Ambrose Garriott ¹

  General Notes:

Military: Colonial Army, Revolutionary War

Ambrose S. GARRIOTT

IMMIGRATION: Ambrose, with his two brothers, James and Moses [according to family history, but unconfirmed] immigrated from France to America some years before the American Revolution, fleeing Catholic persecution of the protestant French Huguenots. Another source claims that Ambrose was of a Huguenot family which fled France in the 1600's to England where many settled around York before immigrating to the Colonies. Some Garriotts belonged to the Huguenot church of London's Threadneedle Street. Virginia was a noted refuge and haven for people fleeing persecution. 1769? MARRIAGE: Ambrose and Elizabeth Blankenbaker were married [according to family history] about 1769 in Culpeper County, Virginia, and, in 1770, their first of thirteen children, Phoebe, was born. According to other family history, Ambrose also married a Mary Turpen/Turpin, although this researcher has been unable to locate a single document to confirm this. 1777 BAPTISM: Ambrose first appeared in Virginia's Hebron Parish Register of the Germanna church as "Ambrosius Gerret, wife Elisabetha, Jacob born 09 October 1777, baptized 17 November 1777, sponsors; John Dearet, wife Maria, Samuel Blankbucher, Elisabetha Garr [Rice], Culpeper Co, VA. [Dearet may have also been a Garriott-- records were translated from German] BIOGRAPHY: [History of Washington County, Indiana]," claims that Ambrose Garriott -- or Garrett-- was a revolutionary soldier. Ambrose and his brother Moses have been accepted into the "Register of Huguenot Ancestors," born in France. He served with the Virginia troops in the Continental Army and afterwards lived and farmed in Culpeper County, VA. This document states that Ambrose was born "about 1748 in France, and died "about 1825" in Washington County, Indiana. [Waters] 1781 LIST OF CLASSES: Ambrose Garriott was recorded in List of Classes of Culpeper Co, VA of Minutemen cadets for January 1781, No. 71, "For recruiting this states' [eligible] quota of troops to serve in the Continental Army." [VA Taxpayers, 1784, Fothergill, pg 47]. This researcher has seen no documents that prove Ambrose actually served in the Revolutionary War. 1781 YORKTOWN: [Jack Garriott] claims that Ambrose was present at Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown but the records were lost when the British burned the capital in the War of 1812, destroying military records, bounties, warrants, and pensions. 1782 PROPERTY TAX LIST: Culpeper Co, VA lists an Ambrose Garriott, page 17--600 acres. 1783 PROPERTY TAX LIST: Culpeper Co, VA, list of Henry Hitt, Gent., has an Ambrose Garrott. 1784 PROPERTY TAX LIST: Culpeper Co, VA, lists an Ambrose Garriott, page 44--200 acres. 1787/88 PROPERTY TAX LIST: Culpeper Co, VA, 1787 return of Goodrich Lightfoot, page 93, and 1788 return of John Hume, page 131-- lists an Ambrose Garriott, 300 acres. LATE 1780's MOVE TO KENTUCKY: After the Revolution, Ambrose moved to Mercer County, Kentucky [with brothers James, according to family history-- Moses moved to Ohio], where he and Elizabeth signed marriage consents and deeded land in the 1780's. Ambrose and his son Elijah were listed on the Mercer County road crews. 1787 TAX LIST: Ambrose was on a Mercer Co, KY Tax List dated 6 Apr 1787 along with an Eli Garrott [Ambrose's son Elijah would have been 16 years old]. 1789 TAX LIST: Mary Garrett shows on the Mercer Co, KY Tax List dated 26 Mar 1789, but no Eli. 1795 LAND PURCHASE: [Mercer Co, KY Deed Bk 2/512, dated 25 Aug 1795] Ambrose purchased 80 acres from John Archer of Clark Co, KY on waters of White Oak Creek, a branch of the Kentucky River. This land was bordered by Mr. Robinson and James Barbour. This Mercer County property became Garrard County in 1796. 1796 WITNESS WILL: Ambrose Garriott was a witness to the will of Samuel Scott of Mercer County, KY written 20 May 1796. [KY Pioneer and Court Records, McAdams, Keystone printery, Lexington, KY, 1929, pg 41]. 1796 ESTATE APPRAISAL: [Mercer Co, KY Will Bk 2/25] Ambrose Garrot was appraiser for estate of John Harrison. 1800 LAND SOLD: [Garrard Co, KY Deed Bk B/124, dated 23 Aug 1800] Ambrose sold land purchased in 1795, about 79-3/4 acres, now in Garrard Co, KY, to Nathan Pulliam of Jessamine Co, KY. Land was bordered by land owned by heirs of Ambrose Nelson, Col. James Barbour and Mr. Archer. 1802 KY LAND PURCHASE: [Jefferson Co, KY Court of Appeals Bk F/469, dated 15 Jul 1802] Ambron Garrett purchased 151 acres on Harrod's Creek from John Breckinridge of Fayette Co, KY, for 113 pounds, Kentucky money. This indenture made this 15th day of July 1802 Between John Breckenridge of the County of Fayette of the one part and Ambrose Garriott of Jefferson County of the other part. Wet_______ that the said Breckenridge in consideration on of the Sum of one hundred and thirteen pounds current money of Kentucky to him in hand paid by the said Garriott the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged hath granted, bargained, and sold to the said Garriott a parcel of land lying in the County of Jefferson on the waters of Harrod's Creek and containing one hundred and fifty one acres more or less; being part of a Survey of 5500 acres conveyed by John Preston to said Breckenridge, and is bounded as follows: Beginning at a blazed beech corner to John Archers tract of ninety acres, and within Archer's line south cropping several h____ to the corner thereof a white oak and sugar tree on the north side of a b_____; thence west 114 pole[?] cropping a branch called Darby's run to a hickory and beech; thence North 212 poles cropping Darby's run at 20 poles to two beeches; thence East__ poles to the Beginning: with all the appurtenances th____ belonging to the sole use and behalf of him the said Garrott and his heirs and assigns forever. And the said John Breckenridge for himself and his heirs, the said parcel of Land with it's appurtenances and his heirs and assigns against the claim of all persons whatsoever will forever warrant & defend... In testimony whereof the said Breckenridge hath here unto ___ his name and affixed his seal the day and above written. " Signed, Sealed & Delivered... John Breckenridge --SEAL-- State of Kentucky, J. Achilles Sneed, Clerk of the Court of Appeals. 1807 LAND PURCHASE: [Jefferson Co, KY Deed Bk 8/210, dated 1 Nov 1807] Ambrose Garrott purchased from Charles Lynch, for $500, a tract of land containing 102-1/2 acres on the waters of Harrod's Creek, part of a 3,000 acre tract of land patented in the name of John May and John Curd, bounded by Moses Cremer, Jacob Miller, John Archer, Elijah Garriott, and Breckinridge. Deed also refers to a 47-1/2 acre parcel, part of the May and Curd tract. Recorded 2 Nov 1807. Elijah Garriott also purchased 104 acres from the same man, same day. 1811 LAND PURCHASE: [Jefferson Co, KY Deed Bk I/166, dated 26 Dec 1811] Ambrose purchased from John Lewis, an attorney, and Thomas Lewis, for $22.75, a tract of land containing 47-1/2 acres on the waters of Harrod's Creek, bounded by property of Elijah Garriott and Breckinridge. This parcel of land was part of 3,500 acres patented in the name of John May and John Curd on 7 Dec 1809. Recorded 16 Mar 1812. 1815 MOVE TO INDIANA: Ambrose moved to Washington County, IN around 1815, purchased land from the federal government, following his two sons William G. and Simeon, and settled the 160 acre Garriott family farm on Spurgeon Hill at Harristown [then called Norris]. The Elk Valley school building was located on the A.S. Garriott farm, where Elk Creek flows onto the southwest corner of Section 26. 1815 INDIANA LAND PURCHASE: [Wash Co, IN, Tract Book, pg 97, Certificate #767, dated 2 Mar 1815] Ambrose purchased 160 acres [NW4 Section 24 T2N R4E] in Wash Co, IN, assignee of Jonathan Hensley, patented in the name of Ambrose Garriott, assignee of Jonathan Hensley, recorded 4 Mar 1815. 1817 LAND SOLD: [Jefferson Co, KY, Deed Bk O/270, dated 24 Mar 1817] Ambrose Garriott, of Indiana, sold 47 acres on Harrod's Creek to William Ashers of Jefferson Co, KY. 1820 LAND GIFT: [Wash Co, IN Deed Bk E/38, dated 29 Dec 1820] Ambrose Garriott deeded 25 acres [NW4 Section 24 T2N R4E] in the northeast corner of the original 160 acre tract, "for the better maintenance of Phebe Turpin," to her, "during her life." No wife mentioned. CENSUS: 1790 Mercer Co, KY Tax List, dated 6 May 1789 [Heineman and Brumbaugh, page 38] is found the name of Ambrose Garrott, and Mary and Ely Garrett; Jefferson Co. lists Maurice, John & Nathan Garrett; Fayette Co. lists William Garrett. 1800 Jefferson Co, KY Tax List, has Ambrose, Elijah, and Jacob Garrett; Bourbon Co. lists John Garrett; Henry Co. lists Nathan and William Garrett; Woodford Co. lists William Garrett. 1810 Jefferson Co, KY census lists Ambrose Garriott with eight children: 6 under ten-- 2 Males [Elizabeth, Barbara, Jacob, Loven, Mary, & William]; 2 under 16-- 1 male [Phoebe and Elijah]; adult male [Ambrose], and one adult female [Elizabeth?] 45 years upwards. 1832 LAWSUIT: [Wash Co, IN, Probate Bk B/83, dated Sep 1832] The heirs and administrator of the estate of Ambrose Garriott, deceased, were sued by Moses Creamer. This suit was later dropped. 1830s DEATH: Ambrose died before 24 July, 1834 [The DAR Patriot Index, Centennial Edition, pg. 1128] and is buried in an unmarked grave in a field on the Garriott family farm in Elk Creek Valley, north of Harristown [Wash Co, IN probate record, pg 83, 1832]. A large stone marker erected by descendents [of William] in 1917 is located about 3/8-mile northwest of the Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Gibson Township. This original tract of land was sold to his son William after his death. 1834 ESTATE SETTLEMENT: [Wash Co, IN Deed Bk I/414, dated 12 Sep 1835] [or I/522] William Garriott purchased the family farm from heirs of Ambrose [the elder] in 1834 for $30 to each heir; deed dated 29 Dec 1820: This Indenture made and Entered into this twenty-fourth day of July, One thousand Eight hundred and thirty four, by between[:] ----Pheoby Turpin formerly Pheoby Garriott [age 64], ----Elijah Garriott [deceased in 1830], ----Barbara Anderson formerly Barbara Garriott [age 58], ----Jacob Garriott [age 56], ----Moses Creamer & Mary his wife formerly Mary Garriott [age 52], ----Loving Garriott [age 53], ----Elisabeth Pringle formerly Elizabeth Garriott [age 60], ----John Densford & Rhoda his wife formerly Rhoda Garriott [age 43], ----Daniel Garriott [age 44], ----Simeon Garriott [age 42], ----James Wilson & Lucinda his wife [age 37], ----John Garriott [age 38], and ----Nancy Garriott [age 63] widow of Elijah Garriott with ----Loucinda [age 24, wife of Elijah's son Ambrose Jr. deceased], ----Jacob Garriott [age 22, son of Elijah], ----James Brittain and Margaret his wife formerly Margaret Garriott [age 24, dau of Elijah], ----John Stutsman & Sally his wife formerly Sally Garriott [age 17, dau of Elijah], ----heirs of Elijah Garriott, deceased, who was an heir of Ambrose Garriott deceased," all the above being heirs of Ambrose Garriott, late of Washington County, State of Indiana of this on about ___[?]..... And William Garriott of the County and State afforesaid of the other part, Witnesseth ___ ___ ___ heirs of Ambrose Garriott deceased hath this day granted bargined and sold and by these presents doth grant bargin and sell as heirs of Ambrose Garriott deceased our undivided interest & claim of a certain tract or Quarter Section of land lying and being in Washington County State of Indiana, designated the N.W. Quarter of Section No. twenty-four, in F. two N. of Range four East in the Jeffersonville District containing One hundred sixty Acres, To William Garriott for the sum of thirty dollars to each heir paid in hand before the ensealing [?] of these present, the receipt whereof we do acknowledge ourselves fully satisfied. We do hereby assign over our right, title, claim, interest of the above mentioned tract for Quarter Section with our right of dower to the said William Garriott his heirs and assigns with all the appurtenances thereunto belonging to have and to hold to his benefit and behalf. And we under signed heirs of Ambrose Garriott will warrant & forever defend the above described tract or Quarter Sec. of land for ourselves, our heirs, and all persons claiming or to claim unto the said William Garriott his heirs or assigns forever. In testimony thereof we have set our hands and affixed our seal the date above written. [signed] Jacob Garriott, Simeon Garriott, Nancy Garriott, ____ene Garriott, and Elizabeth Pringle. DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION: [NSDAR] has approved the following descendents derived from Ambrose's involvement in the Revolutionary War: --277559 --309190 --309345--thru Jacob [?]--Margaret Garriott Fultz --423726--thru Simeon--Janice Pauline Denker, 1954, Holdenville, OK--Cedar River Chapter --423738--thru Simeon--Marcella Louise Hill, 1954 CA. --476942--thru William--Sibyl Gimlin, AR --476943--thru William--Maxine Page, CA --487694--thru John--Iantha Garriott Vories, 1962, Warsaw, KY--Big Spring Georgetown KY Chapter --492997--thru William--Barbara Reynolds, 1963, Salem, IN--Christopher Harrison Chapter --505152--thru Simeon--Lucille Rose Wagner, 1976, Indianapolis, IN--Cornelia Cole Fairbanks Chapter --512079--thru William--Bettye Jo Page, 1965, Rolle, MO--Noah Coleman Chapter --606152--thru Jacob--Lucille R. Thatcher, 1976 IN --626494--thru Jacob--Carole Moncrief, 1981, Cedar Falls, IA--Cedar Falls Chapter --703005--thru Loven--Alma Lee Bumen, Hightstown, NJ--Francis Hopkinson-Monmouth Chapter --712540--thru Elijah--Margaret Ruth Brittain, 1987, Portland, OR--Mt. Hood Chapter --759178--thru Loven--Nancy Lee Bumen, 1994, Hightstown, NJ--Francis Hopkinson-Monmouth Chapter --770255--thru Loven--Diana Lee Swift, 1996, Hightstown, NJ--Francis Hopkinson-Monmouth Chapter SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION: [NSSAR] has approved the following descendents derived from Ambrose's involvement in the Revolution: --77558--thru Simeon--Joseph Finley Garriott, 1953, San Francisco, CA, California Chapter --79616--thru William--Garriott William Eppley, 1956, Indianapolis, IN, Indiana Chapter --123996--thru William--Jack Collins Morgan, 1984, Louisville, KY, Louisville Thruston Chapter --147284--thru William--John Brown Morgan, 1996, Louisville, KY, Louisville Thruston Chapter



Webpage: http://www.historiclandmarks.org/noted/restored/restored0605.html

Restored - June 2005

Johnson Home
In 1998, a real estate ad for a house outside Salem in Washington County caught Tom Johnson's attention. "The ad piqued my interest because it mentioned that the site contained the remnants of an antebellum home," he recalls. What he found on the site was an architectural curiosity-a 1950s one-story brick ranch house with curiously tall chimneys and masonry walls 13 inches thick-attributes that were clearly not 1950s construction.

Johnson and his wife, Lisa Thompson, soon learned that the 1950s ranch house was in fact the remains of a mid-nineteenth-century two-story house believed to have been built for descendants of Ambrose Garriott, and early Washington County settler who migrated from Kentucky to escape the pro-slavery sentiments of the South.

The house remained a prominent landmark on the Canton-South Boston Road until it burned in the mid-twentieth century, surviving for several years as a ruin. In the late 1950s, Flavel and Hazel Reynolds acquired the property and salvaged the remains of the house by removing the second floor and transforming the structure into a one-story ranch, a style in vogue at the time. The Reynolds retained the house's original summer kitchen in their remodeling.

Intrigued by this unusual history, Johnson and Thompson bought the nine-acre site and began plans to build a new home in a traditional style utilizing the masonry walls of the ranch house. Many friends and neighbors suggested that they raze the building and start anew. Vacant for many years, both the kitchen building and the main house were in poor condition.

"This seemed out of the question," says Thompson. "The fact that at least some of the building had survived seemed remarkable to us. This house wanted to live on."

"One neighbor mentioned that an elderly friend might have a photograph of the house," recalls Thompson. An attic search led to the discovery of a turn-of-the-century photograph of the house showing its nineteenth-century detailing-bracketed eaves, molded window hoods, divided-light sash windows.

During the ensuing two-year reconstruction project, the couple rebuilt the second story using the original bricks, which the Reynolds family had stockpiled around the property. They replicated other exterior elements with architectural salvage. On the interior, they reconfigured rooms based on physical evidence and the recollections of neighbors.

Johnson and Thompson took up residence in 2000.

"This house is truly our refuge," says Thompson. "After a fast-paced, hectic work week, this is a place where Tom and I can come and relax, get centered and reinvigorated. I'm so glad we did this."

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Farmer. ²

Ambrose married Elizabeth Blankenbaker, daughter of Jacob Blankenbaker and Mary Barbara Thomas, in 1769 in Hebron Church, Culpeper County, Virginia, USA. (Elizabeth Blankenbaker was born on 3 Jan 1754 in Robinson River, Culpeper County, Virginia, USA and died in 1822 in Carroll County, Kentucky, USA Or Washington County, Indiana, USA.)

Ambrose next had a relationship with Mary Turpen. (Mary Turpen was born in 1765 and died in 1834.)