Alvin Ingram Cartwright

Notes:

(Research):

Census Listings:

1930 Census
Texas, San Augustine County, San Augustine Precinct
Enumerated April 24, 1930
ED 203-1 SD 19 Sheet 10B
264-278
Cartwright, Minnie Head 8000 F W 56 Wd 20 Tx Tx Tx
Cartwright, Americus H Son M W 21 m 19 Tx Tx Tx Cashier Bank
Cartwright, Mintie Dtr F W 18 S Tx
Cartwright, Nelda Dtr-in-law F W 18 m 16 Tx
265-279
Cartwright, Ingram A Head M W 30 M 22 Tx Farmer
Cartwright, Wilma Wf F W 29 m 22 Tx
Cartwright, Ingram Jr Son M W 3 S Tx

Family/Spouse: Wilma Dorothy Dean. Wilma was born on 28 Sep 1900 in Texas; died on 8 Feb 1994; was buried in San Augustine City Cemetery, San Augustine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Alvin Ingram "Red" Cartwright, Jr. was born on 27 Jan 1927 in San Augustine County, Texas; died on 1 Jun 1994 in San Augustine, San Augustine County, Texas; was buried in San Augustine City Cemetery, San Augustine County, Texas.

Notes:

Not shown as a child of Columbus Cartwright and Sallie Lane on 'Chart II: John Cartwright's Children and Grandchildren' in the appendix of Henson and Parmelee's "The Cartwrights of San Augustine."

However, a stand alone chart was later issued as an Erratum, stated that the name of three of their children were inadvertently omitted.

(Research):
Census Listings:

1900 Census
Texas, San Augustine County, San Augustine
Enumerated 26 Jun 1900
SD 267 ED 73 Sheet 1B
Census Listings:
227-227
Cartwright, Mack Head W M Dec 1870 29 m 6 ZTx Tn Tn Farmer
Cartwright, Minnie Wf W F Mch 1873 27 m 6 1/1 Tx Tx Tx
Cartwright, Infant Son W M Mch 1900 7/12 S Tx Tx Tx
Storne, Corry Servant B M 1882 18 S Tx Tx Tx Laborer
Sharp, Jane Cook B F 1895 25 W Tx Tx Tx Cook
Sharp, Alfred Son B M 1886 14 S Tx Tx Tx

1910 Census
Texas, San Augustine County, San Augustine, Pr 1
Enumerated 21 Apr 1910
SD 2 ED 138 Sheet 4A
71-72
Cartwright, Americus H Head M W 40 m1 16 Tx Tx Tn Own Income
Cartwright, Minnie C Wf F W 37 m1 16 2/2 Tx Tx Tx
Cartwright, Ingram Son M W 10 S Tx Tx Tx
Cartwright, A. H. Jr. Son M W 1 S Tx Tx Tx
Hollis, Sophronia Servant F B 21 S Tx Tx Tx Cook Private Family
Garrett, Kate S. Boarder F W 42 S Tx Tn Tx Deputy Clerk County
Dixon, Felix B Friend F W 36 S Tx Oh Tx
Fields, Garrett W Nephew M W 15 S Tx Tx Tx

Americus married Minnie Clementine Sublett on 25 Oct 1893 in San Augustine County, Texas. Minnie (daughter of Henry William Sublett and Mary Garrett) was born on 15 Mar 1873 in Texas; died on 20 Feb 1954 in San Augustine, San Augustine County, Texas; was buried in San Augustine City Cemetery, San Augustine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Texas Death Records show her as the daughter of Henry Sublett and Mary Garrett.

(Research):

Census Listings:

At the time of the 1920 census, she was listed as Minnie Cartwright, Female, White, age 45, married, born in the United States and as an inmate in the Southwestern Insane Asylum in Bexar County, Texas.

1930 Census
Texas, San Augustine County, San Augustine Precinct
Enumerated April 24, 1930
ED 203-1 SD 19 Sheet 10B
264-278
Cartwright, Minnie Head 8000 F W 56 Wd 20 Tx Tx Tx
Cartwright, Americus H Son M W 21 m 19 Tx Tx Tx Cashier Bank
Cartwright, Mintie Dtr F W 18 S Tx
Cartwright, Nelda Dtr-in-law F W 18 m 16 Tx
265-279
Cartwright, Ingram A Head M W 30 M 22 Tx Farmer
Cartwright, Wilma Wf F W 29 m 22 Tx
Cartwright, Ingram Jr Son M W 3 S Tx

Notes:

At the age of 16, Columbus and two other local boys were sent to the Kentucky Military Institute near Frankfort. They traveled by steamboat down the Red River and up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers to Louisville, and then by train, the first they had seen, to Frankfort. Homesick, but conscious of his duty, Columbus missed no classes and worked very hard to please his parents. Upperclassman Moses A. Broocks wrote this his father that Columbus was 'one of the finest and healthiest looking' cadets." (Henson and Parmelee, pp. 171 -172). He had to return to San Augustine in 1855 due to poor health. He later attended Cumberland Unversity in Lebanon, Tennesse, with his brother Meck. Poor health continued to afflict Cumby the rest of his life. At the onset of the Civil War, he remained home with his young family, not enlisting in the C.S.A. with his brothers Meck and Lon (ibid, p. 200)

In the summer of 1861 Mosquito-borne fevers troubled San Augustine..."Columbus was so sick that he spoke of dying to his father before his slow recovery. Sallie, his wife, also had two chills but seemed to be better; Matthew probably did not know that she was expecting her third child. Other neighbors were very ill and some were dying." (ibid, pp. 206-207). The ledger books of his father, Matthew Cartwright, show that a number of payments of $50 or more were made to pay men to serves as Columbus's substitutes in the Confederate army, a practice that was later forbidden. (ibid, p. 216) In 1864, fearful that the Union forces would advance into Texas, Columbus joined Gen. Major's cavalry below Natchitoches by April 24. His brother Meck, who had been on sick leave since October 1863 rejoined as well. The brothers were among the Confederates who followed the retreating Union boats along the river banks. Eventually Cumby's old kidney ailment sent him to the rear. He returned to duty near Opelousas on May 31. By the end of July 1864 he was home on a furlough he had bought for $38. His health remained bad, and his leave was extended until November. (ibid, pp 235-236).

During the 1880's, Columbus formed a business partnership with two of his sons, Robert and John Matthew, both of whom had moved to Mt. Calm in Hill County, to raise fine horses. Columbus remained most of the time in San Augustine, maintaining a race track where he trained his favorite animals. Beginning in 1884 he bought throughbreds and was listed in the AMERICAN STUD BOOK and TURF, FIELD AND FARM (ibid, pp. 298-299). Once the overachiever of the family, Columbus had learned over the years that his kidney ailment could be controlled by simple quiet living, and raising racehorses and other livestock in San Augustine suited him. He remained behind as the rest of his siblings moved to westward to Terrell. (p. 308).

(Research):

Census Listings:

1860 Census
Texas, San Augustine County, San Augustine District
Enumerated 5 July 1860
Page 6
35-35
C. C. Cartwright 23 M Farmer 3000 9730 Tx
Sarah H Cartwright 19 F Tenn
Matthew Cartwright Jr. 2 M Tx
Robert L Cartwright 1 M Tx

1870 Census
Texas, San Augustine County, PO San Augustine
Enumerated 6 July 1870
Page 20
122-122
Cartwright, C. 32 M W Farmer 2000 1000 Tx
Cartwright, Sarah M 29 F W Keeps House Tenn
Cartwright, R. L 10 M W At School Tx
Cartwright, Mathew 8 M W Tx
Cartwright, C Jr 23 M W Tx
Cartwright, Americus 6/12 M W Tx Dec
Harper, Porter 25 M M Works on Farm Tenn
Harper, Milpey? 30 F B cook Tenn
Harper, Jessey? 9 M M Tx
Harper, Martha 2 F M Tx

Columbus married Sarah "Sally" Amanda Lane on 24 Jun 1858 in Tennessee. Sarah (daughter of Robert Lane and America "Meck" Holman) was born on 24 May 1841 in Tennessee; died on 18 Feb 1895 in San Augustine County, Texas; was buried in San Augustine City Cemetery, San Augustine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
During an extended visit with the Akin's in McMinnville, Tennessee, Columbus fell in love with his sixteen year old cousin, Sarah "Sallie" Lane, who had recently completed studies at Mary Sharp College.

Notes:

May, 1843, witnessed a land sale by Anthony PATTON to Samuel JORDAN, along with Edwin O. LeGRAND, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Buried at the Oakwood Cemetery in Austin, Texas. (Noble, Harry ANTHONY B. PATTON "Justice of the Peace" San Augustine Tribune, Thursday, November 21, 2002) Son of Phillip Allen Sublett, who had purchased land from John W. Frith in 1830, southwest of land owned by the Cartwright family, just west of Elisha Roberts land, who was the father of Easter Jane Roberts and father-in-law of Phillip. (Henson and Parmelee, p. 50).

(Research):
Census Listings:

1870 Census
Texas, San Augustine County
#644-644 Sublett, H.W. 24 M W Farmer 6,000 2,400 TX
Sublett, M.G. 28 F W Keeps House TX
Sublett, E.J. 62 F W KY
Perkins, Fanny 13 F Mu House Servant TX
Garrett, Harry 15 M B Ostler TX
Jackson, Young 3 Mu

1880 Census
Texas, San Augustine County
#241-241
Sublett, Henry W M 35 M Farmer TX KY KY
Sublett, Mary W F 45 Wife M Keeps House TX TN TN
Sublett, Mollie W F 8 Dtr S At home TX TX TX
Sublett, Minnie W F 7 Dtr S At home TX TX TX
Sublett, Phillip W M 4 Son S At home TX TX TX
Sublett, F.B. W M 2 Son S At home TX TX TX
Sublett, Easter J W F 72 Mother W At home KY -- --
" , Robert B M 19 Servant S Laborer TX -- --

Henry married Mary Garrett on 15 Jul 1869 in San Augustine County, Texas. Mary (daughter of William Garrett and Mary "Polly" Grimmer Cartwright) was born on 6 Dec 1837 in San Augustine County, Texas; died on 23 Dec 1883. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Along with her cousins, Anna Holman and Victoria Thomas, she "Attended St. Mary's Hall, an elite Episcopalian finishing school founded in 1837 in Burlington, New Jersey, near Philadelphia...(enduring) terrible homesickness and culture shock upon...arrival in November 1854..(Mary) begged her father to 'come for me....We have no fire in our room and...it is so cold we do not know what to do...This is a lonesome place although there is so many girls, but they will not go with us they think that they are too good." (Henson and Parmelee, THE CARTWRIGHTS OF SAN AUGUSTINE, p. 174)

Henson and Parmelee also wrote that in 1862, Mary, "an old maid at twenty-two, also has typhoid, but recovered to help care for her deceased sister's children while their father was in the army." (ibid, p. 220)

Not living with her parents at the time of the 1880 San Augustine County census.

In Book Two of the San Augustine County, Texas Marriage book, there are marriage records listed for a "Mary Garrett" to Joseph Little in 1865, to Henry Sublett in 1869, and to Madison Sexton in 1876.

This Mary Garrett would have been around age 25 in 1865, and could have married Joseph Little. However, they can not be located either the 1870 or 1880 census of San Augustine County. If they did marry, he either died before 1870, and Mary next wed Henry Sublett; or they both moved away from San Augustine County prior to 1870.

The Mary Garrett who married Henry Sublett in 1869 was born sometime between 1835 (ref: 1880 census) and 1842 (ref: 1870 census). She was shown on both census transcriptions as being born in Texas, and that both her parents were born in Tennessee. This appears to be a good match for this Mary Garrett.

As Henry and Mary were still married in 1880, our Mary Garrett Sublett could not have wed Madison Sexton in 1876. Madison Sexton can not be located on either the 1870 or 1880 San Augustine County Texas census transcription.

Notes:

He began clerking and keeping books for his father's store in 1831, and in 1832 they formed a partnership, "Matthew Cartwright & Co." Each contributed $2,000 to the business. The store prospered. (Noble, pages 80 - 81).

In his August 30, 2007 column in the San Augustine Tribune, Harry Noble writes that Matthew was the richest man in San Augustine and the sixth wealthiest in the State of Texas in his era. In 1860, he owned so much land scattered across the state that as he traveled on his big sorrel horse "Red Buck," it was said that no matter where he was, that he could spend the night on his own land.

Noble went on to write that Matthew exhibited maturity at an early age. When he was 14, his father sent him to the unsettled frontier of Texas with one servant to clear land John had acquired two years earlier. John also gave his son power of attorney at age 18 and sent him to Tennessee and Mississippi to settle family affairs.

At the age of 21, Matthew traveled to Wilson County where he enrolled in a local college...late in 1829 Matthew rejoined his father in Texas who was then operating a family farm, cotton gin and store.

Matthew's paid $900 in 1849 for the two-story Isaac Campbell home on Main Street. The New England style home had been built by Augustus Phelps, a master carpenter, in 1839. The palatial dwelling was still standing in San Augustine, and is owned by Matthew's direct descendants, as of 2007. Never a large slaveholder, Matthew's slaves were all employed inside or around the house, taking care of the livestock, firewood, garden and orchard.

The home was purchased by Americus "Meck" H. Cartwright and his wife, Minnie Clementine Sublett in 1898, after Amanda was forced by ill health to move in with her son Lon, and remained in the hands of Meck and Minnie's descendants. (Henson and Parmelee, p. 302).

At the time of the 1850 census Matthew's land alone was worth $165,000, and he had only seven slaves, considerably lower than most other wealthy families. The 1850 slave schedule listed the number of male and female slaves, as well as their ages, but not their names. Matthew Cartwright's bible, however, shows them as Nancy, b. 1810 and her four children, Dick, b. 1836, Emeline b. 1838, Virtue b. 1840 and Walker, b. 1846. It also lists Jane, b. 1830 and her daughter, Harriet, b. 1849.

In 1860, Matthew's occupation was listed as "land trader" and it was estimated that his real estate was worth $500,000 and personal property near $75,000, with 13 slaves. Henson and Parmelee point out by way of contrast that brother-in-law and "planter" William Garrett had a $171,651 estate, including 132 slaves, and that "Farmer-Merchant" Iredell D. Thomas had $166,000 in accumulated wealth, and 52 slaves. (Henson and Parmelee, p. 191).

After the war, the president Andrew Johnson issued an amnesty proclamation restoring citizenship to those who would pledge future loyalty to the United States; however, those holding high military or civil offices in the Confederate government, as well as those with taxable property valued over $20,000, would have to petition him directly for individual pardons. Matthew, the pragmatic businessman, wanted to get his special pardon as soon as possible so that he could resume his activities and protect his property. He took his amnesty oath on August 28, 1865 in the Caddo Parish District Court and received a copy to carry with him in order to conduct business. He later recorded this in the San Augustine District Courty. (ibid, pp. 239-243). Unlike many of their neighbors, the Cartwrights survived the Civil War without the loss or maiming of a son. The emancipation of their few household slaves was not an economic loss comparable to those suffered by neighbor planters who possessed numerous field hands. And by carefully guarding their gold and silver reserves, as well as utilizing his long business experience to carefully buy, sell and barter during the war, the family was able to resume business activities relatively unhampered. (ibid, p. 247).

His funeral notice card read:

The friends and acquantances of
MATTHEW CARTWRIGHT, Sr.
are respectfully invited to attend his funeral tomorrow
morning at 10 o'clock, A.M. He will be buried with Masonic
honors, at this late residence in the town of San Augustine.
SAN AUGUSTINE, TEXAS, April 2, 1870

Amanda chose a burial plot several hundred feet east of the house.

No copy of the obituary that surely ran in the San Augustine paper can be found. The San Antonio Daily Express carried a brief obituary on May 1: "DIED at his home in San Augustine, first day of April, Matthew Cartwright, one of the pioneers of Texas, and one of the largest, if not the largest, land holder in the state." (ibid, p. 275).

When the inventory of his estate was compiled, it was shown that he owned 298 parcels of land in 56 counties, totalling 361,632 acres with a value of $356,304. Amanda inherited one-half as his widow, and the rest was to be divided equally among his six children.

At the time of the 1870 census, Amanda reported owning real estate worth $343,281, and personal property valued at $75,529, which ultimately placed the Cartwright estate as the fourth-largest in Texas, following those of Richard King in South Texas and Galveston Merchants, J. J. Hendley and George Sealy. (ibid, pp. 278-279).



(Research):
Census Listings:

1860 Census
Texas, San Augustine County
61-61
Cartwright, Mathew 52 M Land Trader 500,000 75,000 TN
Cartwright, Mandy 42 F TN
Cartwright, A.P. 20 M TX
Cartwright, Leonidas 17 M TX
Cartwright, Anna 15 F TX
Cartwright, Mary 14 F TX
Cartwright, Mathew, Jr. 4 M TX

Matthew married Amanda "Mandy" Holman on 18 Oct 1836 in San Augustine County, Texas. Amanda (daughter of Col. Isaac Holman and Anne Wigglesworth) was born on 24 Jul 1817 in Shelbyville, Bedford County, Tennessee; died on 26 Jun 1894 in San Augustine County, Texas; was buried in Oakland Memorial Park Cemetery, Terrell, Kaufman County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

In both 1870 and 1880. Amanda Cartwright was living in a household with her son Leonidas "Lon" and his family.

Amanda died in Lon's home at age seventy-seven. The family gathered for her funeral and, as she had wished after almost a quarter century of widowhood, she was buried next to Matthew in the little private graveyard east of her old house. Lon composed suitable facts about her life on a sheet of paper entitled "In Memoriam" for use of the minister. Besides providing her birthdate, parents' names, date of arrival in San Augustine, and marriage dated, and noting the loss of one of her six children, Lon added, "She was one of the Kindest of Mothers and devoted wife, a faithful Christian, charitable to all in need and beloved by all who know her. She had joined the Methodist Church in 1858, and, he added, she had been a faithful and consistent member...Two weeks later, Lon, who once wrote poetry for Ludie, wrote six stanzas praising motherhood. (Henson and Parmelee, p. 305).



(Research):
Census Listings:

1870 Census
Texas, San Augustine County, PO San Augustine
Enumerated 6 July 1870
Page 20
121-121
Cartwright, A 52 F W Keep House 343291 15529 Tenn
Cartwright, M 14 M W At School Tx
Cartwright, A. P. 30 M W Merchant Tx
Cartwright, Ophelia 23 F W Tx
Cartwright, Mathew Jr 7/12 M W Tx
Jones, Tom 20 M B Svt Tx
Burl, Elvira 15 F B Svt Tx
Sexton, Qunn? 10 F B Tx

Notes:

Married:
In "The Cartwrights of San Augustine,' a transcription of a stilted, formal note written by Matthew Cartwright to his future bride reads as follows:

Miss Amanda Holman,

Please allow me to address you for the first time with the most profound respect. I admire your person, your addrss and appearance....I have come to the conclusion that of all other objects met with in this life...you are the one. Therefore I now address you for the purpose of requesting permission to pay my suit on that of which is the most importance to me and I hope not indifferent to you. Please reply as soon as convenient and relieve the suspense of one who is desiorous to unite his fate and happiness in life with yours.
Your obedient servant,
Matthew Cartwright

Amanda soon accepted Matthew's proposal, scheduling the ceremony for Octobe 18, 1836. Some months prior to the wedding she bought seven yards of French muslin and two bonnest at Matthew's store, and later pink silk and gauze ribbon, all suitable for a wedding.

The couple was married nearly thirty-five years before Matthew's death, and Amanda survived him for nearly twenty-five additional years. They were buried side by side in a small family plot near their home in San Augustine. Youngest son Matthew later made arrangements to have his parents reinterred in Terrell, Texas, with a suitable marker, in September 1896. (Henson and Paremelee, p. 308).

Robert married America "Meck" Holman on 27 Jun 1837 in Texas. America (daughter of Col. Isaac Holman and Anne Wigglesworth) was born on 22 Oct 1822 in Tennessee; died on 6 Feb 1892. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Meck had lost her husband in 1849 and have lived with the Barksdales until her remarriage to merchant J. C. Akin. (Henson and Parmelee, p. 176).

Notes:

Married:
Henson and Paremelee also show them as the parents of William H., James B., and Robert T. Lane.

Notes:

On the 1860 San Augustine County census, he was shown as a planter, with $36,751 in real property and $134,910 in personal property. The Garrett's lived next to the family of Frank and Minta Price, who had three children, John, Mary and William (ages 6,4 and 1). The three Price children, presumably orphaned, were actually living with the Garrett family at the time of the 1870 census. William Price, age 20, was still living with the Garrett family in 1880, and is listed as William Garrett's grandson.

On the same census, brother-in-law Matthew Cartwright had real estate at $500,000 and personal property near $75,000, with only 13 slaves. Henson and Parmelee point out by way of contrast that brother-in-law and "planter" William Garrett estate, included 132 slaves, and that "Farmer-Merchant" Iredell D. Thomas had $166,000 in accumulated wealth, and 52 slaves. (Henson and Parmelee, "The Cartwrights of San Augustine," p. 191).

In 1870, he was shown as a retired farmer, with $20,000 in real property and $5,000 in personal property.

The information below is excerpted from a five part series on William Garrett by Harry Noble, Jr appearing weekly in the SAN AUGUSTINE TRIBUNE begining on April 6, 1995 and continuing through May 4, 1995.

"William Garrett, born in 1808 and a native of Davidson county, Tennessee, was still a youngster when his parents, Jacob and Charity (Taylor) Garrett, moved the family to Arkansas. In 1827, at the age of nineteen, Garrett migrated to Texas, first settling in Nacogdoches. He established a small mercantile business there, but operated it only a short time before moving east to the Ayish Bayou District.

Either Garrett encouraged family members to joing him in Texas, or the family had developed a master migration plan, because his father and several brothers soon followed him to the area. Jacob, his father was the first to arrive, but is wasn't long before his older brother Milton came to the new territory. At some point during this relocation process, another older brother, Clairborn, also migrated south to the Ayish Bayou District....

William Garrett acquired a land grant about a mile west of the Ayish on the Old San Antonio Road. He decided that's where he wanted to live and remained there for the rest of his life. He would eventually develop a profitable plantation and build a large house. The old home has survived and is presently the Cornell and Ruby Dorsey home. While still nineteen, Garrett joined Burrell J. Thompson's militia and participated in the Fredonian Rebellion. The final battle of the insurrection occurred a little over a mile east of the Ayish Bayou. However, the culminating ambush and surrender process, where the Fredonian reinforcements were captured by Stephen Prather's small group, took place on the ridge just east of William Garrett's house.

Even though Garrett now lived in the Ayish Bayou area, he still had many friends in Nacogdoches, including Adolphus Sterne, and continued to interact with the town and its people for several years. For instance, it was during this period that he was ordered to repay a debt of six pesos to Jesus de los Coy, a resident of that district. Also, in August of 1832, Charles S. Taylor, another Nacogdoches resident, sent $30 by Mr. G. Pollett for payment on an account he had had with Garrett. Taylor, in an accompanying letter, asked Garrett for a receipt, plus all of the local news. News was a valuable commodity in pioneer days and was gathered at every opportunity and from whatever source available.

Tension had been growing for years in Nacogdoches between the civil authorities and Jose de las Piedras....(culminating) in the Battle of Nachogdoches on August 12, 1832....Garrett and Alexander Horton (later) signed a sworn statement that: "...James B. McMahan served as private in Captain Smith's company....(and that they) were in the same battle and in the same expedition at Nacogdoches."

In 1832, Garrett was selected as one of the committee members to select a site for the town. In the following year he bought a large parcel of land from Obediah Hendrick. Perhaps this was purchased in connection with his approaching marriage to Mary "Polly" Cartwright. Their vows were exchanged on October 20, 1833.

Garrett's first land transaction recorded in San Augustine County deed records was for lot 161, sold to Francis Cabler in December 1837 for $50. In March, 1838, he served on the adultry trial of Simpson Brown and Eliza Dalton. The case was dismissed.

In the late 1830's, an economic depression took hold. Adolphus Sterne wrote in his diary "Grog Shops all Shutt no Cash...times have never been so hard." In financial maneuvers to help survive this crisis, Garrett formed a Cotton warehouse partnership in Sabinetown with his father-in-law, John Cartwright. he also entered into several land ventures with his brother-in-law, Matthew Cartwright. Cotton prices had dropped to the point Garrett and the Cartwrights were willing to store cotton in a warehouse and gamble on the prices going back up in future years.

After his father's death (in 1842), William was appointed administrator of his father's estate, and at the same time made administrator de bonis non of (brother) Clairborn's estate. He submitted the final settlement of his brother's estate in January of 1848 and shortly after that was able to close the books on his father's estate--personally receiving a portion of each property.

He was administrator of the esate of his father-in-law, John Cartwright, and Henry J. Lockridge. He transferred a half interest in a third of a league of land located on the Trinity River in Nacogdoches to William D. Ratliff--another brother-in-law. Two months later, Garrett bought the same half interest at public auction with a high bid of $70.

Garrett was obviously a busy man at this point in his life. Married and with three minor children, not only was he overseeing one of the largest plantations in East Texas and part owner of a cotton warehouse venture, he was also the administrator of at least four estates. Even thought the depression was still hanging on in 1843, Garrett was doing well with his plantation. The tax rolls showed substantial income and the family owned two fine carriages--an unusual luxury at that time.

His wife died in July 1846. Garrett enrolled his minor daughters at the Women's Female College, a department of Wesleyan College. The tuition was $10 per session for each girl. Garrett offset some of his expenses, however, by furnishing firewood during the winter. The total tuition charges for 1847, minus the firewood, came to $48. Garrett boarded the girls at the home of Stephen W. Blount for the year for a total of $115. Additionally, he was paying $10 per semester for music lessons. Obviously, he was dedicated to providing the best education available for his daughters.

Earlier, in March 1847, Clementine Holman, widow of Sanford Holman and daughter of William Garrett's brother-in-law Matthew Cartwright had died (sic), leaving her two small children Anna and William. Within days after the marriage of William and Lucetta, William moved his two daughters back from the home they were boarding in to their plantation home, as well as taking in the two Holman children, again helping out relatives in time of need. Considerable credit should go to Lucetta. Married less than a month, she not only had a new husband but four small children. She and William went on to have seven more children of their own.

Due to his numerous business and estate dealings, Garrett was frequently in court. In 1847, Edmund Gaines, the commanding general of Fort Jessup, fifteen miles east of the Sabine River in Louisiana, filed suit against the estate of Jacob Garrett for which William was administrator. District Judge O.M. Roberts ruled in favor of Garrett. However, the case was later retried and the jury subsequently returned a verdict in favor of General Gaines. In 1848, Emory Huston, son of Almanzon, filed a lawsuit against William as well. The jury found in Garrett's favor. Later, he lost a judgement for $25.25 to Iredell Thomas, but a case filed by William and Mary Seawall was found in his favor. Leon Chabert of New Orleans, representing a commodities trading firm, had been pursuing a delinquent payment claim against Matthew Cartwright for years. He eventually sued Garrett and Samuel Burrus as guarantors for Cartwright. The court ruled in favor of the plantiffs (Burrus and Garrett). Additional lawsuits continued into the late 1850's, with verdicts going both for and against Garrett.

In December 1863, Richard Waterhouse, a San Augustine merchant, was murdered and robbed. A number of citizens assemebled and appointed "a committee of Safety...consisting of more than fifty of our most respectable citizens." William Garrett was a primary spokesman. They investigated the murder and arrested three men, immediately sentencing them to be hanged, not waiting for the next session of the district court. Two of the men, Malvin Huston and William M. Everett, were scheduled to be executed on the morning of February 13, 1864, and the committee "ordered (their) examination by a unanimous vote, and directed that both...men should be tortured, if necessary, to procure a disclosure of the circumstances...Everett refused to make any disclosure, (therefore) he was subjected to torture which was slight and he very soon consented to tell all he knew of the matter..." The interrogation committee consisted of William Garrett, Alexander Horton, and Dr. Isaih J. Roberts. Another small group had similarly interrogated Everett, obtaining a statement almost identical in substance and detail. The surprising testimony pointed to one of the town's leading attorneys, Henry M. Kinsey. As in most murder investigations, there were conflicting "facts" and a wide range of opinions. Huston and Everett were executed on February 15, 1864, less than seven weeks after the murder of Richard Waterhouse. They had "retracted the whole of their statements" prior to their executions. Kinsey denied everything. He was never brought to trial. Shortly after the victim's son returned from the Civil War, Kinsey was gunned down (May 10, 1865) by the "Waterhouse Party."

After the war, during the reconstruction period, things were difficult for Garrett. He salvaged as much as he could and continued on. In March 1874, he sold his steam mill, engine saw, and grist mill to W.S. Rhodes. He continued to buy and sell land. In 1875, he purchased 700 acres from his sister Lurena Curl, Thomas Curl's widow, for $1,000. The land was in Ellis County, and had been part of the Clairborn Garrett headright. He sold "for love and $100" a one-fifth interest in a section of land four miles west of San Augustine to Ella and Lafayette Sharp, his daughter and son-in-law. This transaction occurred in February of 1880."

Garrett died on January 12, 1884 at the age of 76. He was buried just a few yards northeast of his plantation home. That cemetery, known today as the William Garrett Cemetery, has twenty-five graves. Garrett was the father of thirteen children by two marriages. Both wives were buried with him, along with eleven of his children, seven daughters and four sons. Also near him are two daughters-in-law.

(Research):

Census Listings:

1850 Census
Texas, San Augustine, San Augustine District
Enumerated 14 Sept 1850
Stampted 336
77-77
Wm. Garrett 38 M Farmer 14700 Tenn
Lucette Garrett 22 F Texas
Clementine Garrett 14 F Tenn
Mary Garrett 12 F Tenn
William Garrett 2 M Tenn
Anna Holman 10 F Tenn
Wm Holman 8 M Tenn

William married Mary "Polly" Grimmer Cartwright on 20 Oct 1833 in San Augustine County, Texas. Mary (daughter of John Cartwright and Mary E. "Polly" Crutchfield) was born on 1 May 1814 in Lebanon, Wilson County, Tennessee; died on 30 Sep 1846 in San Augustine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Polly became sick in July of 1846, and she died on September 30, after nearly thirteen years of marriage. She left two daughters, and was buried in the family cemetery only a short distance northeast of the Garrett home. (Noble).

Notes:

Married:
Mary's eldest brother, Matthew Cartwright, wrote his uncle about the impending marriage of his sister, Mary "Polly," now nineteen, to 'a Respectable citizen.' (Henson and Parmelee, p. 62)

John Cartwright gave his daughter two slaves as a wedding present, just as his father had done for John's sisters. (ibid, p. 62).