Parents of Gert Rector

Gillison “Gee” Rector and May “Pettris” Garnett were the parents of Florence Gertrude “Gert” Rector Gentzkow. What is known about Gee and Pettris?

Gert’s Father

Gillison G. Rector was the 4th of 8 children born to Milton A. Rector (1855-1951) and Charlotte “Lottie” Senate (1961-1952). Most of his life, people called him Gee; family lore maintains that he had no middle name, just the initial G. Milton and Lottie married in Illinois where their first 2 children were born. After moving to Sullivan County, Missouri with Lottie’s parents, the other 6 children were born.

To date, there are no birth or baptism records for Gee. But, he provided his birth information when he registered for the draft in 1917.

Gillison Rector, 1917 Draft Registration
born December 7, 1887 in Boyinton [Boynton], MO¹Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Gillison Rector, LaMoure County ND. June 5, 1917.

When Gee was 13 years old, his family moved to Oklahoma Territory. In the spring of 1902, the family moved to their Homestead.

Gert’s Mother

May “Pettris” Garnett was the eldest of 3 children born to James E. “J.E.” Garnett (1864-1924) and Dollie Pyle (1870-1955). J.E. and Dollie married in Adair County, Kentucky; Pettris was born there.

To date, there are no birth or baptism records for Pettris. The earliest record of her birthdate is found in the 1900 U.S. Census.

James E. Garnet [sic] family, U.S. Census, 1900²1900 United States Federal Census. Publisher Online publication – Provo, UT, USA: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004.Original data – Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census.

Gleaned from line 66 of this record: May P. Garnet [sic], daughter of James E. and Dollie, aged 10, born August 1890 in Kentucky, she attends school. According to her California death record, she was born August 29, 1890.

When she was nine years old, her family moved to Arkansas. Within the year, the family was back in Kentucky.

Adair County (KY) News, January 17, 1900

Adair County (KY) News, October 10, 1900

When she was 13, Pettris moved to her father’s Oklahoma Homestead with her mother and sister.

The Columbia (KY) News, November 4, 1903

Marriage

Gee Rector and Pettris Garnett lived one mile from each other in Harper County Oklahoma; their fathers’ homesteads were quite close.

On September 16, 1908, they married at the Harper County Seat.

Buffalo (OK) Republican and Post. September 17, 1908³The newspaper incorrectly gives the date of marriage as Monday; the Application was made on Monday, September 14, 1908 and the marriage pronounced on Wednesday, September 16, 1908. Also Pettris is spelled correctly in the Harper County Marriage Record Book.

Gillison and Pettris (Garnett) Rector Family
daughters: Mildred, Dorithy and F. Gert⁴Gillison Rector Family Photo. Original owned by Mildred Rector Johnson (1911-1993). Karrie Blees made a photographic copy, June 1987. Digital copy made June 6, 2024. Mildred stated that this photograph was taken before they departed from Oklahoma. Pettris’s right hand appears to be resting on her abdomen. Is she pregnant? Their first son, Gillison, was born December 26, 1916 in North Dakota.

The family went to Canada?⁵“Rosston Items.” The Harper County Journal (Buffalo, Oklahoma).  September 19, 1913, page 1, column 2. “Rosston Items” was not a regular column; it did not appear in every issue of the Harper County Journal.

Why the move to North Dakota?

Gert was registered for school in Harper County, OK on February 3, 1915, so the family was still in Oklahoma at that time.

Their son Gillison was born in North Dakota in December of 1916, so the family was in LaMoure County, ND at that time.

Why did Gee and Pettris move to North Dakota? How did they choose LaMoure county? Did they have friends or neighbors that moved to North Dakota?

SOURCES

• 1
  Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Gillison Rector, LaMoure County ND. June 5, 1917.
• 2
  1900 United States Federal Census. Publisher Online publication – Provo, UT, USA: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004.Original data – Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census.
• 3
  The newspaper incorrectly gives the date of marriage as Monday; the Application was made on Monday, September 14, 1908 and the marriage pronounced on Wednesday, September 16, 1908. Also Pettris is spelled correctly in the Harper County Marriage Record Book.
• 4
  Gillison Rector Family Photo. Original owned by Mildred Rector Johnson (1911-1993). Karrie Blees made a photographic copy, June 1987. Digital copy made June 6, 2024. Mildred stated that this photograph was taken before they departed from Oklahoma. Pettris’s right hand appears to be resting on her abdomen. Is she pregnant? Their first son, Gillison, was born December 26, 1916 in North Dakota.
• 5
  “Rosston Items.” The Harper County Journal (Buffalo, Oklahoma).  September 19, 1913, page 1, column 2. “Rosston Items” was not a regular column; it did not appear in every issue of the Harper County Journal.