76 Doses of 'Stricknie' ~ Strychnine

GLATHA JANE ALLISON

A Great Grand Aunt
(Sister to my Great Grandfather William Carter 'Cart' Allison)

Glatha Jane Allison and Andrew Jackson Garrison

Glatha Jane Allison was born on November 13,1853, in White County, Tennessee.  

She married Andrew Jackson Garrison on July 9, 1874.  Andrew was a captain in the 

Civil War where he sustained injuries and ultimately died of those injuries many years later. 

 But first ~ some background…

…and friends ~ you must read the background

Andrew Jackson Garrison first married Narcissa Pridy and they lived in Smith County, 

Tennessee - they had four children.  The marriage ended in divorce in 1873.  

Andrew supported himself by running a peddling wagon into Nashville.  

He bought and sold chickens, eggs, and whiskey his father made. 

At the age of 44, he married 20 year old Glatha Jane Alllison. (Glatha was the daughter of 

William Herbert Allison and Elizabeth Peggy Clark of Putnam County, Tennessee)

Reverend Alfred Myers, minister of the Christian Baptist Church, married them in her 

father's home in Putnam County, Tennessee, on the afternoon of July 9, 1874.  

They had six children.

Andrew and Glatha Jane moved, with their children, from Tennessee to 
Franklin County, Arkansas about 1881. Records show that Andrew rented a farm
 from Benjamin S. Fox and raised cotton.  In late October of 1881, there was a 
dispute over the crop with Benjamin and they became enemies. In December, 
Andrew moved his family near Boles, Scott County, Arkansas.  They rented a piece 
of ground from a Joseph W. Sims and raised corn. Glatha and the children 
became sick in July of 1882 and Andrew in August. As soon as Glatha was able, 
she got up and tended to everyone else.  She became so fatigued that she
 had a relapse and was worse than before.  The sickness?  William L. Tolleson, MD 
treated the family for what he called
 'common malarial diseases people in this climate have'.  

As much as 76 doses of stricknie (strychnine) were left with the family to be taken in a 24-hour period.  Although strychnine was a poison, it was used in the past as a medicine. (Strychnine was once prescribed as a remedy for heart and respiratory complaints, malaria, and as a stimulant (or body "upper").  The doctor told Andrew it was a "kill or cure".  In March of 1883, the doctor told the family they had 'escaped well - he looked for some to die'.  The family was advised by the doctor to 'leave this part'… they moved to Washington County and lived near Wesley, Madison County, Arkansas (where they received mail).  Again in February of 1885, the family became sick with 'newmony'.  Andrew died.

Now ~ back to Glatha Jane…

A year later Glatha, sad and broken hearted, became sick and died as a 
young mother on October 30, 1886, in Wesley, Arkansas - at the age of 32 
(one record says she died from typhoid fever).  She was probably buried next 
to her husband, both in unmarked graves. (In a letter that Glatha Jane writes, 
she speaks of the children 'going to the grave' - so the graves must be on 
or near their property).  The children (not sure how many) were taken 
back to Tennessee and raised by Glatha's mother -  Elizabeth Peggy Clark Allison. 

(Elizabeth Peggy Clark Allison was my 2nd Great Grandmother - after the death 
of my 2nd Great Grandfather William Herbert Allison, she married a 
Phineas Paylor or Taylor Butler).  This was a huge undertaking for her 
at an older age - an undertaking of love.  

References: 

 1. 221 pages of Military and Pension Records for Andrew J. Garrison, WC 364-921,
 obtained from the National Archives in Washington, DC. 

 2. Old letters from Andrew & Glatha to Elizabeth and family dated 11 NOV 1883 and 11 MAR 1885. 

    

Below, is an old letter that was transcribed years ago by Eleanor L. Johnson.     It is from Glatha Jane Allison Garrison to her mother, Elizabeth Peggy Clark Allison in Putnam County, Tennessee. All that was found on the letter head is "Wesley Township, Madison Co, Ark March 11, 1885".  
None of the spelling has been changed.                   

Glatha Jane speaks in the letter about how she misses her husband…

"If I could just have him back I would bee the happest soul ever lived for I am so lonesome and the place looks so lonesome to me and when night begins to come and he can't come in to bee with me and my little ones around the fireside, it all most brakes my heart. O that I could give him up and not study so mutch about him as I doo but he has been so good and so kind to mee and so mutch sattisfaction and so mutch help and so mutch pleasure to mee that I can't forget him soon. And the children greeves so mutch about their deer paw thaey want mee to go to his grave and bring him back. They go to see where he is laid and weep and cry around his grave."

"The 2 day of this month Grant started with Parson Boon and family and severrel others about 30 in all. Tuck the train and left to go to California. Abe and Russ helpt him off. Abe loaned him 25 dollars, Russ 10 dollars and Abe and Sis and Russ and Dicy coocked provision to doo him throo and Abe tuck him and his things to Fayettvill and saw him take the train. They wanted him to go and if hee is satisfied they aim, I think, to go too and if he dont want to stay they told him they wood bring him back if they had to send him money to come. Rite soon for I don't no how long I will live…
Jane Garrison to Sherman and Martha and Mother"

She also wrote..... 

"I have as good a set of children as any need for if I doo say it myself. They love to go to their Unckle Russes and since their paw died they think Unckle Russ ought to just stay hear all the time. He has been hear day and night nearly ever since hee died to help mee to wait on the children... She is better than ever thought she would be. I can't hardly quit ritting. I haint half throu...I dont no what to doo nor how for I have no one to help me and no one to tell mee what is best to doo like he wood if he had of lived. Rite to me once for I am so loansome and sad...so lonely...me and my children."

…there are no words for me to write about the letter ~ afab

I have been able to obtain a few pictures 
of the children as adults…

James Layfette Garrison
(married Eva Jane Gensman)

 Mary Matilda Garrison 
(married James Waymon Loller)

Robert Mansfield Garrison
(married Ruth Angeline Maynard)

Bessie Maude Garrison  ~ (married Levi Perkins Nash)

William Mathias Garrison
(not sure if he married - still researching)

Charles Obadiah Garrison
(married Destamonial Crowder first and then Arte Adeline Ward)

Mary, Charles, William, and Robert were all born in Putnam County
 before the family moved to Arkansas around 1881.

Bessie and James were both born in Arkansas.
(Bessie in Franklin County and James in Madison County)