'Twixt 1909 and 1912: Harley and Floye

As previously noted, Harley graduated from high school in 1909 while there is no conclusive documentation that Floye ever did, though her graduation year would have been 1910. They apparently met as early as third grade (as reported by Floye herself in the 1963 newspaper article previously mentioned) and must have met on some occasions when Delvina Jessup and the girls Floye and Hallie were back in Macksburg. In 1910 the population of Macksburg in 1910 was only 197.

The following 1910 census documents that both the Garrett and Jessup families were residing in Macksburg.

In the 1910 census records, Floye's occupation is listed as a post office clerk while Harley is listed as being a laborer.

At around this same time, Harley was a local agent for the Star Printing Company of Wyoming, Iowa. His calling card notes the following:

Harley Garrett
Solicits your Orders for
All Classes of Quality Printing
On a Guarantee to Please You Perfectly
Local Agent The Start Printing Co. Wyoming Iowa

Wyoming, Iowa, is in eastern Iowa, nowhere near Macksburg in south central Iowa. The Star Printing Company published calendars, letterheads, and probably other materials in the early 1900s. It is not known how Harley became the local agent, how successful he was in gaining clients in the small town of Macksburg, or for how long he worked for the company.

The following news items were taken from the newspaper The Winterset Madisonian, Macksburg section:

111211911--Harley Garrett was brought home from Des Moines last week, seriously ill with tonsillitis, and is still in a critical condition.
1/19/1911--Harley Garrett, who has been very sick at the home of his parents, is able to be around again.

Whether Harley was working or living in Des Moines or just visiting is not known.
Some time during 1911, Harley would have started his three-year course of study at the Kansas City Veterinary College in Kansas City, Kansas. Doyle E. Garrett, Harley's second son wrote, "Dad's father wanted Dad to be a farmer like the rest of the family, but Dad insisted he wanted to be a horse doctor. His dad said, "Alright, here's a cow; the rest is on you." I don't know if there was any more help or not. Dad set an example for Kenny, Sis and me that wasn't easy to follow."

Again, from the Winterset Madisonian:

12/21/1911--Harley Garrett, who is attending school at Kansas City, is here visiting relatives.

The timing of Harley's beginning veterinary school roughly coincides with the birth of his first child, Kenneth Lester Garrett, who was born on July 5, 1911, in Macksburg. There is no written record of Kenneth's birth, though the lack of an official record did not come to light until Kenneth was in his 60s. Though Floye would give the date of her marriage to Harley as April 26, 1911, it was undoubtedly one year later. There is a marriage license affidavit, return of marriage and certificate of marriage stating that the marriage occurred on April 26, 1912. Harley and Floye were married in Winterset, Iowa, by minister James S. Corkey. Harley's occupation is listed as student. There was no space in the document for the bride's occupation. Witnesses were two men who were not family members.

Notes from the Winterset Madisonian:

4/10/1912--Harley Garrett returned home Friday from Kansas City.
5/11/912--Harley Garrett and Floy Beard of this place, were married in Winterset the latter part of the week.
7 /31/1912--The little infant child of Mr. & Mrs. Harley Garrett has been on the sick list this week.

As will be recounted later, Floye never mentioned the wedding anniversary in her diaries or the circumstances surrounding her marriage.

To add to the confusion, Floye's obituary published in the Winterset Madisonian in 1977 stated that she was married on April 26, 1910.

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