GARRETT, JAMES HENRY AND ALICE ELISABETH (HAMM)

by Ruth Barnebey

Entry F157 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

James and Alice E. (Hamm) Garrett.

James Henry Garrett was born in Fannon
County, Georgia, on December 8, 1852, to
James and Susannah (Mashburn) Garrett,
and died at Aurora, Nebraska, on June 12,
1935, at the age of 82 years. He attended
elementary and secondary school in Georgia,
later attended college in South Carolina and
then took the examination for his teaching
certificate. After moving with his parents to
Benton County, Arkansas, he began teaching
school at about 20 years of age.

James was married to Alice Elisabeth
(Hamm) on March 5, 1874, and they had
eleven children: Oscee Gertrude (married
John L. Roseberry), Nina "Florence"
(married Charlie M. Barenbey), Walter Her-
bert, Adda "Leona", Roy Creed, Earl Eugene,
Clinton Roscoe, Sarah "Veda", Floyd Ar-
lington, Myrtle, and Beulah Fern.

After James had taught for a number of
years, his health failed and he took up
farming. He did continue teaching periodi-
cally when his health would permit. In about
1885 he moved to the Cherokee Nation in the
Indian Territory which is now part of Oklaho-
ma, and here he farmed for a few years.

In the spring of 1888, at the advice of his
physician, he moved his family to the San-
dhills of Nebraska and located in Hooker
County. This journey of about 800 miles was
made in a covered wagon, traveling along
with three other families. They crossed the
Grand River in a ferry boat, while their herd
of cattle swam across. The trip was a perilous
one, beset by storms and floods. Although the
Republican River was at high flood stage at
the time, they were able to cross safely on a
bridge. The family camped along the way in
a tent, milked their cows and churned butter.
They baked corn pone in a covered skillet
over a campfire.

One night as they were preparing to set up
camp near a grove of trees, some friendly
settlers warned them not to pitch camp there.
They were told that a band of Indians had
lost a little baby and, as was the Indian
custom, had buried the body in a large tree
in that very grove. The Indians would not
take too kindly to white folks staying in the
area, so the party moved on to a different
campsite for the night.

When the Garretts reached Broken Bow,
Nebraska, they stopped for supplies. It was
here that they purchased their cook stove, as
that was the furthest place west where a stove
could be obtained at that time. Their first
year in Hooker County the family camped
near the Dismal River, some 15 miles from
Mullen, where they could get water and fuel.
During the first summer there, James worked
in the hayfield. When winter came, he and
some of the neighbors took their teams and
drove 100 miles to Custer County where they
worked shucking corn. When there was no
more corn, James kept books for an elevator
in Broken Bow until spring. Sometimes the
men would bum a ride to Mullen on a freight
train for a visit home during the winter
months.

The second year in Hooker County and for
the next few years James taught school near
Mullen during the winter, then moved back
to the river each summer for pasture and wild
fruit. He eventually located permanently on
a ranch near Mullen where he maintained a
fine herd of cattle and horses. He served
Hooker County as teacher, County Commis-
sioner, and County Treasurer while continu-
ing to live on his ranch and drive a team back
and forth to his office or school. He was
among the first of the County Superinten-
dents, and continued to hold this position for
about 25 years until he retired in his late
seventies.

The family had been affiliated with the
Baptist Church while living in the South, but
they became Methodists when they came to
Mullen. As one of the earliest members,
James was a leader in organizing the Sunday
School. He was commonly found teaching the
Bible Class that was held in the schoolhouse
at the time.

James became sort of legal advisor to some
of the early settlers, many of whom could
neither read nor write. He was commonly
"orator of the day" at celebrations and public
gatherings in Mullen. He was typically
chivalrous and hospitable, with friends
among both educators and stockmen. Most
notably, his life work and ambition was that
of teacher and educator; nothing was ever too
much work or too expensive if it was for the
good of the schools.