BIO:  Jacob Garretson, York County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

Copyright 2005.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/york/
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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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Part II, Biographical Sketches, Newberry Township, Pg 152

JACOB GARRETSON was born in 1826, in Warrington Township, York Co., Penn.; his 
parents were Israel and Ruth (Walker) Garretson, natives of York County, and of 
English descent.  They had eight children, of whom Jacob is the eldest.  His 
father was a son of Jacob Garretson, who was a son of William Garretson, one of 
the first settlers of Newberry Township, who left a farm, which was given by him 
to Jacob and by him to Israel, and by him given to the subject of this sketch.  
At his father’s death subject was appointed administrator of his father’s estate, 
and sold the old homestead, which had been in the family for over 100 years, and 
on which he had been reared.  In 1877 he married Eliza Betz.  In religion, the 
Garretsons have all been Friends, and in politics they had always been Whigs and 
Republicans.  Mr. Garretson and family at present reside on the old Hoops 
property, in sight of the old homestead.  He owns over 250 acres of choice land 
and is a prosperous farmer.  Previous ancestry of Jacob Garretson were:  Great-
great-grandparents John and Content Garretson.  John Garretson was born 1715, his 
children were William Garretson, born 1738-39; John, 1741; Ann, 1745; Samuel, 
1750; Sarah, 1752; Content, 1754; Cornelius, 1756; Joseph, 1759.  Great-
grandfather, William Garretson, was born 1738-39; Lydia his wife was born 1744.  
Their children were William, born in 1762; Elizabeth, 1763; John, 1765; Jacob, 
1767; Martha, 1769.  Grandfather, Jacob Garretson, and Mary, his wife, were born 
in 1763; their children were Lydia, born in 1796; Israel, 1798; Jacob, 1800; 
Daniel, 1802; James, 1809.  Parents, Israel and Ruth (Walker) Garretson, and 
their children:  Jacob Garretson, was born in 1826; Lydia, 1828; Ruthanna, 1833; 
Mary, 1836; Martha, 1839; Robert, 1842; and Marie, 1845.  Jacob Garretson’s 
wife’s paternal ancestry:  Great-great-grandfather Betz died at the age of one 
hundred and five years; he had six sons, who were all stone-masons, the 
grandfather of George Betz being one.  The father of George Betz died about 1822; 
he was about fifty years of age.  George had one brother, Michael, who died about 
1832, aged about thirty years; he had four sisters, all dead except one.  George 
Betz’s mother was born February 1, 1775; died about December 9, 1844, aged 
seventy years.  She was, before marriage, Elizabeth Sheaffer.  George Betz was 
born 1812, died March 28, 1885, aged seventy-two years ten months and four days.  
Her maternal ancestry:  Jacob Hummer, grandfather, born 1748, died, 1854, aged 
ninety-six years.  Mrs. Jacob Hummer, born 1773, and died February, 1811, aged 
thirty-eight years; her maiden name was Treimyer, a family of very high standing; 
she had a brother, Jacob.  Jacob Hummer moved from New Holland, Lancaster County; 
he had a sister, Rachel, who reached ninety years of age; he had a son, John, 
born in 1794, died 1855, aged sixty-one years; he was a man of culture.  Jacob 
Hummer had four sons and four daughters.  Rebecca Hummer, wife of George Betz, 
was born in 1811, died in 1871, aged fifty-nine years eight months and two days.