now do.
   I was born July the 21st AD 1769 your mother was born September the 28th AD 1772 and was taken sick the 24th of October 1839 and in a few hours lost the use of herself from the hips down and never walked another step as long as she lived and deceased tuesday night the 11th of August 1840.  We was united togeather on thursday July the 21st AD 1791.  The first child we had born was a son March 1792 and died 2 or 3 weeks before he had a name.  Our first daughter was born July the 1st 1794.  We called her Comfort, died October 1800.  Our daughter Hatty was born June 21st 1796, married October the 19th 1824, died March 13th 1833.  Elizabeth was born December the 16th 1798, married February the 12th 1835.  Thomas was born tuesday November the 3rd 1801, married thursday June 25th 1835.  Jefferson was born wednesday November the 4th 1801, married thursday February the 13th 1823.  William was born September the 16th 1807, married tuesday July the 7th 1829.  Absolom was born saturday May the 8th 1810,married tuesday August the 18th 1830.  James was born tuesday Aprile the 13th 1813, married thursday March the 5th 1840. Daughter Narcissa was born July the 21st 1815, married thursday February 27th 1840.  Your grandfather Garrison was born May the 8th 1745 and died January the 27th 1798.  Your grandmother Garrison was born August the 14th 1750 and died on saturday night June the 27th 1829.  Your grandfather Dickerson deceased June the 27th 1828, your grandmother Dickerson deceased June the 27th 1823 in the state of Tennessee.
  So dear son I have endeavored to give you all the information in this letter I could, and in conclusion ask you to pardon my neglecting to write and will remain your affectionate father

                                                   William Garrison

The Following is a transcript of a further letter from William to his son James Wilburn Garrison
(This letter was written in April of 1851 or later .  It is uncertain exactly where James was living  at the time. He was either in Iowa or Missouri) 
                                                                                        Buncombe Co Aprile the 4^th

Dear Son,

            I have the pleasure of acknowledging the reception of your kind and interesting letter of July the 24^th 1850.  But owing to my being somewhat afflicted have delayed answering it until I would be able to tell you I am tolerably well – Well I have lately had the pleasure of reading a letter from you to Jefferson dated February the 9^th 1850 in which you complain a great deal that you have written 3 or 4 letters and received none.  Well the one I received in one and Jefferson’s is two the one you laid in the drawer is three if you have written any more we have not received them ----
            But I can assure you it was a great satisfaction to me to receive your letters which inform me though in a far distant land that you was well and surrounded with friends and still have a desire to hear from your old father.  Well once more thank kind providence  I have the pleasure of giving you some information concerning myself and friends not withstanding you said for us not to write , I will tan you with one ,more postage and will now proceed.
          Jefferson’s family are all well and his daughter Susan was married to Mr Zimri Carter son of Soloman Carter on the 25^th day January last.  Claiborn’s family are all well and his oldest son William Michel was married to Miss Mira Roberts daughter of Thos P Roberts on the 13^th of February and is staying at his father’s attending to the farm this year as his father is taking from time this year working at his trade.  I had forgotten to tell you Jefferson had the misfortune to loose a negro boy last summer about 10 or 11 year old. – by request I will proceed to give you some information concerning Mr Merrill’s family. I received a letter from him dated the 15^th of December 1850 which informed me they were then all well and well satisfied. His oldest son White is married to Miss Mary Rhodes.  Merrill has procured about three thousand acres of land and is well pleased with it. He states that he has written several letters to you and received no answer.  I have received information from Thomas in February  his family are all well.  He is still in Union Ga.  If you write to Thomas direct your letters to Blairsville Post Office.  Absalom and family were well the last account and was still living in Parrottsville Tenn.  John Edwards and his little family are well.  The people in this neighborhood are generally enjoying good health.  Well in conclusion or another before I conclude I will give you some information concerning the improvement of our county or county cite Asheville.  Well Asheville has in it 11 stores 2 groceries 3 churches 2 printing offices  a jail house that cost us about 4 thousand dollars a new courthouse nearly complete  that will cost near  six thousand and  the old one throwed in --- besides.  There is a bank in Asheville and other things  such as plank roads are to tedious to mention.  From Buncombe & Yancy the last legislature took a new county named Madison. The county cite named Marshall. This county is taken from the lower or west side of Buncombe and Yancy beginning on the Ball Mountain the line runs to the Black Mountain and down the leading ridge between little and big Ivys to the fork then a direct line to the mouth of Sandy mush then up a dividing ridge between the (sa___?) to the line then round with the Tennessee line to the beginning including Laurell of Yancy  and Spring Creek of Buncombe a pretty rough county you see.  In conclusion I can say I am still living at Claiborn’s and desire you to write to me when you receive this I will pay for the postage.  Do write and remember I am still your affectionate father

William Garrison

I was taken sick in the year 48 and taken Agreadeal (a great deal) of medison (medicine) redust (reduced) me so low that I was not out of the room for 4 weeks and 5 days but got About again in the corse of the summer but in March 1850 my leg broke out in blisters and become sore which was said by the medison I took and by my blood. Which caused me agreadeal  of misery and trouble But is gitting well which have bin a greate disadvantage to me.  I onst promist you in a letter that I would come to the western country if I could but have bin disappointed from time to time as I have a great desire to see you and your family.  If it so that I git well and able to travel and can git money to bare my expenses tho  I have abad chance of making  Nothing I have will com in and mony.  When you wright to me again write what amount you suppose it will tak to bare my expenses to that country & also if you expect to continue in that country.
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Sources:
1) Marriage:  Patrick County Virginia Vital Statistics - Marriages (Virginia Marriages to 1800 online database)
2) Biography:  A Record and Autobiography of the Garrison Family of North Carolina and Their Descendants, by Thomas Garrison Stansberry