City Directories and History: Arthur Garison was born January 3, 1808 on his parents’ farm just off Fishing Creek, adjacent to Lands Ford Road, that ran between Yorkville and Ebenezer. He was the fifth child and fourth son of Josina and Sarah Brown Garison who settled in York County from Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. His father was made an elder of the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church as early as 1805 and served until his death in 1845.9 Arthur married Mariah Terissa Bendy about 1828 probably at Ebenezer Church.10 According to Mariah’s gravestone at Garrison Cemetery, Warren, Arkansas, she was born August 1, 1807 and died March 11, 1876. A few questions still remain concerning the exact number of children born to Arthur and Mariah. As many as ten, eight sons and two daughters have been alleged.11 On page six of the “Garrison Family in York County,” compiled by Joseph E. Hart, Jr., 1963, he lists six offspring: John N., Sarah Ann, Peter Prince, William F., Zenus Arthur W., and Sarah Clarinda Neely Garison. In a biography of William F. Garison’s son, Augustus, the submitter names the brothers and sisters of his father: “Peter; John; James, who was killed in the war, Sallie, deceased, wife of David Jackson; Mary, deceased; and Zeine.”12 He also goes on to say, in what appears to be an oversight, that “William was next to the youngest of the family.” He appears to be the third youngest with Zenus and Sallie (Sarah C. N.) in that order. On the 1830 Census, York County, Arthur is listed as having one male under 5 years of age and one female 60-70 years old (possibly Mariah’s grandmother since Arthur’s grandparents passed away in the early 1820s).3 By the 1840 York County census, Arthur is listed with two males under 5 years old (James?, b. abt 1836, and Peter P., 1839), one male 5-10 years (John N., 1834), and one female under 5 years (Sarah Ann, 1838). This James Garison could be the James V. Garison who is listed in the Ebenezer Church records. Under Section III, Register of Communicants, his date of death is recorded as September 30,1864. Under Remarks, it states that he was “Killed in battle near Richmond, Va.” On February 5, 1865, the Yorkville Enquirer published a casualty list from the 5th Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers, near Richmond, Va, January 30th, 1865. Listed as: “Killed—At Fort Harrison, September 30th, 1864, Privates James V. Garison and Thomas J. Stevenson.” According to Joseph E. Hart, Jr.’s work on the Garrison families of York County, James married Elizabeth Workman before 1857. Most of their children were baptized at Ebenezer Church: Margaret Jane Deborah, April 11, 1857; James Arthur (b. May 27, 1858), September 2,1858; and William Josina, November 15, 1863.14 The problem with Hart’s data is he has inserted James V. Garrison into the family of William D. Garrison, son of Arthur Garison’s uncle, Elias Garrison (b. 1763). Whether this James is a son of Arthur at this time remains in dispute for the sake of verification. Arthur’s son who appeared in the 1830 Census seems to have died. On the 1850 Census, September 7th, Arthur and Mariah do not appear to be listed. Neither does James. However, Mary A. does (b. abt. 1837). It appears they are under the household of Arthur’s widowed sister, Mary Brown Garison Pierce. Arthur’s mother, Sarah Brown Garison, 64, is also living with this family. John N. Garison is listed twice, aged 17 & 15 years old. Then Mary A., 13; Peter P., 12; William F., 9; Arthur Z. W.,6; and Sarah C. N., 4. There is no Sarah 8 York District, South Carolina, surveyed by Gordon Moore, 1820, Improved for Mills Atlas, 1825. 9 Samuel Brooks Mendenhall, History of Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, Including a History of Ebenezer Academy and the Town of Ebenezer, (Reynolds & Reynolds Printing, Inc., Rock Hill, S. C., 1985), p. 59.
10 Goodspeed’s Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Southern Arkansas, 1890, reprint 1978, biography of Peter P. Garison, pp 756-57.
11 Obid.
12 Memorial and Biographical History of Dallas County, Texas, (The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892), pp. 634-35.
13 Arthur Garison b. 1735, d. 1822, and Margaret A. Pierce Garison b. bef. 1748, d. 1820. Both are buried in Ebenezer Cemetery (double tombstone).
14 Minutes of the Session of the Presbyterian Church, Ebenezer Church: 1854-1860. Section IV, Register of Baptisms, York County Public Library, Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Historic Garrsion Home ca. 1950’s Courtesy of the WU Pettus Archives – 2023
Ann as listed in Joseph E. Hart’s Garrison families. On September 7, 1850, Sarah Ann would have only been 11 years old. She would have turned twelve on November 13th. A big question to be answered here is where are Arthur and Mariah in September of 1850? Also, Joe Hart claims that Sarah (or Mary) Ann married Elias Newton Faris January 17, 1856. They had one daughter and three sons all of whom died young. They are buried in Ebenezer Cemetery. Arthur and Mariah had at least nine children. A son was born before 1830, probably around 1829, and presumably died before 1840. His name has not been established to date. He could very well be buried in Ebenezer Cemetery where his great-grandparents, Arthur (1735-1822) and Margaret Pierce Garison (bef. 1745-1820) are buried. The next child born appears to be John Newton Arthur Garison on October 27, 1834. He married Mary Ann Neely (b. Dec. 4,1837), eldest daughter of Jonathan M. and Rachel E. Neely, July 20, 1853 at Allison Creek. During the Civil War, John enlisted with the 17th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, where he contracted typhoid, and died January 18,1864 from high fever. He was on duty at Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina and was given a 30-day medical leave in December of 1863. He is buried in Concord Cemetery, northeast of Allison Creek by the Catawba River. Sarah Ann (probably named after Arthur’s mother, Sarah Brown) was born November 13, 1838 around Fishing Creek, close to the village of Ebenezer. She married Elias Newton Faris, son of Samuel and Eliza Garrison Faris, on January 17, 1856. Eliza was Arthur’s cousin from his uncle Elias Garrison (b. 1763). Elias and Sarah had three sons and a daughter, all died in their childhood. Sarah died just before her 34th birthday on November 8,1872. She is buried in Ebenezer Church Cemetery. Peter Prince was born April 2, 1839 at Fishing Creek. He married first to Mary Ann Sturgis, daughter of William Sturgis on April 26, 1859 in York County, maybe at the Catawba Baptist Church where he professed his faith and became a member about the same time. He had four sons and three daughters. In September of 1861, he enlisted in the Confederate Army with the 17th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company “E.” He was discharged as a private in October of 1864. Following the Civil War, he appears to be the first family member to leave York County and move to Warren, Bradley County, Arkansas before August of 1869. For about 3 years (1876-79), he moved his family to Washington County, Arkansas to educate his children. He became a member of the Vineyard Church there. He returned to Warren Arkansas around April of 1880 and applied for membership at the Baptist Church at Ebenezer. He died at his home about 6 miles from Warren on July 6, 1899. He is buried in Garrison Cemetery, Warren, Arkansas. William F. was born October 14, 1841 around the town of Ebenezerville, York County (probably Fishing Creek). About 1859, around his eighteenth birthday, he professed his faith in Christianity and became a member of the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church in York County. On April 19,1861, at the age of nineteen, he enlisted with Company H, 5th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry. He was discharged on December 20, 1861 with a Certificate of Disability for a pulmonary infection. On November 14, 1865 he married Nancy Hannah Elvira Poovey, at Ebenezer Church. They were living around the community of Clay Hill. In 1869, he moved his young family to Warren , Arkansas. In 1879, he moved to Dallas County, Texas where he settled his family there for three years before his death on October 6, 1882. They had five daughters and four sons. Zenus Arthur Walter (Z. A. W.) was bom April 11, 1844 in the Dutchman Creek area., north of Ebenezerville. He was the youngest son of Arthur and Mariah. He also was a member of Ebenezer Church. On November 26,1861, at the age of seventeen, he enlisted as a Private in Capt. T. B. Meacham’s Company, 17th Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers. He was captured by Union forces April 2,1865 at Five Forks, Virginia. On June 27, 1865 he was pardoned and sent home. He married Sarah Emily Culp (b. October 6,1847), daughter of Jan and Martha Mary Kee Culp, March 13, 1866 at Ebenezer Church. They had five daughters and two sons. Zenus also moved his family to Warren, Arkansas around 1869. By 1880, he moved his family again to Sebastian County, Arkansas where his father, Arthur was living with him. His mother had passed away in 1876. Sometime before 1885 he moved back to York County, South Carolina where Sarah Emily died. On January 13, 1887 he married again to Mrs. Emily Rebecca Daniel Nunn, daughter of John and Harriet Broomfield Daniel. They had two daughters and one son. Zenus died April 5,1910 and is buried by his second wife in Ebenezer Church Cemetery.
Sarah Clarinda Neely, their youngest child and daughter, was born on November 19, 1846 at the Dutchman’s Creek home. She married David A. Jackson (b. abt. 1845), son of William Barry and Catherine Porter Jackson, at Ebenezer Church on September 25, 1866. They also moved to Warren, Arkansas around 1870-71. They had at least two children, Mary (b. 1867) and Emma (b. 1869). Sarah died about eight months after her mother on November 12,1876, seven days before her 30th birthday. She is buried in Garrison Cemetery at Warren. In the fall of 1869, Arthur and Mariah left York County and moved to Warren, Arkansas where he purchased 160 acres of land on December 17, 1869. On January 31, 1870, he purchased an additional 80 acres.15 This land is about 5.5 miles south of Warren where the Garrison Cemetery is located. They became members of the Ebenezer Baptist Church. Their son, Peter P. Garrison, was an elder and the church clerk. Arthur was baptized in Camp Creek on Thursday, August 31, 1882 at the age of seventy-four. He died just after his 82nd birthday on February 7, 1890. His obituary was recorded in a Rock Hill, South Carolina newspaper: “Died, in Bradley county, Arkansas, February 7, 1890, Mr. Arthur Garrison, a former citizen of Ebenezer township, this county. He was 83 years of age and was a brother of Mr. Peter Garrison of Ebenezer. (Mr. Garrison would very much like to exchange information with other Garrison family researchers.
His address: Thomas M. Garrison, Jr. 26842 La Sierra Drive, Mission Viejo, CA 92691-6027, Ph: 949-367-0708, e-mail: tmgarrison@worldnetatt.net) THE FAMILY OF ARTHUR GARISON IN YORK COUNTY by Thomas M. Garrison, Jr. and re-print courtesy of the YCGHS—June 1999
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