James B. Garrett
James B. Garrett,farmer, P. O. London, a native of Madison County, born January 15, 1830, is a son of Alfred and Jane Garrett, natives of Virginia. The grandfather, Benjamin Garrett, also a native of Virginia, married in that State, and soon after, probably about 1805-6, removed to Kentucky, remaining there but a short time, when he moved with his family to Chillicothe, Ohio, which was about 1806-8. He there left his family for safety from the Indians, which were then very troublesome, and came to what is now Madison County, selected his location, and for protection erected a block-house on Coniac Run, after which he brought his family here. Subsequently he moved their house a short distance south of the London & Jefferson pike, where he remained till his death. He was buried on his farm, in a lot set off for family burying-ground, and it is believed he was the first person buried there. Alfred Garrett, the father of our subject, was about ten years old when brought to this county by his parents, and here grew to manhood, fully inured to the trials and dangers of those early days. He was married to Jane Boggs, a native of Virginia, and settled and spent his whole life in Deer Creek Township, with the exception of one year's residence in Somerford Township, and nearly his whole life, to the time of his death, was spent on the old farm of his father, where they first located in 1808 – a period of about seventy years. He was one of the true pioneers, and with his father, ranks among the first settlers of the Township. He died December 14, 1878, aged seventy-nine years. His wife died in March, 1858, aged forty-five years. They had eleven children, three now survive – James B., our subject, Alfred, Edward and Solomon. The subject of this sketch was born, raised and grew to manyood in sight of where he now lives. He was married, February 26, 1852, to Elizabeth Flight, who was born in Pennsylvania October 7, 1832, a daughter of Nicholas and Barbara Flight, natives of Pennsylvania, who removed to Ohio in the fall of 1836, and settled in London, and then located in this township, where he died October 11, 1862, aged sixty-five years. His wife died November 14, 1869, aged seventy-seven years. They had but one child – Elizabeth. Mr. Garrett and wife have had ten children – Mary C., born December 16, 1852, and died October 2, 1862; James Manuel, born December 12, 1854, died November 14, 1876; Barbara Jane, born May 6, 1857; William Henry, born October 11, 1859, died September 29, 1862; Edward Smith, born May 28, 1862, died October 8, 1862; John Marrion, born March 21, 1864; Benjamin Wilson, born December 1, 1866, died February 21, 1868; Earnest Linwood, born July 31, 1869; died February 24, 1870; Pearl Wilbert, born January 7, 1871; and Harrison Jefferson, born December 13, 1873, and died April 18, 1878. Mr. Garrett, after his marriage, located in the north part of Deer Creek Township, on the Wahoo Plains, where they lived about five years, when he purchased a part of the old home farm, upon which he located, and has since resided.
From HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY - W. H. Beers [Chicago, 1883]