Mason Garrison of Clearfield, PA – Update

Although I wish I has good news to report about Mason Garrison, that is not the case.  There has been no breakthrough in the brick-wall that Mason represents. All I can report is a few crumbs of new information, in the hopes that somebody else will put these bits to good use.

Please refer to Mason Garrison of Clearfield, PA for the bulk of information known about Mason.

The new information comes about through investigation of Mason’s children and doesn’t resolve any issues. In fact, it creates additional confusion about Mason’s origins.

Martha Emma Garrison: (b. 18 Nov 1851, Clearfield, PA  d. 25 Sep 1913, Jackson, IA)
Martha was born to Mason and Elizabeth Templeton — his second wife. There are two bits of information associated with Martha that list Mason’s place of birth as Maryland.

• 1900 US Census lists her father as born in Maryland.
• “Iowa Select Deaths & Burials, 1850-1990” (on Ancestry.com) lists her father as Mason, born in Maryland.

However, no other records related to Martha have been found. So it is unknown if she was consistent with her reporting of Mason’s origin.

John B. Garrison: (b. 25 Jul 1827, Clearfield, PA  d. 29 Sep 1904, Clearfield, PA)
John was born to Mason and his first wife, Elizabeth Bloom. On the 1880 census John listed his father’s birth state as Maryland. However, on the 1900 census he gave Virginia as Mason’s origin.

Levi B. Garrison: (b. 16 Apr 1841, Clearfield, PA d. 24 Sep 1914, Trenton, NJ)
Levi was consistent with his reporting of Mason’s birthplace. On the 1880, 1900 & 1910 censuses, he listed Virginia as Mason’s place of birth.

Levi’s death certificate lists his father’s place of birth as Pennsylvania. This tidbit is of little consequence however, because the informant was Levi’s wife, Julia, and death records are notoriously incorrect.

A check with Clearfield County revealed that Mason left no will, so there are no probate records.

Below is an image taken from Ancestry.com.  The creator of the image is also trying to find Mason’s origin and created a list of possible fathers for Mason.  There is an asterisk in the upper left of the image that says some have chosen William Garrison and Elizabeth Dickerson as Mason’s parents.  I too found those parents attributed with Mason’s birth.  For a short time my Ancestry.com tree included William and Elizabeth, in the hopes that some hints (leafs) would be forthcoming to aid with proof. However, no leafs came and I could find no evidence supporting such a claim.

It is reassuring knowing that I am not the only person looking for Mason’s parents. Hopefully one of us will be successful.

What is needed is a paternal male descendant (a man named Garrison, descended from Mason) willing to provide some DNA for testing. Maybe that man’s Y-chromosome will lead us past our brick wall!