THE GARRISON-CAMP FAMILIES

By Charles Frank Camp, 1927

History and Reminiscences

From Records of Old Settlers’ Reunion of Princeville and Vicinity,

Pages 116-118

The Garrisons came from England, and colonized in New Jersey about 1640 on the Tuckahoe River, the greater part of them “Emigranting” to Ohio in 1820. The author's grandfather and great-grandfather walked from New Jersey to Ohio, a trip of 21 days.

Robert Garrison, Old Bobby, came to Illinois in 1852, settling in the Trenton neighborhood West of Spoon River in Knox county. He brought all his children with him, except Susan, later Mrs. Hart, who was born here. Joseph J. Camp, his cousin, who had prospected Peoria County two years earlier and O.K.’d it for the family, came with him.

Robert Garrison had one brother, Ephraim Garrison, who came later and settled across Spoon River in Stark County. Also had one sister Rebecca Camp, wife of Daniel Camp, who settled in Millbrook and one sister “Lot” Moore, who settled near Rock Island.

Robert Garrison’s father was Lemuel Garrison a soldier of the War of 1812 and one of four brothers to be in that war. It has always been a family story, that Lemuel gave out on the march, and his brother Parsons (pronounced Passons in New Jersey) carried him for four days and kept up with the rest of the company. Other stories were told of this brother’s unusual strength. The other two brothers in War of 1812 were “Germy” and “Wine” (Arwine). Another brother, Little Ed, was too little to go and a younger brother was Ben, besides several girls.

Joseph J. Camp was son of Zephaniah Camp and Prudy Garrison, the latter a sister of Lemuel Garrison. Another uncle of his, Josiah Biggs, rowed the life boat away from the burning vessel in War of 1812, on the Great Lakes.

Numerous other Garrisons went from the Ohio settlement as soldiers in every one of Uncle Sam’s wars and Joseph J. Camp enlisted in the Civil War and went from Brimfield. Joseph J. and his brother Arwin were ready to go into War with Mexico on a certain Saturday evening: expected to start on Monday, then got word they were not needed.

Robert Garrison married Rebecca Betson in Ohio and they had children as follows:

Mary, who went back to Ohio and died there, a spinster;

Ruth, who married John Stubbs a brother of Richard Stubbs, Sr.;

Jane, who married James Shockley, living between Toulon and Lafayette;

Maggie, who died single in Millbrook;

Maria, who married Linsey Barnes, and died in Millbrook;

Lucinda, who married Toby Moats, and died in Nebraska;

Thomas B., who moved to Kearney, Nebr.

Besides the foregoing all born in Ohio as stated, Susan was born in Illinois and became the wife of Milton Hart, she having died some years ago in Millbrook, the mother of a large family.

Joseph J. Camp married first Prudence Camp, a distant relative and by her had four children, Arwin, James M., Mary (Albertson) who is still living near Blanchester, Ohio, aged 79, and William. After his trip to Illinois he went back to Ohio and married a second wife, Elizabeth Suttles, bringing her and the four older children to Illinois. Born to the second marriage were the following eleven children:

Amanda, wife of John W. Shull, now deceased;

Rachel, who died when small;

Rebecca, wife of Al Kingen, now deceased;

Naomi Ann, who died when about 11 years old;

Lemuel Edward, who now lives near French Grove;

Dora Webber, wife of Zimri Webber, now living in Galesburg;

Vi Kingen, wife of Geo. Kingen, deceased in the state of Washington;

Charles Frank Camp, residing in Princeville;

Jeanette, wife of Franz Wirt, living near Laura;

Hayes, living in Kewanee.

Joseph J. Camp’s brother Lemuel E. Camp married Betty German in Ohio, and to them were born the following:

Hiram, who lived at Chillicothe, Ill., now deceased;

Janie, wife of Thomas B. Garrison;

Prudy, who died single;

Mellisa, who married Joseph Webber;

Mary, who died single in Millbrook;

Mina, who died single in Nebraska;

Frank Marion, who was killed by a truck in Peoria in 1925;

James M. living in California.

Joseph J. Camp's brother Arwin G. Camp married Naomi Camp, sister of Daniel Camp above mentioned, in Ohio. They had four children born in Ohio, as follows:

Joseph, who died when little;

Zepheniah "Jeff”, who married Rebecca Weber;

William, who married Jennie Lines;

Mary, who married John Pigg.

Also, one daughter born in Indiana, Maria, who married James Gray and now is living in Chillicothe, Illinois; one daughter born in Illinois, Etta, is wife of Lew Conover.

The author, Charles Frank Camp (1866-1946), is a son of Joseph James Camp (1821-1914) who ”scouted” Millbrook in advance of the Camp-Garrison migration there from Clinton County, Ohio, in the 1850s.