My Genealogy Hound

HUGH P. GARRETT. One of the most highly-cultivated farms in Cass County is located on section 31, La Grange Township, and is the property of the subject of this notice. A native of Montgomery County, Ohio, he was born October 26, 1830, and is a son of John and Rosa (Petticrew) Garrett. The paternal grandfather of our subject, Joseph Garrett, was born in Belfast, Ireland, and was there reared to manhood, having few advantages, as his parents were in humble circumstances. He was a farmer by occupation and held a warranty deed for ten acres of land in Ireland. Unto him and his wife, whose maiden name was Ellen Orr, were born ten children, who were reared to manhood and womanhood in the Emerald Isle.

The eldest son in the family, Hugh, was a ship-builder by trade, and emigrated to the United States before the other members of the family sought a home in this country. John Garrett crossed the Atlantic about 1818, and two elder brothers, William and Daniel, came to the United States in 1840. A sister by the name of Mary Ellison emigrated to America in 1833. After landing on the shores of our country, John Garrett went to Cincinnati, walking the entire distance to that city from Philadelphia. His voyage hither had been a tedious one, occupying three months, during which time the vessel came in contact with an iceberg, and for many days all on board despaired of being saved.

After reaching Ohio, John Garrett there learned the trade of a cooper. He was married in 1829 to Miss Rosa, daughter of James and Ann (Campbell) Petticrew, natives respectively of Virginia and Pennsylvania. Mrs. Garrett was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, in 1808, and was of Irish and Dutch descent. John Petticrew, an uncle, served in the Black Hawk War, and located in Cass County as early as 1830, near where our subject now lives. Here he built a sawmill, which was the first one erected in Jefferson Township. The machinery for this mill was brought from Ohio by wagon.

After establishing a home of his own, James Petticrew went to work industriously to gain a livelihood for the family. Upon one occasion, when he had gone thirty miles to the mill at Cincinnati, the Indians came into the house and took everything they wished to eat, although, fortunately, they did not assault the inmates. The mother of our subject owned forty acres in Montgomery County, to which Mr. Garrett added one hundred acres. In 1848 he sold the property and came to Van Buren County, Mich., where he purchased eighty acres and remained until his death, in February, 1862. The widow survived him a number of years, and departed this life in 1878.

The parental family consisted of ten children, as follows: Hugh P., of this sketch; Ellen, Mrs. Jacob Main, deceased; Ann, Mrs. John Kennedy; Margaret and Catherine (twins), the former being the widow of John Barrett, and the latter being deceased; Jane, deceased; Agnes, the wife of James Laraway; Mary, who married Gilbert Guld; William and David. The father of this family was a Whig in his youth, and upon the organization of the Democratic party joined its ranks and afterward steadfastly adhered to its platform.

The biographer finds little of unusual interest to record concerning the boyhood of our subject. After completing his studies in the common schools, he secured employment in a commission house at Lockington, Ohio, and afterward worked by the month on a farm. In 1848, in company with his parents, he came to Michigan, and has since followed farming pursuits in Cass County. His present farm he purchased in 1865, at which time only forty-six acres had been placed under improvement. Now, through his arduous exertions, seventy-five of the one hundred acres comprising the estate have been placed under excellent cultivation.

The first marriage of Mr. Garrett occurred in Michigan in 1854, and united him with Miss Elizabeth White. After the decease of this lady, Mr. Garrett married Mrs. Julia Garrett, the daughter of Samuel and Catherine Dunn, nee Garrett. She had two children by her first husband, William H. and Emma J. She was born and reared in Franklin County, Ind., and became the mother of two children by her marriage to Mr. Garrett, viz.: John S., who resides in Van Buren County, Mich.; and David E., who makes his home in Nebraska. Mrs. Julia Garrett died in 1874, and subsequently our subject married Mrs. Phebe Struble, the daughter of Nathaniel B. Crawford. Three children have been born to bless this union, Charles W., Ralph F. and Rosa A. Mrs. Garrett had a daughter by her first marriage, Viola F. A man of enterprise and push, Mr. Garrett is interested in matters of public importance, as well as in his own personal business affairs. His first Presidential ballot was cast for Gen. Winfield Scott, and since the nomination of J. C. Fremont for President he has been a Republican in his political affiliations. An active worker in the party of his choice, he has served as delegate to township and congressional conventions, and has attended national conventions, and invariably represented the people of this section with ability and good judgment.