Biographical Sketch of Jonathan GARRETT, Chester County, PA

Contributed to the PAGenWeb Archives by Robert E. Seeley Seeley1022@aol.com

Copyright 2004.  All Rights Reserved.
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                  Jonathan Garrett From Goshen, Chester County, Pa.
                      By Robert E. Seeley 5th great-grandson


Jonathan Garrett is the son of Joseph Garrett and Mary Sharpless. Jonathan 
married Hannah Brinton in about 1766 by a "priest' and both were disowned 
because of being married by a "priest." Jonathan disowned by Goshen Meeting 
January 9, 1767 and Hannah by Concord Meeting in December 3, 1766.. Hannah is 
the daughter of John Brinton and Hannah Vernon, who live in Kennet Township, 
Chester County, Pa. They had eight children, Jonathan married Ruth Baker, 
Letitia Tishi married John Johnson, Noah married Lydia Williamson, Lewis married 
unknown,  Mary married Francis Hickman, Hannah married William Reed, James 
married Ann Engle, and John married Hannah Smedley.
Jonathan inherited a part of his father's land, 140 acres in East Goshen north 
of Goshen Friends Meeting. On September 16, 1777 a few days after the Battle of 
Brandywine, the American and British had some skirmishing near their house and a 
major battle was prevented by a severe rain storm. While Jonathan was standing 
in an open door of his home a cannon-ball passed between his legs and out the 
back door into a bank of earth, where it was dug out later. He remarked to 
Hannah that they all should go into the basement of the house for safety. The 
British took everything eatable and their horses, which included Hannah's mare 
given to her by her father John Brinton.
On August 26, 1801 Jonathan was going to get his fence that washed onto his 
neighbor's property after a severe rain storm.. Jesse Reece, Jonathan's 
neighbor, got angry at Jonathan over the fence and picked up a chestnut limb 
four feet in length and two inches in diameter and struck Jonathan on the head 
that were mortal. Jonathan died one am the next morning. A Coroner's Inquest was 
filed in Chester County and concluded that Jesse Reece killed Jonathan Garrett. 
Jesse fled the area and eventually surrendered. Jesse was indicted for murder of 
Jonathan Garrett May 8, 1805 and on June 1, 1805 the jury return a verdict of 
manslaughter and was sentenced to two years in the penitentiary. The land of 
Jonathan was sold by his son James and his wife Hannah to Bartholomew Trener by 
deed August 1, 1811. 


From Sharpless Book page 222 and 223
Coroner's Inquisition, Chester County, Pa.
Family Records