Alexander Farrow (Farrow) Gann (1797 - abt. 1870)

Born 1 Dec 1797 in Jefferson, Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Son of Thomas Farrow and Elizabeth Gann

Husband of Mary (Adams) Gann — married about 1822 in Jefferson, Tennessee, United States

Descendants

Died about 1870 at about age 72 in Jefferson, Tennessee, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: KayDee Schnätterle Snoderly [send private message]

Biography

Alexander was born with the surname Farrow (Fairer) not Gann. He is the son of Elizabeth GANN and Thomas (?) Farrow.

He had the following known children: F Margaret Gann 1823-1906, F Nancy Gann 1825-1914, M John Jackson Gann 1830-1902, F Elizabeth Jane Gann 1833-1907, M Alexander Gann 1836, F Patricia Gann 1838, F Rebecca Gann ca 1839-1905, F Mary Gann 1841, M Henry Gann 1845-1877, F Leana Gann 1846-

Professional Genealogist, Thea Baker, who works with the Gann Historical Society and Library has worked on this line and related lines of Ganns for years. It has been DNA proven that Henry's mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Gann. His mother was not Christina Hunter. When Elizabeth's first husband, Thomas Farrow died she remarried. Her second husband's name was "John McCarter-Gann" (a cousin). The boys Elizabeth had with Mr. Farrow eventually took Farrow as their middle name and Gann as their surname. All of this has been proven with Y-DNA, au-DNA, and a paper trail.

Note 1: To date (5/2023), Mr. Farrow's (Frair/Fairer) first name is unproven and the original assignment of "Thomas" as his given name is lost to genealogical time.

Note 2: John McCarter-Gann is the name assigned to him by the Gann Historical Society. John went by GANN, but Y-DNA of his direct male descendants has linked him to McCarter. The belief at this time is that his mother was a GANN. "John McCarter-Gann" is being used to acknowledge this, and also to distinguish him from all the other John Ganns born in the United States within the same era.

Please contact the Gann Historical Society and Library for more details about this discovery (backed up by DNA)! Their website is www.GannHistoricalSociety.com.

Sources

• Gann Historical Society and Library (Genealogical Study) https://gannhistoricalsociety.com/

Court Record Sources

The following Court and legal records reference Henry Gann and his brother Alexander Gann. They are sons of Elizabeth Gann and a man named Farrow/Frair/Fairer. Elizabeth later married a Gann and the boys took that surname. The following is what has been discovered to date about these two brothers by the Gann Historical Society and Library, Inc.

• Court Record Jefferson Co, TN Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions Minute Book, Page 322, 17 June 1815, "The grand jurors presented to the Court of this term that six children of Elizabeth "Ganes" are in a suffering situation and it is ordered by the Court that a process issue at the Sheriffs office of Jefferson County to bring them into the next term of Court to show cause why they should not be bound out towit. Alexander, Henry, Jane, Solomon, Abraham and Louis Ganes. Issued."

• Court Record Jefferson Co, TN Court Record Book, Page 378, March Sessions 1816. "Alexander Fairer alias Gann now in the eighteenth year of his age since the first of December 1 last [this would give a birth date of 1 Dec 1797] by order of the court bound by Indenture to Francis Collins until he arrives at the age of twenty one."

• Newspaper From Knoxville Register 10 Aug 1816--"Runaway from the subscriber living in Dandridge, Jefferson County, about the last of July an apprentice to the blacksmith business named Alexander Farrow, alias Gann, about 18 years of age. Francis Collins"

• 1830 US FEDERAL CENSUS There is an Alexander Gann in Jefferson Co, TN at the time of the 1830 Fed. census and every subsequent census through 1870.

• Court Record of brother Henry: Page 385, March 12 1816. "The Court allows James Bradford Sheriff of Jefferson County the sum of $10 for boarding of Henry Fairer alias Gann, Alexander Fairer alias Gann and Abraham Gann five days while in custody.

• Court Record of brother Henry: P 377, 11 March 1816, "Henry Fairer alias Gann now 16 years of age, by order of the Court house bound by indictment to Lewis Franklin, until he arrives at the age of 18."

• From the Knoxville Register 10 Aug 1816 RE: Alexander's brother's Henry:–"Ran away from the subscriber living in Dandridge apprentice to the tanning business Henry Farrow, alias Gann, about 15 years of age. Lewis Franklin"

• Henry Friar/Farrow/Gann is listed on the 1830 Monroe Co, TN census as Henry Gann: male b. 1800-1810; female b. 1790-1810; female b. 1815-1820; male b. 1820-1825; 2 females b. 1820-1825; male b. 1825-1830; female b. 1825-1830.

• Through records and DNA, Head of Research for the Gann Historical Society, genetic genealogist, Thea Baker, has proven that the 2 oldest of Elizabeth Gann's (née Gann) boys were born to her first husband, Fairer/Farrow, who died. The rest of her known children were born to her 2nd husband, John McCarter-Gann who most likely died while she is pregnant with her youngest child, John Gan b. 1814. Meaning that while the 2 oldest boys, Alexander and Henry, are Ganns on their maternal side and adopted the surname Gann, they were born Farrow.