Monongalia County, West Virginia Biography of Norman GARRISON ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Valerie Crook, , May 1999 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 147 NORMAN GARRISON. The home and farm of Norman Gar- rison are located on Pedlar Run, a mile south of Core Post Office, Clay District of Monongalia County. Mr. Garrison has lived there practically all his life, but his influence and activities have not altogether been confined to the farm. He has been one of the efficient citizens of Monongalia County, and the people of the county particularly remember his work as deputy and chief assessor of the county. Mr. Garrison was born in this vicinity, August 18, 1869, son of Captain Alpheus and Charlotte (Henderson) Garri- son, who moved to the farm where Norman lives when the latter was an infant. Captain Garrison was born in Greene County, Pennsylvania, February 26, 1833, son of David and Catherine (Ingal) Garrison. David Garrison was one of several brothers who came from Ireland, was reared in Greene County, Pennsylvania, in early life moved to Guern- sey County, Ohio, and subsequently to the Pedlar Run sec- tion of Monongalia County, West Virginia. He finally went to Tyler County, West Virginia, where he died when old. Capt. Alpheus Garrison was still a lad when his parents came from Ohio to West Virginia, and as a youth in Monon- galia County he taught four winter terms of school. At the outbreak of the Civil war he was chosen provost marshal and served one year and then became second lieutenant of Company E of the Seventeenth West Virginia Infantry. He helped raise that company and subsequently was promoted over a first lieutenancy to captain, and had command of his company during the remainder of the war. Most of the time he was stationed in the southern part of the state, and had charge of scouting detachments and frequently came in contact with details of the enemy, involving much fighting and danger. He was mustered out at Wheeling at the end of the war, and about 1870 he settled on the present farm of Norman Garrison. In connection with farming he established in 1873 a general store, known as the Pedlar Run or Garrison Store, and was also postmaster of Pedlar Post Office. He continued his store and his other business there for twenty-seven years. Pedlar Run ac- quired its name from the fact that during one extreme win- ter in the early days two pack pedlars were found frozen to death along its banks. Captain Garrison lived retired for a number of years and died January 21, 1917. His widow, Charlotte, is still well preserved, though in her nine- tieth year. She was born in this locality, daughter of David and Elizabeth (Morris) Henderson. Captain Garrison and wife reared six children: Marion Simon, a former sheriff and prominent public leader in Monongalia County, now retired at Morgantown; Celina Ann, who died at the age of twenty-three, wife of Philip Michael; Elizabeth Cath- erine, wife of Perry M. Johnson, of Pentress; Narcissus Prudence, wife of William F. Blair, of Waynesburg, Penn- sylvania; David Luther, of Morgantown, and Norman. Norman Garrison grew up on the farm, acquired a com- mon school education and hag found in farming an agree- able and profitable outlook for his business energies. He first became acquainted with the responsibilities of com- paring the assessment rolls of the county as deputy under County Assessor, Peter W. Core, after four years he was reappointed deputy under E. W. Griffith, and after eight years as deputy he was elected county assessor in 1913, being the regular republican nominee. Mr. Garrison dis- tinguished his incumbency of the assessor's office by mak- ing some changes in the interests of efficiency, simplifying the office routine, reducing the working force, and particu- larly created a stir in official circles at the Court House by introducing a typewriting machine, which the County Court refused to pay for the first year, though they allowed it as an item of expense the second year, after Mr. Garrison had thoroughly demonstrated its value. After retiring from the office of county assessor Mr. Garrison was defeated for nomination for county sheriff. He is still active as a party worker, but since leaving Morgantown has given careful attention to his farm. He has an oil well on the farm, but the coal resources have not yet been developed. Mr. Garrison is a member of the Dolls Run Christian Church. At the age of twenty-two he married Ettie Barrickman, daughter of John C. and Barbara (Michael) Barrickman. Her father, who is still living, was a deputy sheriff four years during the eighties. Mr. and Mrs. Garrison have nine children: Robert Rex, an oil man at Core; Charlotte Cath- erine, wife of Arthur Shiveley, of Weston; John Irad, an oil operator who lives at home; Alpheus Link, an oil man in Harrison County; Alma Cecil, wife of Harry M. Davis, an oil man at Core; while the four younger children, all at home, are Freda Bess, Mary J., Mildred Irene and Vir- ginia Ruth.