front row (seated): Robert (l), Nancy (r) back row (standing): Zilpha (l), Dovie (r)
My great-great-grandmother, Nancy Emeline Brookshire (don’t you love that name?) was the daughter of James Brookshire and Elizabeth Tilley and was born on May 13, 1833 in North Carolina. She died on March 1, 1916 in Ellijay, Gilmer County, Georgia and was buried in Tickanetley Cemetery.
Nancy lived in Union County, Georgia with her parents and siblings in 1850. She was still in Union County in 1853, when she married Robert Garrett on September 16. By 1860, Nancy and Robert had moved west to Gilmer County, where they remained for the rest of their lives.
Nancy and Robert’s children:
- Martha Jane Garrett (my great-great-grandmother) was born on June 7, 1854 and died on October 26, 1929 in Fannin County at age 75. She was buried in Johnson Cemetery, Stock Hill, Fannin County.
- Sarah E. Garrett was born on January 11, 1856 in Georgia and died on February 23, 1933 at age 77.
- Wilbern F. Garrett was born about 1859 in Georgia.
- Nancy Garrett was born in October 1861 in Georgia and died in 1921 at age 60.
- John Clayton Garrett was born about 1864 in Ellijay, Gilmer County and died on March 30, 1949 in Cherokee County, Georgia about age 85.
- Eliza Garrett was born on April 26, 1867 in Ellijay and died on January 21, 1946 in Ellijay at age 78.
- James Garrett was born in April 1869 in Ellijay and died on August 7, 1951 in Cobb County, Georgia at age 82.
- Manerva Ann Garrett was born on March 14, 1873 in Georgia and died on December 16, 1951 at age 78. Nanny was Manerva’s nickname.
- William Garrett was born on October 21, 1874 in Ellijay and died on November 28, 1950 in Ellijay at age 76.
- Zilpha Garrett was born on December 6, 1878 in Ellijay and died on October 30, 1936 at age 57.
- Dovie Garrett was born on June 4, 1881 in Ellijay and died on July 20, 1922 in Quill, Gilmer County at age 41. She was buried in Tickanetley Cemetery, along with her parents.
This post was written for Women’s History Month. To see all posts in this series, click here.
