Samuel Levi Garber (1756 - abt. 1830)

Born 1756 in York, Pennsylvania, British Colonial America

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 1830 at about age 74 in New Hope, Augusta, Virginia, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Carol Anonymous [send private message]

Biography

Samuel Garber was born about 1756. He may have been born in York County, Pennsylvania. Floyd R. Mason who, with his wife Kathryn G. Mason wrote several self published books on the Garber family of Virginia, proposes that he was the son of a Michael Garber about whom little is known. ^[1] This view is reviewed and adopted by Garber researcher Linda Thompson. ^[2] Samuel married Elizabeth Miller who was originally from Frederick County, Maryland. According to one or more Garber researchers, the couple first moved to Shenandoah County, Virginia in about 1780, then later to Augusta County, Virginia. A 1940 book about the Coffman family states that this Samuel Garber moved from the Brock's Gap area of Pennsylvania to Augusta County, Virginia where he bought 374 acres of land about seven miles east of Staunton. ^[3]

Samuel Garber's middle name was not actually Levi. However, Cora Garber Dunning wrote an early book about the related Mohler family in which she referred to Samuel as "Levi Garber"--apparently inadvertently. Floyd Mason, who wrote several booklets about the Garber family speculates that Cora Garber Dunning confused this Samuel Garber and a Levi Garber who lived somewhat later because they were both closely associated with the Middle River Brethren church in Augusta County. Given that there were five Samuel Garbers who lived around 1800, referring to this Samuel Garber as Samuel Levi, seems an appropriate way to distinguish him. ^[4]

Samuel "Levi" Garber Family Bible Record from Mohler family history

The torn leaf in the ancient [family] Bible contained the following record:

Betsy Garber married Joseph Miller, had issue Barbara, married Bagoon.

Lizzie Garber married Pence.

Catherine Garber, second wife of Christian Coffman, Sr. b. Oct. 1784, d. Feb. 24, 1842.

Anna Garber, wife of Christian Coffman, Jr. b Apr. 10, 1795, d Feb. 1, 1888, age 92 yrs., 9 mos. 21 da.

The torn page showed:

Miichael Garber,

John Garber,

Abraham Garber,

Solomon Garber,

Martin Garber, b Apr. 24, 1793

Members of the family living in the locality supplied the names of Daniel Garber who moved to Ohio; Barbara Garber who married Leedy; Susan Garber, who married Lair or Lehr; Mattie Garber, who married Arnold. And two who could not be recalled. ^[5]

A genealogy and history of the Kauffman-Coffman families of North America

In 1940, Charles Fahs Kauffman described Samuel (father of Catherine who married Christian Coffman) as being from Westmoreland, Pennsylvania. He states further that Samuel:

moved from vicinity of Brock's Gap to Augusta Co., Va. about 7 mi. east of Staunton where he had purchased 374 acres of land. He erected four houses on the place, two of which still stand. He was a member of Liberty Dunkard Church.

Kauffman doesn't indicate the source of his information and no other information about Liberty Dunkard Church has been found.

Buried Middle River Cemetery

Buried Middle River Cemetery. New Hope, Augusta County, Virginia, USA.

Sources

1. ↑ Mason, Floyd R. and Kathryn G., Eld. Samuel Garber and Elizabeth Miller of Augusta Co., Virginia. Bridgewater, VA: Self-published, 2000. Page 14-15.
2. ↑ The Tie That Binds The Samuel Garber Family, written and published by Linda A. Thompson, copyright 2007.
3. ↑ Kauffman, Charles Fahs. A genealogy and history of the Kauffman-Coffman families of North America. York, PA: self-published by the author, 1940. Page 651.(Available here on Google Books.)
4. ↑ Mason, Floyd R. and Kathryn G., Eld. Samuel Garber and Elizabeth Miller of Augusta Co., Virginia. Bridgewater, VA: Self-published, 2000. Page 15.
5. ↑ Dunning, Cora Garber. Genealogy of the Ludwig Mohler Family in America, covering a period from April 4, 1696. Page 39. Availble here on archives.com

Additional Sources

• 1800 U.S. federal Census;
• U.S. International Marriage Records