The Later 19th Century

The first child Laura Jane Garrett was born just about one year after the marriage of Charles and Catherine.  She was born on March 12, 1868.

Wesley Green Garrett, the first of three sons of Catherine and Charles was born on Mary 2, 1870. Wesley Green was named after Charles Robert's older brother who was killed by the Indians in Nebraska where he was working as a freighter.  Another brother Joseph also named one of his sons Wesley Green.  See Appendix 3 about the original Wesley Green Garrett.

The birth of Stella May followed on September 26, 1872.   Stella May, described as a beautiful little blond, was just four years old when she died on 3 October 1876, in Clarke Co., Iowa.  Her cause of death is not known.  She was buried in Ebenezer Cemetery, Madison Co., Iowa.  This cemetery lies between Truro and East Peru.  She is the only member of the Garrett family buried in this cemetery.

Martha Florence (AKA Flora) was born on April 17, 1874. She was described as a "lovely" person and a "crutch" for the whole Garrett family.  

Mary Francis (AKA Fannie or Fanny) was born on September 2, 1878.

Caroline Garrett, sister of Charles, died on November 17, 1879 and was buried in Union Cemetery, Clarke Co., Iowa.  Caroline never married.  She apparently had epilepsy and was living with her parents at the time of her death.  A census report in 1870 described her as ‘idiotic’.

Catherine’s mother Mary Bray McGuire died on December 6, 1878 and was buried in Ebenezer Cemetery, the same cemetery where Stella May had been buried two years before.

Charles father, Thomas, died on February 20, 1882 at the age of 74, presumably in Clarke Co., Iowa.  Thomas’ cause of death is not known.  He was buried in Union Cemetery, Clarke Co., Iowa.

In 1882, Charles appears to have been certified as an invalid as a result of his service, according to the Civil War pension files as noted below:

Sometime before 1884, Charles’ sister Catherine died.  She had married Ephraim Bateman Husted and together they had at least one daughter Rhoda.  Other details of her life and times have been lost.

Martha Garrett, Charles’ mother, died in Madison Twp. Clarke Co., Iowa, on January 2, 1884, less than two years after the death of her husband Thomas.  According to Clarke County death records, she died of typho-malarial fever.  She was buried beside him in Union Cemetery.  She was 72 at the time of her death.  Of interest perhaps is that her estate was valued at $57.25, which included a cow and a calf valued at $30.  Charles’ inheritance was $1.98, apparently after expenses had been paid.

Charles joined the William Dufar, Post number 297, Grand Army of the Republic, on July 8, 1884.  The post was located at Murray, Clarke Co., Iowa.  It appears that he was suspended and reinstated several times over the next 8 years.  The reason(s) for suspension are not known.  Charles later joined the J. D. Craven post at Macksburg, Madison Co., Iowa at an unknown date.  See Appendix 5 for more information about the Grand Army of the Republic.

The census for the State of Iowa, 1885, continues to list the Garrett families’ residence as Washington Township, Clarke Co., Iowa.

Daughter Laura Jane married William J. Iiams, son of Michael and Calista Blanchard Iiams, in Osceola, Iowa, on 24 July 1890.  Two children were born to this union, Lula Mae and Brady Marion, but only Lula survived to adulthood.  Laura Jane died 23 May 1925 in Barney, Madison Co., Iowa.

Catherine’s father Spencer Jackson Mcguire died on July 2, 1882 and was buried next to his first wife.  He had remarried about 2 ½ years after Mary’s death.  His second wife was Cynthia Ellen Paul.

The last two children of Charles and Catherine were both born on September 11.  Charlie Frank (Franklin) was born in 1886 and Harley Umberfield was born in the year of 1892.  Harley was 24 years younger than first-born Laura.  Flora was 18 when Harley Umberfield Garrett was born; it was Flora who cared for him until she married in 1897.  Before Harley was born, Flora had worked for a family in Bedford; the man's name was Harley Umberfield Greenlee.  Flora liked the folks so much she named her baby brother after the man.  Harley did not like the middle name, and when anyone would ask what the "U" stood for he would "Useful" or "U only."  Flora believed that if anyone's initials spelled something (HUG) he or she would be rich.

According to Catherine’s obituary, Charles, Catherine, and family moved to Macksburg, Madison Co., Iowa on November 24, 1893 where they remained for the rest of their lives. Charles operated a butcher shop, and he peddled meat around the countryside in a spring wagon as there was no refrigeration.  Lorena Floye Beard Garrett (Harley’s future wife) noted that the liver was free.

Son Wes married Edith Jessie Noe on 22 August 1896 in Mahaska Co., Iowa.  They had four daughters and one son:  Faye Marie, Arley Wesley, Violet Loraine, Hazel Catherine, and Mae Evelyn.  Wesley Green died 14 December 1942 in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Daughter Martha Florence was married to Peter N. Barker, son of Orlando W. and Kucy Kivett Barker, on 4 July 1897.  The place of their marriage is unknown.  They had an adopted son Henry and one daughter Nina Opal.  Martha died 24 October 1923 in Creston, Union Co., Iowa.

Mary Francis (Fannie) was unmarried and 21 years old when she died on 16 September 1899 in Macksburg, Iowa.  She was the first of the Garrett family to be buried in Moon Cemetery, Madison Co., Iowa.  Her obituary follows:

Miss Fannie Garrett was born September 2, and died at her home in Macksburg at 5 o’clock a.m., Saturday, September 16, 1899, being 21 years and 14 days old.

During a lingering illness of near three months she was very patient in her suffering, and toward the last spoke many times of wishing to go to her home, which she said was above, and felt desirous that her friends would go with her there.  Later she said, “Jesus is calling,” and about the last thing she said was “goodbye.”

Her funeral was preached at the Baptist church on Sunday at 3 p.m. by Rev. Bertha Bowers, and the whole service was one of the most impressive ever witnessed.  A large concourse of people followed with the friends to the cemetery, south of town, where the body was laid to rest to await the resurrection.  She leaves a father, mother, three brothers and two sisters and a host of friends to mourn her loss.

The following card of thanks was included at the end of the obituary:

CARD OF THANKS

To those who so kindly lent us their sympathy and assistance during our daughter’s illness and in our great bereavement by her departure, we wish to extend our most sincere thanks.

Mr. and Mrs. Chas Garrett

Fannie apparently had a seizure disorder.  She had worn flannel underwear, but took it off to wear a white blouse of the Fourth of July, took cold, and developed quick consumption.  She had a deep dimple in her chin.

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