Biography of Abel Garret, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana

Submitted by Mike Miller
Source: Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 1), pp. 434-435.
Published by the Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.



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Thomas, John and Edward Garrett, brothers, were born in England.  Vested by
the crown with large land grants in the colonies of Pennsylvania, Virginia
and South Carolina, they came to America early in the eighteenth century;
Thomas locating in Pennsylvania, John in Virginia and Edward in South
Carolina.  Thomas Garrett was twice married; each wife bore him a son.
Thomas Jr., issue of the first marriage, was born December 12, 1721; he
removed to northern Virginia, where he resided on a part of the crown grant
of lands to his father until his death. John, issue of the second marriage
of Thomas Sr., became an extensive tobacco manufacturer in Philadelphia.

Abel, fifth son of Thomas Garrett Jr., married Nancy Davis, whose
birthplace became the historic battlefield of the first Bull Run in 1861.
From this marriage were born six sons and four daughters.  Isaiah, the
youngest son, was born near Franklin, Williamson county, Tenn. [and his
birthplace became subsequently the battlefield of Franklin], September 18,
1812.  His parents removed in 1816 to Saline county, Mo., from which state
he was appointed to the United States Military academy, at West Point,
whence he was graduated in 1833.  Owing to defective vision, after a brief
service, he resigned his commission in the army, and in 1834 became a
resident of Ouachita parish, La., and so continued until his death.  

Having studied law, he obtained license to practice from the supreme court 
of the state in 1835, entering into a partnership with Judge E. K. Wilson, then
the leading lawyer of the north Louisiana bar, which partnership continued
while Judge Willson remained at the bar.  Isaiah Garrett served a term as
district attorney, but his extensive practice precluded his holding office.
He early became renowned at the bar and continued one of the leaders in
the legal profession in Louisiana.  He was a whig in politics so long as
that party existed, and with his wonderful popularity that he retained to
his death was an acknowledged power and made his influence felt throughout
Louisiana.  He was of fine physique--six feet one inch in bight,
broad-chested and erect, with brown hair and grey eyes.  

In 1845 he was a leading member of the state constitutional convention.  
He retired, from the active practice of the law in 1857 to his princely 
estate of "Lindwood," eight miles below Monroe on the Ouachita river, where 
he was residing when called by his fellow-citizens to represented them in the
memorable secession convention of 1861.  Sent by his constituents as a
co-operationist, he earnestly counseled deliberation, warning the
convention of the terrible results that would ensue from precipitate
action, predicting, when it was resolved to separate from the Union, a long
and bloody war.  He refused to sign the ordinance of secession adopted by
the convention, his constituency being opposed thereto.  He lived to
witness his sad forebodings realized and to mourn the spoliation and
humiliation of the land of his nativity-his beloved South.  When the crisis
came he linked his destinies with those of his adopted state.  His
defective vision forbade active field service, but was chairman of the
state military board so long as state's rights were observed.  

He returned to reside in Monroe and established a private hospital for sick 
and wounded Confederates, which was kept open till the close of the war in 
1865.  He resumed the practice of the law at the close of the war and soon 
acquired an extensive clientele, resuming his position at the head of the 
north Louisiana bar.  He took great interest in the "reconstruction" problem 
and wielded a powerful influence against the destructive efforts of radicalism;
indeed he could always be found fighting in the van on the side of right.
To this day his memory is reverenced as the safe counsellor and true
friend.  

He died, surrounded by the citizens of Monroe, in his home with
his family on May 7, 1874.  His death resulted from a fall, having been
thrown from his buggy, the horses having taken fright and run away. Isaiah
Garrett was united in marriage with Narcissa Grayson, the youngest daughter
of Col. Thomas Grayson, of one of the first families of the Ouachita
district, May 10, 1836.  The Graysons came to America about the middle of
the eighteenth century from England and settled in Virginia, where, January
1, 1770, Thomas Grayson was born.  He was bold and adventurous, and while
quite young removed to Kentucky and joined Daniel Boone, with whom he
shared all the vicissitudes and dangers of life on the border.  

He married Sarah Stuart, from North Caroline, of Scotch-Irish descent.  In 
1813 Thomas Grayson removed with his family to Caldwell parish, La., on the 
Ouachita River, where his home became the most noted landmark of north Louisiana.
There were thirteen children born to Colonel Grayson and his wife, all but
one of whom lived to mature age.  One of the sons, Andrew J. Grayson, was a
pioneer to California in 1849 and his name is identified with the history
of that state; he enjoys a national reputation and is known as the Audubon
of the West.  Narcissa Grayson's memory, as the wife of Isaiah Garrett, is
green in the hearts of many; she was indeed a fit mate for her husband,
mentally and physically.  She was the acknowledged first lady of Monroe
during all those troublous years of internecine strife.  Day and night she
strove unwearied to aid the Southern soldiers; she had two sons in the
confederate army.  She survived her husband sixteen years and died in 1890.
She never recovered from the death of her husband, whom she loved
idolatrously, and she rests next him in the family lot in the Monroe
cemetery.  

It can be truly said of these two: Their children delight to
call them blessed.  Their union gave birth to a large family, only three
sons and two daughters reaching maturity.  Of these, two, Franklin the
eldest, and Isaiah the second son, reside in Monroe, one daughter in
Virginia, the wife of J. A. Bethune, the other in Ouachita parish, the wife
of W. B. Chambliss; the youngest child and son, Thomas A. Garrett is a
prominent lawyer and citizen of Seattle, Washington.  Thomas studied law
under his brother Franklin and subsequently served as judge of the parish
of Ouachita; he was also for one term of four years a member of the
Louisiana legislature.  Isaiah, the second son, devoted himself to farming
a number of years after the war in which he served as private, having
entered the army a mere boy and gone through the war in the Fourth
Louisiana battalion, which won renown on many fields under Johnston, Hood
and others.  He was recorder of Ouachita parish several years and United
States postmaster during Mr. Cleveland's term as president, at Monroe,
resigning after Mr. Harrison had failed to relieve him, and now has charge
of the sheriff's office of Ouachita parish.

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