Virginia Montgomery Gardner1,2

b. 5 October 1842, d. 17 January 1929
FatherJeremiah Caleb Gardner3 b. 1 Nov 1799, d. abt 1872
MotherMargaret Montgomery Edmiston3 b. 7 Mar 1804, d. abt 1866
Birth5 Oct 1842 Virginia Montgomery Gardner was born on 5 Oct 1842 in Washington County, Virginia.1,4,5 
Name Other  Virginia's full birth name was recorded in her brother Thomas' Bible as Hattie Virginia Montgomery Gardner, however the date of the entry and/or the name of the person making the entry is not known. Virginia does not appear to have used Hattie at all, and entries created later in her life (including her death certificate and the 1920 census) refer to her as Margaret. Many other records use Jennie. Death certificates were located for three of her children, all listing Margaret Virginia Gardner as their mother. It appears then that either Virginia's name was incorrectly entered in the Thomas Edmondson Gardner Bible or Virginia altered her name as an adult.6,2,7 
Childhood  Virginia spent the early years of her childhood in Washington and then in Smyth County, Virginia.8,9 
Migration  At some point during the early 1850s her parents left Virginia and migrated to Texas with their 6 youngest children. They settled briefly in Lamar County. 
Cens-186025 Jul 1860 In the summer of 1860 they were enumerated farming in Hunt County.10 
Marriage14 Nov 1865 Virginia married Henry Clay Johnson on 14 Nov 1865 in Ft. Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, after he came home from the Civil War.11 
Cens-18805 Jun 1880 By 1880 Virginia and Henry lived in Ft. Worth where Henry worked as a livery keeper.12 
Widowed26 Sep 1896  Virginia was widowed when Henry died in Montgomery County, Tennessee in September 1896.11 
Cens-19002 Jun 1900  She continued to make her home in Ft. Worth. At the turn of the century she was enumerated living in the home of Frank Price, age 35. Virginia was stated to be Frank's mother-in-law. Frank's wife was listed as Sallie or Dollie, age 29, born Texas, but with parents born in Georgia. Two children, "Lock", age 2 and John, 6 months were also enumerated. Listed under Virginia and identified in relationship to her and not to Frank, were Emericus Johnson, 29 and Jinnie Johnson, age 18. Virginia's entry also indicated that she had given birth to 7 children but only 4 were living. The household resided at 314 Hemphill.13 
  I have not determined why Virginia was enumerated as Frank's mother-in-law. I have not found any evidence Sallie [or Dollie] (enumerated as Frank's wife) was Virginia's daughter. This may be an error on the part of the census taker. It appears that a new household number was originally written in front of Virginia's entry and then erased. If Virginia had been intended as a separate head of household it would explain why Americus and Jinnie were enumerated in relation to her and not to Frank Pierce. 
Milit-Pens21 Jan 1910  Virginia applied for a Texas Confederate widow's pension in January 1910. It was approved the following month. The forms stated that her husband, H.C. Johnson, was known as "Tobe", and joined company F, Wallers Battalion of Green's Brigade in 1862 at Ft. Worth, serving through 1865. He fought in Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas and was elected first lieutenant of his company.11 
Cens-191020 Apr 1910 About 1903 Virginia moved to Hood County, Texas where other family members had settled. She was enumerated there in 1910 with her son Burts and his family. Virginia's son Clay was also a member of his brother Burt's household. The men were employed as stock farmers.14,11 
Cens-192014 Jan 1920  By 1920 Virginia, enumerated as "Marguerite" was listed as the head of her own household. She was 78 and owned her home, although it was mortaged. Two Walter Gardners were listed with her and recorded as employees. The first, 74 year old Walter C. would have been her brother, Walter Clark Gardner. And the younger man, 25 year old Walter Gardner, would have been the elder Walter's son. Fifteen days later both men were enumerated a second time with the elder Walter listed as the head of his own household.7 
Death17 Jan 1929 Virginia died on 17 Jan 1929 of old age at the home of her son-in-law R.M. Whitehead in Granbury, Hood County.2,15 
Burial She was buried at Granbury Cemetery.5 

Related Links and Images:

Find Lamar County on the Texas map (also accessible via the Misc. Locations link in the menu bar at the top of any page). Virginia's family spent time here when they first migrated to Texas. They also lived in Hunt County which you can locate on the same map.
Henry and Virginia married in Tarrant County in 1865 and lived there for some years. In the years following Henry's death Virginia moved to Hood County. Both location are also identified on the Texas map.

Family

Henry Clay Johnson b. 3 Jun 1836, d. 26 Sep 1896
Children
ChartsDescendants of Jeremiah Gardner and Margaret Edmiston
Last Edited10 Dec 2013

Citations

  1. [S2981] Ellen Eliza (Lansdown) and Thomas Edmondson Gardner Family Bible, The New Testament (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott & Co., 1859); held in 2012 by the Smyth-Bland Regional Library, Marion, VA. The Bible included a list of children (all in the same script and apparently copied from an earlier record) for Jeremiah Caleb Gardner and Margaret Montgomery Edmondson which contained this entry: Hattie Virginia Montgomery Gardner was born Oct. 5, 1842, married Henry Clay Johnson.
  2. [S1564] "Texas Death Index 1903-2000", Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com). Margrett Johnson data, viewed Sept. 2006 (cert #4443).
  3. [S2981] Ellen Eliza (Lansdown) and Thomas Edmondson Gardner Family Bible, The New Testament (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott & Co., 1859); held in 2012 by the Smyth-Bland Regional Library, Marion, VA. Birth data for Caleb Boudish Gardner and Elizabeth Graham, as well as for Jeremiah Caleb Gardner and Margaret Montgomery Edmondson was recorded in the 1859 Lansdown-Gardner Bible. A list of children followed under the title: "Children and grandchildren of the above". The list included (surname Gardner): Mary Elizabeth Graham, Thomas Edmondson, Margaret Jane Buchanan, Sallie Lizalier Lucinda Beach, Susan Wells Sanders, Caleb Graham, India Campbell, Hattie Virginia Montgomery and Jeremiah Walter Clark.
  4. [S1657] "Widow's statement", Jennie Johnson - Texas Confederate Widow's pension application no. 17842, Texas State Archives, Austin, Texas. Date of birth entered as Oct. 5, 1844.
  5. [S1640] Mary Kate Durham, Granbury Cemetery Records, p. 53. Mrs. M.V. Johnson, 1842-1929 "Mammy" (lot 422).
  6. [S2981] Ellen Eliza (Lansdown) and Thomas Edmondson Gardner Family Bible, The New Testament (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott & Co., 1859); held in 2012 by the Smyth-Bland Regional Library, Marion, VA. Virginia's name appears in chronologicaly correct order among a list of Jeremiah Caleb Gardner and Margaret Montgomery Edmondson's children. Virginia's full name was entered as Hattie Virginia Montgomery Johnson. All the names on the list were entered in the same script on what appears to have been a blank page in the Bible (not a page dedicated to family data).
  7. [S1647] Margurete Johnson household, 1920 U.S. cens., Hood Co., Texas, pop. sched., Justice Precint 6, ED 30, sheet 3B, dwelling 64, family 65, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jan. 2006, image 6 of 12. Enumeration includes: Margurete Johnson, 78, Wid, b. VA, owns home, is mortgaged; Walter C. Gardner, employee, 74, Div, b. VA, Ranchman; Walter, employee, 25, sgl, b. TX, laborer on ranch; resid is farm.
  8. [S1859] Sarah Finch Maiden Rollins, The Maiden Family of Virginia and Allied Families 1623-1991, p. 588. Mrs. Rollins cites Washington Co. VA Deed Book 18:366-7 whereby Jeremiah Gardner sold 440 acres of land in Washington Co., VA to John Maiden on 18 Feb. 1847.
  9. [S465] Jeremiah C. Gardner household, 1850 U.S. cens, Smyth Co., VA, pop. sched., District 60, p. 199 stamped (following), dwelling 573, family 580, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2006, image 88 of 169. Enumeration reads: Jeremiah C. Gardner, 50, b. NY, farmer; Margaret, 42; Mary E., 24; Thomas E. 22; Margaret J., 20; Sallie L., 18; Susan W., 16; Caleb G., 14; India C., 11; Virginia, 9; Jeremiah W., 4; all b. VA.
  10. [S1551] Jerima C. Gardner household, 1860 U.S. census, Hunt Co., Texas, pop. sched., Beat 4, p. 315 stamped (next page after), dwelling 354, family 354, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2006, image 28 of 35. Enumeration includes: Jerima C. Gardner, 60, b. NY, farmer, owns land val $3,000; Margaret, 58; Suasun [sic], 24; Gray, 21, farmer, owns land val at $80; Virginia, 17, Walter, 14; all b. VA.
  11. [S1657] Jennie Johnson - Texas Confederate Widow's pension application no. 17842, Texas State Archives, Austin, Texas.
  12. [S1559] H.C. Johnson household, 1880 U.S. cens., Tarrant Co., Texas, pop sched., Ft. Worth, ED 89, page 34A (stamped), dwelling 64, family 64, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2006, image 13 of 36. Enumeration includes: H.C. Johnson, 43, marr, livery keeper, b. TN, father b. VA, mother b. [KY?]; Mrs. M.V., 32, wife, marr, b. VA, father b. NY, mother b. VA; Ameri__ G., 10, son; Conner, 7, dau; Clay, 5, son; Burts, 3, son; Tobe, 3/12, b. Feb., son; all children b. TX with father b. TN, mother b. VA.
  13. [S1659] Frank Price household, 1900 U.S. cens., Tarrant Co., Texas, pop. sched., Ft. Worth, ED 104, sheet 3A (p. 249 stamped), dwelling 45, family 49, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jan. 2007, image 5 of 37. Enumeration includes: Frank Price, 35, b. Feb. 1865 AL, parents b. AL, teacher; Sallie [or Dollie], wife, 29, b. Jan or Jun 1871, marr 5 yrs, mother 2 children, both living, b. TX, parents b. Georgia; Lockett, dau, 2, b. June 1897, b. TX, father b. AL, mother b. TX; John M., son, 6/12, b. Nov. 1899, b. TX, father b. AL, mother b. TX; Virginia Johnson, mother in L, 54, wid, b. Oct. 1845, mother 7 children, 4 living, b. VA, father b. England, mother b. VA; Emericus G., son, 29, b. June 1870 TX, father b. TN, mother b. VA, bookkeeper; Jinnie L., dau, 18, b. Apr. 1882 TX, father b. TN, mother b. VA;resid 314 Hemphill.
  14. [S1557] Burt Johnson household, 1910 U.S. cens., Hood Co., Texas, pop. sched., Justice Precinct 1, ED 38, sheet 5A (p. 244 stamped), dwelling 103, family 106, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2006, image 11 of 13. Enumeration includes: Burt Johnson, 32, marr #1, 8 yrs, b. TX, father b. Tennessee, mother b. VA, stock farmer; Ella, wife, 28, marr #1, 8 yrs, b. TX, mother 1 child, who is living; Am__, dau, 5, b. TX; Virginia, mother, wid, 6_, mother 7 children, 4 living, b. VA, father b. England, mother b. VA; Clay, bros, 38, b. TX, father b. TN, mother b. VA, stock farmer.
  15. [S1657] "Application for mortuary warrant", Jennie Johnson - Texas Confederate Widow's pension application no. 17842, Texas State Archives, Austin, Texas. States Mrs. Jennie Johnson died Jan. 17th, 1929 at the home of her son-in-law, R.M. Whitehead in Granbury, Hood Co., Texas. The information was provided by her son H.C. Johnson.
  16. [S2945] Robert Gardner research, 2881 Pruneridge Ave., Santa Clara, California, 95051, email to: e-mail address ; Mr. Gardner cites data from the Johnson Family Bible.
  17. [S2945] Robert Gardner research, 2881 Pruneridge Ave., Santa Clara, California, 95051, email to: e-mail address.
  18. [S1557] Burt Johnson household, 1910 U.S. cens., Hood Co., Texas, pop. sched., Justice Precinct 1, ED 38, sheet 5A (p. 244 stamped), dwelling 103, family 106, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2006, image 11 of 13. Enumeration includes: Burt Johnson, 32, marr #1, 8 yrs, b. TX, father b. Tennessee, mother b. VA, stock farmer; Ella, wife, 28, marr #1, 8 yrs, b. TX, mother 1 child, who is living; Americus, dau, 5, b. TX; Virginia, mother, wid, 6_, mother 7 children, 4 living, b. VA, father b. England, mother b. VA; Clay, bros, 38, b. TX, father b. TN, mother b. VA, stock farmer.
  19. [S2250] "Texas State Death Certificates", database with digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed Aug. 2012). Virginia Louise Whitehead certificate #41164.