OKCIMARR-L Archives

From: Jan <>
Subject: [OKCIMARR] Garrett post office
Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 13:49:09 -0800

Posted on: Cimarron County, Ok Query Forum
Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ok/Cimarron/70

Surname:
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The Garrett Post Office was established April 17, 1891. Mary L. Huff became
Postmaster on January 23, 1908. Lafayette M Guest took over September 19,
1912 and Phoebe L. Guest on March 11, 1914. The office was discontinued
November 15, 1917 and the mail was sent to Campo, Colorado.

District 6, Garrett School, was issued a patent to four acres in NE SE
8-5-5 from the Commissioners of the Land Office on May 5, 1915. School
was held for two years and then students transferred to District 43. There
were other schools in that area also called Garrett: the Garvey homestead,
SE NE SE 31-6-5 and Bruner School, NW NW NE 2-5-4. Hurley, Hersher, Mineral,
Garrett, and Garlington were some of the school districts that consolidated
with Boise City. According to rosters of county teachers a Garrett school
was open from 1908 to 1918. No teachers are listed for a Garrett school
again until 1934 when dozens of little schools sprung up. From 1934 until
1941, Garrett only had one teacher per year. (No roster is available for
1938.)

According to the account of Carol David, a granddaughter, Joseph Garrett
was born in Benton Co., TN. He married Martha Brown on August 31, 1864.
Joseph fought for the North during the Civil War and was shot in the shoulder.
Shortly after the war, Joseph and Martha came west. Nine children were
born to that union. Some were born in Oswego and others in Leavenworth,
KS. The family traveled to a town called Old Boston (which is near present
day Vilas, CO) in a covered wagon pulled by Moses and Jacob, a team of
oxen. The family then crossed the Cimarron River at the North Crossing
and rode west and traveled to the top of a hill overlooking the Cimarron
River Valley. Joseph told Martha, "This is it. We'll stop here, and someday
there'll be a town called Garrett here." When the land opened up for filing,
he filed his claim and proved up on it. Joseph built several houses in
the area; an emblem over some of the windows and doors is thought to have
been his trademark. Martha started the Garrett Post Office in 1891, but
by 1901 they had let their dream go and moved to Texline, Texas. Their
son Ed Garrett took over their place. Charlie (a son?) ran the post office
through 1907. Garrett Cemetery, named for Joseph, is about 13 miles north
of Boise City, about a mile southwest of the river bridge.

You can find more information about the Garrett family in my source "Footsteps:
Family Histories of Cimarron County, Oklahoma" which was edited by Norma
Gene Butterbaugh Young. You can probably get a copy from the Cimarron Heritage
Center in Boise City.

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• [OKCIMARR] Garrett post office by Jan <>