Joseph Henry Garrett

Narrative:

     Joseph Henry Garrett was born on 19 Feb 1875 in Kansas.^9,10,11
     He appeared on the 1875 State Census of Leavenworth, Leavenworth Co., Kansas, in the household of his parents, Robert Garrett and Ellen Mary Cobb.¹⁷ He appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Leavenworth, Kansas in the household of his parents.⁵ He appeared on the 1885 State Census of Leavenworth, Leavenworth Co., Kansas, in the household of household of his parents.¹⁸
     He was a clerk in the lumber business operated by his father and older brother John by 1891, when he was 16. He is shown with that occupation in the 1892 city directory, but later issues show no occupation for him. By the time of his marriage he was again associated with the lumber business, but just how is unclear.^19,20
     Joseph attended University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, in the School of Engineering, beginning 4 Sep 1894. He attended the university for only his freshman year, the 1894-95 term.²¹
     He appeared on the 1895 State Census of Leavenworth, Leavenworth Co., Kansas, in the household of his parents.²²
     Joseph was named an heir in the will of his father dated 6 Jun 1896, to receive an equal share with his four surviving siblings of his estate after their mother received the family home on South Broadway, $5,000 in government bonds, and half the remaining estate after payment of expenses. The five children were to receive their mother's share after her death.²³
     Joseph was committed to the Kansas State Insane Asylum, Topeka, Shawnee Co., Kansas, by the Leavenworth County Court, and admitted 8 Mar 1900.²⁴ He appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Topeka, Shawnee Co., Kansas, at Kansas State Insane Asylum, enumerated 13 Jun 1900, listed as an inmate.²⁵ He was discharged 21 Sep 1900.²⁶

An Unexplained Venture East --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     He was for a time a member of the real estate firm of Haight & Garrett in Elmira, New York, with a desk at the office of attorney Judson A. Gibson. Just when that was, and how he ended up in New York, is unknown. The firm sold several farms in Missouri to people in that city.^27,28
     Joseph married Margaret Josephine Halloran, daughter of John H. Halloran and Elnora F. Faul, on 21 Jan 1903 at the parochial residence of St. Peter and Paul Church, Elmira, New York, with Rev. J. C. Long officating.^12,13,14
     Joseph and Margaret settled in West Plains, Missouri, after their marriage, where he was in the lumber business. They lived there at least few months, as she was lving there when she returned home to visit her parents for a few weeks in Aug 1903. No record has been found of her returning to Missouri.^29,30,31

An Ill-fated Return to Elmira --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Joseph returned to Elmira, where he was arrested on 28 Jan 1904 on a warrant issued the prior June. He was charged with stealing money he had collected on behalf of dentists Firman & Moore. About $50 was reported missing. The proprietor of the Jefferson House in Watkins then accused Joseph of passing a check in the name of another man to pay his lodging bill some time prior. He confessed that charge, and to passing another $10 check to another man, and yet another to an unidentified friend. He said his brother was on his way from Leavenworth and was expected to straighten out the situation.³²
     Two days later Joseph was accused of passing a bad check for $10 at the Troy House in Troy, Pennsylvania. He supposedly went to Troy on 23 Jan to purchase an electric plant valued at $3,500. According to the report, his offer of $300 was rejected and he left town two days later with his board bill unpaid.³³
     On 2 Feb 1904 a commission appointed by the court to examine Joseph as to his sanity in the case of defrauding the dentists reported he was of sound mind. Why his sanity was questioned is not known. Perhaps his brother raised the question in his defense based on his prior mental history. The case was adjourned that day and no record of the final resolution of that case or the others has been found.³⁴
     Margaret is listed in the 1905 New York state census in the household of her parents, at 717 East Washington Ave., Elmira, Chemung Co., New York. She is shown as married but Joseph is not listed there, and has not been found elsewhere.³⁵
     Joseph was listed as a survivor in his mother's obituary in Dec 1906, shown as living in Leavenworth. This is the last record found that can be positively identified as referring to him.⁸
     Margaret was reported as visiting her parents in Apr 1907 while living in Los Angeles, California. It seems reasonable to assume she was living in California because Joseph was also there. His brother Frank was living in Los Angeles, which might have been reason for him to be there. But no record has been found of him being in California.³⁶

A Continued Life of Crime? --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     A man signing his name as Joseph H. Garrett passed a number of bad checks in Albuquerque, New Mexico, it came to light in early May 1909. One was for $5 at the cigar store of Dr. Macbeth, one for $10 at Friedberg Bros. clothing store, and one for "a large sum" at another merchant, which resulted in him being beaten as punishment. When police investigated they found he had supposedly gone to the hospital, but instead had gotten on the train to El Paso and offered a check for his fare, which was refused. He was put off at the Isleta station, and disappeared.³⁷
     A Joseph H. Garrett, signing as G. H. Clark & Co., passed a bad check for $5 at the refreshments vendor on a train. He was arrested in Prescott, Arizona, in mid Aug 1909. Proceedings were delayed in the belief he was wanted on similar charges in the area. The outcome of the case has not been found.³⁸
     A Joseph H. Garrett was arrested 26 Feb 1917 in El Centro, California, charged with issuing bad check.³⁹
     In none of these cases is there information other than the same name establishing they involved the son of Robert and Ellen, or even that they were all the same man.

Margaret Remains in New York Without Him --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Margaret is listed in the 1910 Federal Census census in the household of her parents, at 717 East Washington Ave., Elmira, Chemung Co., New York. She is shown as married but Joseph is not listed there, and has not been found elsewhere.⁴⁰
     Margaret is listed in the 1915 New York state census in the household of her parents, at Elmira, Chemung Co., New York, but Joseph is not listed there, and has not been found elsewhere.⁴¹
     Neither Joseph nor Margaret have been found in the 1920 Federal census.
     Margaret is listed in the 1930 Federal Census at Watkins Glen, Schuyler Co., New York, in the household of the president of the Glen Springs Sanitarium. She is shown as married for 26 years, but Joseph is not listed there and has not been found elsewhere.⁴²
     Joseph died between 1930 and 1940, if Margaret's marital status as recorded in the 1930 and 1940 census is reliable. But it may not be, and no record of his death has been found.^15,16