Howard-Wayne County IN Archives Biographies.....Garrigus, Milton 1831 - 
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Author: Jackson Morrow (circa 1909)

HON. MILTON GARRIGUS.

   The life of Hon. Milton Garrigus may be profitably considered in three
distinct phases, all of them important. First, in the relationship of private
citizen, occupied with the everyday work of securing a livelihood, the
performance of social, domestic and religious duties, and gaining position in an
honorable profession; second, in the relation of a soldier, defending the flag
and fighting for the preservation of national unity; third, as a public
official, holding responsible and lucrative positions—administrative, clerical
and legislative.

   To begin at the beginning, his remote ancestors were French and Huguenots,
some of whom immigrated to America during the colonial period. His grandfather
was a Revolutionary soldier under Washington and his father was a drummer boy in
the war of 1812 under Harrison. The oldest uncle of our subject was a colonel
during that war. It is not surprising, therefore, that patriotism amounts to a
passion in him. His father, Timothy Lindley Garrigus, was one of Indiana's
pioneers, settling in Wayne county in 1816, where he set to work to clear a farm
out of the forests and swamps of that county. He was also a carpenter and
millwright by trade, and was known all through the region of swamps from the
Ohio river to the great lakes as a minister of the church of the United Brethren
of Christ. He made frequent trips on horseback through rivers and swamps and
forests and was noted for zeal and his earnest, effective oratory. He was a
stanch, untiring abolitionist, who regarded human slavery as an abomination, and
was a candidate of the Liberty party in 1844 for representative from Wayne
county. In 1847 he brought his family to Howard county, where he built more
houses and mills. In 1852 he was nominated for state senator on the anti-slavery
ticket from Howard county, which party was in the minority in those early days.
With bright prospects in Indiana, having cleared farms in Wayne, Marshall, St.
Joseph and Howard counties, he left it all to help the state men in Kansas fight
the border ruffians in 1856. He shouldered his rifle and started westward to
engage in the memorable struggle for free soil and offered up his life for
freedom's sake as surely as though he had been slain in battle. He died of
pneumonia brought on by exposure, and was buried at Omaha. His wife, the mother
of our subject, was a native of Virginia. She was a Christian woman and a member
of the Methodist church for sixty years. She was one of the brave pioneer women
in the early history of Indiana and an excellent rifle shot. She died at the
home of the subject at the age of seventy-eight years.

   Milton Garrigus is a native of Indiana, born in Wayne county September 27
1831. He made the best possible use of the meager opportunities open to his
youth and acquired a liberal education. He read every book obtainable, mostly by
light of hickory bark torches after his day's work was done. He became well read
in ancient and modern history and was also thorough in the common branches. He
made excellent records in spelling schools of the pioneer times and was
especially apt in mathematics, and he also took an active part in all institutes
and debating societies in the vicinity. Having qualified himself for teaching,
he engaged in that pursuit for seventeen winters. This was at a time when the
school year of Indiana,as related to the country schools, composed from sixty to
sixty-five days. This employment as teacher of the A-B-C class and all the
intermediate grades of pupils up to and including the students of English
grammar and higher mathematics was of great advantage to the young man. It fixed
and made practical his knowledge of text-books.

   It was at the age of sixteen that Milton Garrigus came to Howard county,
where he began the improvement of a quarter section claim obtained by his father
under the pre-emption act. For nine months he occupied a frontiersman's cabin,
from February to November, and opened a clearing in the rich Indian reservation
of what is now Howard county before the arrival of the family. He could talk the
Indian dialect and became an expert in handling the ax, rifle and canoe. Strong,
energetic and industrious, he assisted in clearing that first farm and two or
three others, the last of which was his own. During the early days of the county
he was often elected by the people to superintend the construction of the
primitive highways.

   In 1858 he was appointed postmaster of Greentown and removed thither from the
farm. Already he had formed the purpose to become a lawyer, and he entered upon
a course of legal study while postmaster which gained his admission to the bar
in 1859. His residence in Greentown continued until 1870, when he removed to
Kokomo and formed a legal partnership with Colonel Charles D. Murray. This
relation was dissolved by the Colonel's death and subsequently he was associated
for a short time with a lawyer named Ingels, and for five years with judge
O'Brien. The latter partnership was terminated in 1880, since which time he
remained alone in the successful practice of his profession until retiring in
1892. As an evidence of his standing among the lawyers the fact might be cited
that in November, 1891, at a very full meeting, he was elected president of the
Bar Association of Howard county, comprising nearly forty members, and filled
the position in a most satisfactory manner for a period of four years. He also
served as county attorney from 1876 to 1892, a period of sixteen years.

   The first Confederate gun fired on Fort Sumter appealed effectively to the
patriotism of our subject and he responded to the call for volunteers, resigning
the postmastership and entering as a private in Company D, Thirty-ninth
Infantry, afterward the Eighth Cavalry Regiment, Indiana Volunteers. His
clerical ability recommended him to the captain and he was soon appointed
company clerk. He was captured at Perryville and paroled, but not exchanged
until long afterward. He assisted in recruiting the One Hundred and
Thirty-seventh Regiment, one hundred-day service, and was commissioned second
lieutenant of Company A, promoted to first lieutenant and appointed adjutant. He
was made post adjutant at Tullahoma, Tennessee, and acting assistant adjutant
general of brigade until the regiment was mustered out. He then assisted in
recruiting the One Hundred and Fortieth Regiment and later recruited a company
in the One Hundred and Forty-second Regiment, of which he was commissioned
captain. After the battle of Nashville he was appointed inspector, of the Second
Brigade, Fourth Division, Twentieth Corps, Army of the Cumberland, on the staff
of General E. C. Mason. This officer gave him a very cordial letter, certifying
in the most positive terms to his activity, correctness and faithfulness in the
position, stating without equivocation that he was the best inspector the
general had ever known in the army. "There was not an officer on my staff held
in higher esteem," wrote General Mason, "or one on whose services I relied more
in my field of duty." In fact, words could not frame a stronger or more
flattering testimonial. While on parole Captain Garrigus organized the Union
League of Howard county, made Union speeches and exposed the Knights of the
Golden Circle.

   After the war he was active in the organization of the Grand Army of the
Republic. In 1881 and again in 1882 he was commander of Thomas J. Harrison Post
of Kokomo. In 1892 he served by apopintment [sic] on the staff of Colonel A. G.
Wishard, of Wisconsin, commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, as
assistant inspector general for the Department of Indiana. In May, 1901, at the
state encampment, he was elected and installed commander of the Department of
Indiana, serving in that capacity one year. He has always taken an active
interest in everything pertaining to the welfare of this organization, often
serving as a delegate to the state and national encampments and always attending
such gatherings. He is also a member of the Indiana Commandery of the Loyal
Legion. During his administration Governor Matthews appointed Captain Garrigus a
member of the Indian commission to locate and direct the permanent marking of
each military organization from this state on the battlefield of Chickamauga,
where that bloody battle was fought; also the position of Indiana troops on the
field of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. The commission was composed of
ten officers, who served in some of the Indiana regiments in those battles.

   As in other matters. Captain Garrigus has not proved to be a laggard in
affairs political. He began his political life as a Whig, with abolition
proclivities. He became a Republican upon the organization of that party, and
has always been a strong advocate of its principles. His political activity and
enthusiasm are remarkable. He has been at all times and under all circumstances
active in behalf of the party. As a political campaign orator he is earnest in
the advocacy of Republicanism, and his loyalty and party fealty have never been
questioned. In 1883 he was nominated by President Arthur for collector of the
internal revenue, and when the nomination was hung up in the senate he
unselfishly withdrew and urged the nomination of his friend. Captain
Kirkpatrick, which was made. He was school examiner under the old system for
three years beginning in 1859, and was county superintendent under the new law
from 1875 until be resigned in 1878. He was elected to the senate for a term of
four years, serving in 1879 on the committee on apportionment for congressmen
and on that of ditches and swamp lands, and in 1881 on the committee on
corporations and railroads, being chairman of the latter. For four years he
served as a member of the common council of Kokomo. He was chairman of the
Republican central committee of Howard county during the campaigns of 1874,
1876, 1880, 1882, 1884, 1888 and 1896. In 1890 he was nominated county auditor
by a phenomenal majority in a primary election and was elected in November for a
term of four years beginning March 1, 1892. In 1894 he was renominated as the
candidate of his party and was re-elected by the astounding majority of two
thousand and seventeen for a second term, which he completed in March, 1900. He
was chairman of the ninth district Republican convention held at Lafayette in
1888 that renominated Hon. J. B. Cheadle for congress, and he also served in a
similar capacity in 1900 at the district convention held at Huntington, which
selected delegates to the St. Louis national convention that nominated William
McKinley for President. At the state convention in 1892 held at Ft. Wayne he was
a member of the committee on resolutions. In 1891 and 1892 he was editor and
proprietor of the Kokomo Journal, a weekly political newspaper noted for its
earnestness, aggressiveness and bright, original features. This paper he
disposed of before entering upon his duties as auditor. That he has been loyal
to his political convictions throughout his long and most active career is
further emphasized by the fact that he cast his first presidential vote for
General Scott in 1852. voted for every Republican President since that time and
has attended every county and state convention of his party during all those
years, besides many of the national conventions.

   Captain Garrigus has been twice married. His first wife was Susan M.
Whiteneck, of Green town. All of the living children of this union are married,
of whom Allen C. is now postoffice inspector for Oklahoma, maintaining his home
in Kokomo, and Victor L., a clerk in the war department at Washington for the
past eight years. The death of Mrs. Garrigus occurred January 3, 1900, and on
October 23, 1901, the captain was united in marriage to Marie Thomas, a native
of Fayette county. To this union two children have been born, Genevieve and
Leslie M.


Additional Comments:
From:

HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY INDIANA
BY
JACKSON MORROW, B. A.
ILLUSTRATED
VOL. II
B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

(circa 1909)



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