Biographical Sketches of John Lentz GARRETT; Delaware County, PA

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Cyndie Enfinger 
<cyndiee@tampabay.rr.com>.

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Source: "Cyclopedia of Delaware County, Pennsylvania”, by Samuel T. Wiley, 1894, 
page 211.

JOHN LENTZ GARRETT, a rising lawyer of the city of Chester, is a son of J. Lewis 
and Caroline (Dutton) Garrett, and was born November 1, 1863, at Village Green, 
Aston township, Delaware county, Pennsylvania.  The Garretts trace their 
transatlantic origin to England, whence the family was early transplanted to 
America and settled in the colony of William Penn.  John Garrett, paternal 
grandfather of John Lentz Garrett, was a native of Chester county, born 1789, 
and died at Village Green, this county, in 1872, after an active and useful life 
covering over three quarters of a century, being eighty-three years of age at 
the time of his decease.  While yet a young man he learned the trade of 
millwright, at which he worked for many years throughout Chester and Delaware 
counties, and had the reputation of being unusually skillful in the business.  
He and his brother Lewis served in the American army during the war of 1812.  In 
1835 he became landlord of the Seven Stars tavern at Village Green, which is 
said to have been the headquarters of Lord Cornwallis while the British army lay 
encamped near this village in the fall of 1777.  Mr. Garrett remained connected 
with this hotel until his death in 1872.  During the ten-hour agitation in 1847, 
he took an active part in favor of the proposed reform, which was then even more 
unpopular with the employing class than the eight-hour agitation is now.  He 
permitted the workingmen to hold their meetings at his house without charge, and 
thus incurred the enmity of a number of his neighbors and patrons.  The cause 
which then required martyrs is to-day regarded a much a matter of course as the 
rising and setting of the sun.  And thus the world moves forward.  John Garrett 
married Hannah Smedley, and had a family of five children, all of whom are now 
deceased except J. Lewis Garrett (father), and Hannah Ann, wife of James Harvey, 
of the city of Chester.  The former was born in the county July 31, 1823, and 
was reared principally at Village Green, where he attended the public schools 
and obtained a good practical education.  After leaving school he was associated 
with his father in the management of the hotel for a number of years, and 
finally succeeded to its ownership and sole control.  It is now known as the 
Village Green hotel, and although nearly seventy-one years of age, Mr. Garrett 
still continues in its management.  Politically he is a democrat of the 
Jacksonian school, and was elected in 1857 to the office of county auditor.  
Again in 1884 he was elected to the same position, serving one term with great 
acceptability.  In 1861 he married Caroline Dutton, a daughter of Robert R. 
Dutton, ex-sheriff of Delaware county, and by that union had a family of four 
children, two sons and two daughters: Howard Lee, John Lentz, Carrie Lewis and 
Lena Bell, deceased.  Mrs. Caroline Garrett was born in Upper Chichester 
township, this county, in 1836, and is consequently now in the fifty-eighth year 
of her age.  Her father, Robert T. Dutton (maternal grandfather), was also a 
native of this county, of English parentage, and in 1846, was elected and served 
as sheriff of this county.  After the expiration of his term of office he 
embarked in the lumber business in this city, which he followed with gratifying 
success until his death, in 1873, at the age of sixty-four years.  He married 
Anna Bartram, a direct descendant of John Bartram, the distinguished botanist.
  John Lentz Garrett grew to manhood at Village Green, receiving his education 
in the public schools and at the Chester High school, from which latter he was 
graduated in the class of 1883.  He then began reading law in the office of O. 
B. Dickinson, esq., in this city, and later entered the law department of the 
University of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated with the degree of B. L. 
in 1887.  In June of the same year he was admitted to practice at the Delaware 
county bar, and has ever since been associated with O. B. Dickinson, esq., his 
former preceptor, in general practice in the courts of this county.  These 
gentlemen have large clientage and do an extensive law business.
  Politically John Lentz Garrett is an active and enthusiastic democrat.  He has 
been a working member of the Democratic executive committee of this county ever 
since attaining his majority.  For several years he served as secretary of this 
committee, and is now serving his second term as its chairman.  Mr. Garrett is 
unmarried.