Father: John Lewis Jr. GARLINGTON, (son of John Lewis Sr. GARLINGTON), b. ABT 1852, Georgia, d. 1919, Greeneville South Carolina, bur. Graceland Cemetery South Greeneville South Carolina
There is but one child named Eugene Garlington on the 1880 Census who was born in South Carolina and he is listed in the household as the son of John L Garlington MD and his wife Emma.in Rocky Plains Newton County Georgia. While the other children are born in Georgia, Eugene has the distinction of being the only child in John and Emma's family who was indeed born in South Carolina. His birthplace matches up. The age is somewhat correct, only off by three years, the only different information is that John, the father of Eugene was born in Georgia not South Carolina as his son later alleges. However, this is all too common that children can't identify the state their parents are born in. This can be put in perspective by saying that on this genealogy alone there is antedotal evidence of at least six families where children do not know their parents birthplace or get it confused. Indeed even in this one family John L Jr. is confused about his mother's birthplace and has it as Alabama when on the next census he had it correctly I might add as Virginia. It is also worth noting that if the wife answered the door and had never met the parents or knew them well she may not know where his parents were born .It is important to note that by 1910 when Eugene was married to Lena , Eugene's parents and brothers and sisters were living in South Carolina having moved from Georgia. So most of Eugene's family was definitely in South Carolina indeed both John Lewis Jr and his wife Emma died in South Carolina (Death dates from index of South Carolina official death index online) and Lena may have assumed that both his parents were born there, thus erroneously putting Eugene's father's birthplace in South Carolina and not the proper Georgia. Everything else fits. The 1874 birth date for his birth refers to him being six on the 1880 Census. . I have then put John Garlington as the probable and indeed it looks like the only choice for the parents of Eugene Garlington as there simply is not another child in 1880 that even has this name..except for a child in Louisiana who turns up on a later census with entirely incorrect information age is way off, and his birthplace is not even close and is not him. In 1900 this family is still in Henry County, Georgia with Jessie and Eugene having left the nest. but Lewis a child remaining from the other census in still remaining with new siblings, Mamie, Robert, Henry and Nannie. Another clue is that when Eugene marries he names a girl Nannie perhaps after his sister. He also names another girl Mary and his sister Mamie is listed on one other census as Mary. So perhaps two of Eugene's later children reflect him honoring his sisters.
Mother: Emma C ALLEN, b. ABT 1854, South Carolina, d. 23 Mar 1923, Greeneville County South Carolina, bur. Graceland Cemetery
Emma has two different states where her census information says she is born. In 1880 she contends she is born in Georgia, however in 1900 it has been listed as South Carolina. In Later years 1900 and in 1920 she stipulates South Carolina. I have used South Carolina as most of her family seems to be migrate there later and indeed she is buried there after her death. So this does lead credence as to why Eugene may have thought both of his parents were born In South Carolina as his mother probably was. Also , Emma Allen Garlington , thought to be the mother of Eugene A Garlington has a little girl named Nannie and another named Mary,(sometimes listed as Mamie but same girl per census age) perhaps why later Eugene names his children similiar names. Emma is living in the home of her son Robert E in 1920 with her other son John Lewis and grandchildren by Robert. E. She dies three years later in 1923.in South Carolina
Married 2 Jul 1873, Henry County Georgia
Children: