Garrett VAN METER

                   Section 4, row 1

age = 17


Served in Confederate Army;
moved to Mansfield, Piatt County, Illinois after Civil War.
                  

                   Section 3, row 12

age = 15


1860 U.S. Census, Missouri, Saline County, Arrow Rock TWP, Marshall P. O. (Roll 645, Book I, p. 472):   Jacob VanMeter, age 25 M Farmer $6,400, $3,100, born VA; Mrs. Annie  age 22 F, born VA; Margaret, age 1 F, born MO; also in household, Chas. W. VanMeter, age 22 M, Farmer, real property $6,400, born VA.

1870 U. S. Census, Illinois, Piatt County, Blue Ridge TWP, Mahomet P. O. (Roll 268, Bk 1, Pg 313b-314a):     Jacob VanMeter, age 35 M W Farmer $10,000, $1,000, born VA; Annie  age 31 F W Keeping house, born VA; Margaret, age 11 F W at home, born MO; Charles, age 9 M W, born MO; Catherine, age 7 F W, born MO; John, age 5 M W, born IL; Garrett, age 1 M W, born IL; also includes future son-in-law, Robert Sherrard, age 24, farmer, born VA.

1880 U. S. Census, Illinois, Piatt County, Blue Ridge TWP:  Jacob VanMeter, age 45, W M, farmer, born VA; Ann M., age 41, W F, wife, keeping house, born VA; Kate, age 17, W F, daughter, at home, born MO; John H., age 14, W M, son, born IL; Oliver, age 11, W M, son, born IL; Susan, age 9, W F, daughter, born IL; Nannie T., age 6, W F, daughter, born IL; Sallie H., age 3, W F, daughter, born IL.
                  

                   age = 14
                  

                   Section 4, row 1

age = 12


Benjamin F. VanMeter, Genealogies and Biographical Sketches, p. 147: "Charles went to farming and stuck to it until about eight years ago, when he with his sister, Tabitha, and his brothers, Isaac and Garrett, none of whom have ever married, built a nice mansion in Mansfield, Illinois, where they all now reside together.

"Their father died a few years after the close of the war and left an estate of several thousand acres of land near to this city, and these four with their brothers, Jacob and Solomon (this last named having been noticed before in this volume), inherited these lands and still own their farms, though they all reside in the city.  Jacob as before mentioned, married Ann Harness and removed to Missouri before the war and after the death of his father removed to and took possession of his portion of the Illinois estate, where he still resides.

"Garrett, the youngest child, born in 1849, was not in the army, and is a thrifty farmer and bachelor.

Isaac Newton, here above mentioned, was in the army along with his brothers, and participated in nearly all of the battles which either of them have mentioned."

Unmarried, no children;  Company F, 7th Virginia Cavalry, C.S.A.;   in 1901, resided in Mansfield, Piatt County, Illinois. G&BS, p. 147; buried Mansfield Cemetery,  Piatt County, Illinois.

1860 U.S. Census, Missouri, Saline County, Arrow Rock TWP, Marshall P. O. (Roll 645, Book I, p. 472):   included in household of brother Jacob VanMeter:  Chas. W. VanMeter, age 22 M, Farmer, real property $6,400, born VA.

Obituary, The Piatt County Recorder, August 20, 1922:  "   In the death of Charles VanMeter, which occurred at his home Saturday night, July 29, Mansfield lost one of its most prominent citizens.  The VanMeters originally settled in New York in colonial days but afterwards went to Virginia and purchased large landholdings of Lord Fairfax.  Possessed of wealth and culture they lived the life of plantation owners and were the possessors of many slaves.  During the war their young men were members of the southern army and Charles VanMeter and his brother Isaac, who survives him, both fought through the war.

"The deceased was one of the family of twelve children.  The father and several of the children being dead, the mother and her family came to Illinois soon after the Civil War where Mr. Vanmeter had purchased large holdings of land.  Ever since the family has been one of the large land owners of the community.  After the death of their mother, Charles, Isaac, Garrett and Tabitha, none of whom ever married, made their home together.  After the death of their sister, eleven years ago, the brothers continued living together.

"Besides relatives in Virginia there are left of the family, his brother Solomon, who is almost 90; Isaac, who is 80; a sister, Mrs. Ed Cunningham; a nephew, W. T. VanMeter and two nieces, Mrs. Howard Cunningham and Miss Lelia VanMeter, all of Mansfield.

"Funeral services were held at the Mansfield Methodist church Tuesday afternoon, August 1, conducted by Miss Martha Howe, pastor of the local Nazarene church.  She was assisted by Rev. J. E. Evans.  Interment was in the Mansfield cemetery."
                  

                   age = 11


Olivet Cemetery Records, Moorefield, Hardy County, West Virgina (as reported at www.vanmetre.com) states: "William Cunningham VanMeter, b. December 22, 1838, d. January 31, 1916. Husband of Margaret Chamber. Civil War Veteran."

1870 U.S. Census, Mahomet P. O., Blue Ridge Twp, Piatt County, Illinois: William VanMeter, age 30 M W, farmer, $8,000 real estate, $550 personal estate, born VA;  Margaret, age 28 F W, keeping house, born VA; Nora, age 1 F W, born VA.

1880 U.S. Census, Blue Ridge Twp, Piatt County, Illinois:   William VanMeter, age 39 M W, farmer, born VA;  Margaret, age 34 F W, wife, keeping house, born VA; Norah, age 11 F W, born IL; Kenny C., age 8, W M, born IL; Lena H., age W F, age 6, born IL; Tabitha V., W F age 1.  Household also includes George E. Chambers, brother-in-law, W M, age 39, farm labor, born VA, and William W. Sherrard, boarder (2nd cousin), W M, age 28, farm labor, born VA.

Benjamin F. VanMeter, Genealogies and Biographical Sketches, p. 144 (Louisville, 1901):  "William C. Van Meter, third son of Garrett Van Meter, was born at his father's homestead in the Old Fields of hardy County, and educated along with his brothers at the best schools of that vicinity.

"He says: 'When the war came on I enlisted under Captain J. C. B. Mullen, who was very soon taken prisoner, and we then had for our Captain, William McCoy, of Pendleton County, who died with typhoid fever the first autumn after the war commenced, and after his death we elected for our Captain, Edd Boggs, of Pendleton County, who finally resigned, and Lieutenant John Johnson was made captain.  I belonged to Company E, Tewenty-fifth Regiment of Virginia Infantry, General Johnson's Brigade, Ewell's division of Jackson's corps.

"'The greater part of my army lofe was spent in a corps of 20,000 to 30,000 infantry, and unlike the cavalry, we made no dashing raids or performed any great feat single handed.  I was in twenty-seven engagements, the most important of which were: Battle of Rich Mountain, Allegheny Mountain, McDowell, Winchester, Gaines Mill, Malvern Hill, Cedar Mountain, second battle of Manasses, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, three days in the Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Courthouse.

"'I was wounded through the right shoulder at the battle of Rich mountain, and struck in the side in the second day's battle in the Wilderness; was taken a prisoner at the battle of Sharpsburg, having been left by order of our Brigade Commander to take charge of the wounded who could not be moved.'

"William C. appears to have not thought a wound in his hand of sufficient consequence to evben mention it in his letter to me, but as I have it authentic, I will give it anyway.  While he was leaning against a tree with his hands in his pockets, conversing with an officer and waiting for orders, a spent ball or piece of shell struck his hand in his pocket and gave it a bruise, which left him only one hand fit for service for some time.

"There are very few men hale and hearty to-day as is William C. VanMeter, who experienced as much severe and dangerous military service as he did.  He followed Stonewall Jackson as long as he lived through the war, and then followed his successor to the close of the struggle.

"He is now a successful farmer of Grant County, West Virginia; married in 1868, Margaret Chambers, daughter of Dr. Jacob Kenny Chambers, of Grant County, West Virginia, and has raised to be grown three daughters and two son [sic], viz: Norah, who married Howard Cunningham; Kenny; Tabitha Vernon, who married John Harness, Jr., of Hardy County, West Virginia; Virginia Seymour, and William C. Jr., 'the child of his old age.'"

Hardy County Family History to 1990:    William C. VanMeter and his wife Margaret Chambers "spent about 12 years in Illinois before returning to W. Va. around 1801 [sic][must mean 1881].  They lived one mile east of Petersburg going toward Moorefield.  Since he raised and sold purebred cattle, VanMeter was active in promoting the county fair held in Moorefield.  The annual cattle shows were an opportunity for stockraisers to compare their herds.

"William and Margaret had five children: Nora married Howard Cunningham and moved to Illinois, Kenny Chambers married Elizabeth Harness and continued the farming tradition, Virginia married Seymour Fisher, Vernon married Harry Harness and lived in Hardy County, and William C., Jr. married Carrie Grove and lived in Petersburg where he was a dentist.

"Margaret and family members joined the Daughters of the Confederacy and played active roles in Moorefield's annual celebration of Confederate memorial day which continued until World War I.

"Virginia VanMeter (1881-1947) was born in Piatt County, Illinois, raised in Hardy County, and returned to Illinois for her schooling.  She came back to Hardy County and married Seymour Fisher in 1901.  Known as an excellent cook and a welcome hostess, her door was always open to friends and relatives.  Virginia and Seymour had five children: VanMeter, Margaret, Adam, George, and Virginia Lee.

"Descendants in Grant and Hardy Counties continue a 10-generation legacy begun by 'John the Indian trader' over 250 years ago when he explored the beautiful South Branch Valley."  Submitted by Jane Fisher.
                  

                   Section 4, row 1

age = 8


Unmarried, no children;  Company B, 11th Virginia Cavalry, C.S.A.;  in 1901, resided in Mansfield, Piatt County, Illinois. G&BS, p. 147;  buried Mansfield Cemetery, Piatt County, Illinois.
                  

                   or Dec.

age = 44


1880 U. S. Census, Illinois, Piatt County, Blue Ridge TWP:  Melanthon Crews, age 40 M W Minister, born MS (parents born NC); Ann R. H. S., age 36 F W Keeping house, born VA (parents born VA).
                  

                   Section 4, row 1

age = 3


Unmarried, no children;  in 1901, resided in Mansfield, Piatt County, Illinois. G&BS, p. 147.
                  

                   Section 4, row 1

age = 1


Unmarried, no children;  in 1901, resided in Mansfield, Piatt County, Illinois. G&BS, p. 147.
                  

                   Included in 1860 U.S. Census in household of Garrett VanMeter, Hardy County, Virginia: Abraham VanMeter, age 9 M, born VA.  Not listed in Genealogies and Biographical Sketches, p. 140, in children of Garrett VanMeter and wife Elizabeth.  Old Fields Church Cemetery Records, Hardy County, West Virgina (as reported at www.vanmetre.com) states "Abraham VanMeter, b. 1851, d. 1862, son of G. & E. VanMeter."
                  

                   1910 U. S. Census, Illinios, Piatt County, Blue Ridge Twp, Village of Mansfield:    Sallie Cunningham, wife of Edwin S. Cunningham, age 56, W F married 33 year, mother of 0 children.

Obituary, July 16, 1942: "          Funeral services for Mrs. Sally Cunningham, 89, were held at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Mansfield Nazarene church with Reverend C. E. Fritsch officiating.  Burial was in the Mansfield cemetery.

"Mrs. Cunningham died at her home in Mansfield early Saturday morning after a lingering illness.

"She was born August 2, 1853, in Moorefield, W. Va., the daughter of Garrett and Elizabeth VanMeter.  She was married to Edwin S. Cunningham at Mansfield January 9, 1877 and made her home here continuously since that time.

"Two nephews are the only survivors."
                  

                   Included in 1860 U.S. Census in household of Garrett VanMeter, Hardy County, Virginia: Mary M. VanMeter, age 2 F, born VA.  Not listed in Genealogies and Biographical Sketches, p. 140, in children of Garrett VanMeter and wife Elizabeth.  Old Fields Church Cemetery Records, Hardy County, West Virgina (as reported at www.vanmetre.com) states "Mary M. VanMeter, b. 1859, d.  1862."