The will of Michael Ulrich, written 26 Oct 1819 and proved 17 Nov 1819, named wife Sarah and children: Peter, Samuel, William, Jacob, Elizabeth wife of John Nace, Catherine and Belender (sic).

There was some dispute among the heirs of Michael Ulrich considered by the Chancery Court of Baltimore County 29 June 1835 wherein Catherine Ulrich and Belinda wife of Jarrett Matthews brought suit against the other siblings. So we know that Jarrerd had married Belinda by that date and so she was his wife in December 1835 when he had to forfeit all of his property to pay off his debts. And, as his widow, Belinda was named Administratrix of Jarrerd’s estate when he died in 1847.

William S Pearce cites a Circuit Court record that Jarrerd’s estate was contested in 1852 saying he had died 4-5 years previous with heirs including: his original ten children by Diana including Elizabeth by then intermarried with Nicholas Hoshall, current wife Belinda, and four infants: Charlotte, Rosanna, Jarret and Henry C Matthews. (Some Internet trees add Catherine to this list as a fifth child by Belinda).

I have never been able to find the records of that Circuit Court case, but I have found indirect evidence of it in Baltimore County land records. There was an 1853 land record citing a Circuit Court decree in favor of John Michael and William Davis against Belinda Matthews for having sold a tract of land that she should not have had possession of as it should have been signed over by Jarrerd long ago as part of his “bankruptcy”.

I wish I knew the full history and all pertinent details of that case including how that tract apparently got left out of Jarrerd’s “bankruptcy” and also who these particular Davis men were. My thought is they must have been important creditors (or heirs of one) of Jarrerd’s but I can only guess since, try as I might, I cannot get the missing background information I seek.

Belinda obviously did not have an easy life since Jarrerd went through that bankruptcy not long after they married. It is not clear if he ever recovered financially. Moreover, after he died, per the 1850 Census, Belinda apparently was living separately from her children. I can find her living with a married couple unknown to me, but none of her children were with her and they can be found scattered among other Baltimore households.

He was named in both his father’s and mother’s will. There is no question, because of his unusual name, that he was their son.

He is with his father in 1790. The 1800 Census was lost. In 1810, though married, he may well still be living wth his father, or....

1810. He might be Garett Mathias, neighbor of Edward Matthews. Other neighbors include several young Marshalls, Thomas and Jacob and William and George Hampshire; Thomas Marshall Sr. is not far away. However, daughter Elizabeth is not present and should be, so it may be that Jarrerd, his wife and daughter are living in the William Matthews household who has a daughter of the right age.

1820. Jarratt Matthews lives in 5th District BAL. He is 26-44 as is his wife. There are 6 females under 10. Elizabeth Ann is about 10 and is no doubt one of them. Neighbors are: George Hampshear, William, Benjamin and Edward Matthews. William, Benjamin and Edward are all of the same age group as Jarratt and no doubt his brothers. A woman over 45 lives with William and could well be Betsy.

1830. Garrard Matthews of 5th Collection District BAL 40-50 with 1 male under 5 and 1 5-10. Females are: 1 40-50, 1 under 5, 1 5-10, 2 10-15 and 3 15-20. Jarrerd is 43, Diana 43 and Elizabeth Ann 20. A neighbor is Jesse Hoshall, Jr. who is 40-50 (actually 47).

1840. He is simply not to be found. Maybe he’s living with one of his children.

In 1830, the heirs of Edward Matthews disposed of a parcel of land called Jarrett’s Intention previously owned by Abraham Jarratt’s. Among the heirs seem to have been a William, Agnes and Rachel Mathews and also a Jarrett Mathews -- was he our Gerrard or a different man? MDLandRec WG 206 314. And was Abraham Jarratt someone of importance to this family?

In 1831, Gerrard and Diana deeded land that Gerrard had inherited from his father William. MDLandRec WG 209 377.

Jarrerd and Diana Matthews share a fairly new tombstone at Gunpowder Baptist Church. They were buried near their daughter Elizabeth Ann. Their tombstone says he died 1 Jul 1847 at age 60 and she died 21 Mar 1832 at age 45. Their modern tombstone says “erected by their granddaughter Fannie B Spies”. Jarrerd died intestate and his estate entered administration 18 March 1847 -- meaning he died sometime before that -- and showing that even though a date is “etched in stone” as his is on his tombstone, it can’t always be trusted.

We know from church records that Jarrerd married Diana Mashon 15 Apr 1809. But as discussed in my biography of her, that “documented fact” is also wrong. Her name was really Marshall and that big “typo” sent me on a wild goose chase for some time.

His name was sometimes spelled Jarratt and sometimes Gerard (and variations on both of those), but as his tombstone has it Jarrerd, I am generally using that spelling of his name.

Jarrerd and Diana had ten children. Their names are known from an 1832 Orphan’s Court action wherein Jarrerd was appointed the natural guardian for these children who were the heirs of Thomas Marshall.

The strange thing is I cannot find Jarrerd in the 1840 Census. With as large a family as he had at the time, I’d think he would have been head of household as opposed living with someone else. Maybe he was skipped, that’s certainly possible, but occurred much rarer than genealogists sometimes claim as mis-spellings were so prevalent. But I have many tricks to find people whose name has been mis-spelled and I cannot find Jarrerd.

His absence may have something to do with the fact that Jarrerd, though he inherited several land tracts from his father, apparently was not successful in managing those properties. So, by December 1835, Baltimore County land records reflect that he had to sign over all of his property to a trustee so the trustee could proceed to sell off the properties and thus pay off Jarrerd’s debts.