Nathaniel Gerard (abt. 1752 - abt. 1833)

Born about 1752 in Frederick, Virginia, British Colonial America

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Lloyd) Gerard — married 1772 in Bedford County, PA

Descendants

Died about 1833 at about age 81 in Miami County, Ohio, United States

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Spelling variations Garard, Gerard, Gerrard

Biography

Nathaniel was born c1752 to Rev John and Mehetable Garard in either Pennsylvania or New Jersey. Birth records have not been discovered; however, many suggest that he was born in VA. This is not correct, as Rev. John did not arrive in the northern neck of Virginia until 1754 or '55. The last name of his mother is also not known; however, many state it to be Lloyd, Haughn or Haugen.

Nathaniel was married about 1772 in Berkeley County, VA (currently WV) to Mary Lloyd, daughter of Henry Griffith and ]udith (Pemberton) Lloyd. Several citations show that Nathaniel and Mary were married in Bedford County, PA; however, Mary's parents were still in Frederick County, VA in 1772. It was not until 1773 or '74 that the Lloyds emigrated to Bedford County (which became Huntingdon Co. in 1787).

It is likely that Nathaniel and Mary moved to Bedford County with her parents in 1774. Bob and Carolyn Gerard reported that "Nathaniel took land warrants in 1774 in Bedford Co. Pennsylvania which part became Huntingdon Co. in 1787."^[1] However, Egle's History of Pennsylvania states that Nathaniel arrived in Bedford County in 1776. ^[2] A search of tax records for 1774 shows Loyd, Esq'r; however, they do not reveal a Nathanial Garrard. ^[3] Lloyd was assessed a tax of £1.17.6 on uncultivated land in 1774 ^[4] and Loyd, Henery [sic] esq'r was assessed £1.2.6 in 1775. ^[5] In a history of Bedford county, it was recorded that, in 1776, William McLevy, Alexander McCormick, James Williams, Abraham Haines, Robert Smith and Nathaniel Jarrard [sic] were chosen to lay out needed roads. ^[6] This would indicate that Nathaniel was already well established in the settlement. The 1850 census for Nathaniel's eldest son, Henry, age 75, indicates that he was born (c1775) in Pennsylvania. Since tax records for Nathaniel have not been found for the years 1774-1778, it is highly likely that he and Mary were living with her parents until they could purchase property, build a home and begin cultivating the land. The first appearance of Nathaniel Garrard on the tax assessment rolls is in 1779 for Barree Twshp, Bedford Co, PA; i.e. Gerard, Nathaniel, 50 acres, 1 horse, 2 cattle, 0 sheep. ^[7]

The settlement of Bedford county brought the necessity for the erection of grist mills. Farming the land and milling the grains were essential to survival and Nathaniel met this opportunity and built a grist mill on Vineyard Creek, below present-day McConnellstown, PA. It was reported to be in operation in 1782." ^[8] The 1782 tax assessment for Bedford County shows Nathaniel Garrard owned 50 acres, 3 horses, 2 cows, 3 sheep and 1 mill. The state tax assessment was £3.19.3 1/2 and the county assessment was £0.5.10. ^[9]

Nathaniel served in the Bedford County militia during the Revolutionary War and received depreciation pay for his service as a private. By 1793, he was Second Major of the Second Regiment of what had become the Huntingdon Co. Militia. Serving under him as officers of the Second Company were Captain David Lloyd and Lieutenant John Lloyd, Nathaniel's brothers-in-law and sons of Henry and Judith Lloyd. ^[10]

"Soldiers who served during the years 1777-1780, when the currency was depreciating, were paid in Continental bills of Credit, which quickly lost value. To make amends for such depreciation, each of these men who in 1781 yet remained in line service was awarded a substantial sum in Depreciation Pay Certificates which were both interest bearing and negotiable, like bonds of the present day." ^[11]

By 1790, Nathaniel's family had grown to six. The Huntingdon County census for that year lists him as "Nathaniel Jarat; 1 male over 16, 4 males under 16 and 2 females". The children at that time were Henry, Mehetable, Isaac, David Washington and Abner. ^[12]

Nathaniel's holdings in Bedford County continued to increase and, by 1795, he owned 2 pieces of property (a 125 acre tract and a parcel of 193 acres), 1 horse, 2 cattle and a grist mill.^[13] The valuation for his personal property was £530 on which he was assessed a tax of £0.13.10 (i.e. 13 shillings and 10 pence). ^[14] Nathaniel and his family remained in Huntingdon Township, Bedford County, PA until 1796 when they emigrated to the Ohio Territory.

Was it the pioneering spirit, the urge to explore new lands or the opportunity to claim bounty land for service during the Revolution that was the motivating factor for Nathaniel and his family to move to the Ohio Territory? One can only conjecture as this has been lost to the annals of time. What we do know is that the family initially settled in Columbia, Sycamore Township of Hamilton County, Ohio Territory and is shown on the tax list 1796-1797. There, Nathaniel attended the first meeting of the Miami Baptist Association which took place in Columbia on November 4, 1797; also in attendance were his brothers Abner and Jonathan" ^[1] who had settled there earlier.

This pioneering family did not stay long in Sycamore township. In 1798, son Henry was, part of the first white settlement in present-day Miami County. At that time, it was still part of Hamilton County. Henry joined brothers Benjamin and John Knoop and other friends and families as they settled near present-day Staunton and erected a small fort known as Dutch Station on the east side of the Miami River. It has been described as a series of log cabins in a line to make one wall of the stockade. Upright logs were driven into the ground to make the other three sides. Here, the first two white children were born in what became Staunton Township; i.e. Jacob Knoop and Mary "Polly" Gerard, daughter of Henry. ^[15] The settlers remained within Dutch Station for two years, in the meanwhile raising their first crops of corn on Gerard’s and Gahagan’s Prairie, which had been previously tilled by the Indians. ^[16]

The following year, in 1799, Nathaniel and Mary arrived at Dutch Station along with Nathaniel's brother Abner and John Gerard (son of Elias). These early settlers remained in Dutch Station initially; however, since "the Indians manifested no evil disposition, these fears gradually subsided and the settlers removed to their farms."^[17] Henry settled along Spring Creek, north of the Staunton settlement; Nathaniel "bought land two miles from Troy, on which was located the celebrated tea spring .... Mr. Gerard established the first tannery in the county, which was of inestimable value to the early settlers, for they either had to pay an enormous price for leather, wear buckskin moccasins, or go barefooted."^[18]

Nathaniel and Mary were also among the seven founders of the Staunton Baptist Church 3 Nov 1804. Beers, in his History of Miami County, describes the event as follows:

These God-like men of yore, though few in number, were strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. The Christian religion preserved in its pristine purity and honored in its efficacy, imbued their hearts and minds with a deep sense of their obligations to the Church of Christ, and their duty to propagate the Apostolic doctrine. Without consulting secular interest they felt that the cause of Christ must be sustained, and, therefore, with all the fortitude of a Christian hero, they went forth boldly and magnanimously to plant the first Gospel seed in a hitherto barren land. They left their own pleasant homes and social circles, to go into a land of nought, and to worship God upon the evening air. No frescoed walls or gas-lit streets adorned our pilgrim fathers' home; would that some to-day knew the deprivations and sacrifices of their predecessors, but "behind a frowning providence, God hides a smiling face." In midst of nocturnal darkness, lo the morning star appears. It was a bright Saturday morning on the 3d of November, 1804, in a country new and wild, when the last standing oak, the one that sheltered the old cabin door, rustled its autumn leaves in silent memory of the past, and the only dayspring to usher in a new era, was the distant, mournful cooing of the turtle dove. that a little band of seven believers met as Christian sentinels, with muskets by their side, to constitute a Baptist Church. The place selected was the house of Stephen Dye the people present to organize a church, were Moses Winters, Nathaniel Gerard, Stephen Dye, William Knight, Elizabeth Winters, Mary Gerard, Mehitable Dye. This band of believers became a church with all the power and authority delegated to the chosen people of God. To them, what a day of joy was this; when the hallowed shrine of Christianity was again accessible; when the halos of better days encircled them. Two ministers being present, Elder Joshua Carmon and Elder John Smith, a feast of fat things was enjoyed.

We stop here to give the minutes of the church after its constitution. Staunton Baptist Church, Saturday, December 1, 1804. Church met according to appointment, and after services, proceeded to business. Chose Bro. William Knight as Moderator, and Bro. Henry Gerard for Writing Clerk. Thus the church was formed.^[19]

Tax records for these early days in Miami County are not available; however, by 1810, Nathaniel was assessed $4.85 on three parcels; one of 123 acres , one of 82 acres and one of 280 acres. Henry is also shown with 200 acres and John with 160 acres.^[20] Nathaniel lived out his days in Miami County. In the 1830 census, he and Mary are shown living alone and both are listed as between 70 and 80 years old.^[21] Nathaniel's prosperity did not last . . .

"Mr. Garard was a tanner by trade and for those days was considered a very wealthy man, owning a large farm of improved land, and operating an extensive tannery. He became security for a friend and all his property and the savings of many years of hard labor were swept away. Those who came into possession of the property, were sympathetic and generous and gave him a comfortable home during his declining years."^[22]

Nathaniel and Mary lived long lives and were the parents of eleven known children; i.e. Henry, Mehetable, Isaac, David Washington, Abner, Margaret "Peggy", Nathaniel Jr., John, James, William.

It is not known with certainty when Nathaniel and Mary died. No record of either death or tombstone has been found. The last deed signed by them was dated 23 Mar 1832, DB 9, p.178. ^[1]

Research Notes

Profile previously had Mehetable Haughn as the mother and John Gerrard as the father.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Gerard, Robert and Carolyn, Garard/Garrard/Gerard/Gerrard/Girard Descendants of Rev. John, Elias, & William, 1998
2. ↑ An illustrated history of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Wm Henry Egle, Harrisburg,1876, pg 780
3. ↑ Barree Township, Bedford County, Tax Assessments, 1774
4. ↑ Pennsylvania Archives, vol. XXII, pg 76
5. ↑ Pennsylvania Archives, vol. XXII, pg 105
6. ↑ anamericanfamilyhistory.com
7. ↑ Returns of taxables for the counties of Bedford (1773 to 1784), Huntingdon (1788),Westmoreland (1783, 1786), Fayette (1785, 1786), Allegheny (1791), Washington (1786). And census of Bedford (1784) and Westmoreland(1783), William H Egle, Harrisburg,1898, pg 194 Returns of taxable
8. ↑ Meginness, John F., The Historical Journal, A Local History and Biography Devoted Principally to Northwestern Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Williamsport, PA, 1888, pg 242: The Historical Journal
9. ↑ Bedford County tax assessment of 1782
10. ↑ Beers' History of Miami Co, OH, page 221
11. ↑ Archives
12. ↑ 1790 census, Huntingdon County, PA Rootsweb
13. ↑ 1795 Return of Property, Huntingdon Twshp: Family Search
14. ↑ Personal property valuation and assessment for 1795: Family Search
15. ↑ Harbaugh, Thomas C., Centennial History – Troy, Piqua and Miami County and Representative Citizens, Chicago, 1909, pp 64-65 Beers, E. H. & Co., The History of Miami County, Ohio, Chicago, 1880, pg
16. ↑ The History of Miami County, Ohio, W. H. Beers & Co., 1880, Chicago, pg 216
17. ↑ Ibid
18. ↑ The History of Miami County, Ohio, W. H. Beers & Co., 1880, Chicago, pp 221-222
19. ↑ The History of Miami County, Ohio, W. H. Beers & Co., 1880, Chicago, pp 390-391
20. ↑ Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850 Family Search
21. ↑ United States Census, 1830, Staunton Twshp, Miami Co, OH Family Search
22. ↑ Pictorial and biographical memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties, Indiana, Goodspeed Brothers, Chicago, 1893, page 761

Merge Notes

Merge note

Acknowledgements

This person was created through the import of Smith-Hunter.ged on 10 March 2011. The following data was included in the gedcom.

Gerard-296 created through the import of nicholson.ged on Nov 16, 2012 by Jimmy Nicholson