In Remembrance of
Clint and Malinda Garrett
On a cold December morning in the year of our Lord, December 14, 1859, in a small cabin on the White River, near Augusta, Ark in Woodruff County a small son, William Clinton Garrett, was born to Maranda and Jim Garrett. This was the second child of this pioneer family and was one of two of the children that survived. An older brother, James Thomas, was one year older.
When Clint was a year old, the Civil War broke out and his Mother was left behind with the children, while his Father served his country. Clint often said about the plainest memory he had of his Father was when he returned from the War. Clint was probably five years then. His father came walking down the road playing his fiddle. His father only lived a few months and his Mother passed away about four months later. Clint and his brother Jim were taken into different homes of their Uncles where Clint remained until he was fourteen. This Uncle was named Harve Hughes. Clint was taught to work and earn his living by the sweat of his brow.
Life seemed cruel to Clint and he began to get itchy feet. He remembered am Uncle Bill Garrett, that had moved a few years before out some where around Fort Worth, Texas. He thought a lot of running away and going to Texas to try to find Uncle Bill and Aunt Mary. He got up early one morning and thought he was slipping away. He went out around the back of the barn, took a small trail down through the dense forest and swamps of White River. Uncle Harve´s horse had gotten out the night before, so he had gotten up early and caught him. Clint heard a noise and looked up and there was Uncle Harve on his horse right before his eyes. Clint expected to be reprimanded and told to go home. Instead, Uncle Harve asked, "Where are you going?" Clint said, "To Texas." Uncle Harve looked him straight in the eyes and said, "Take this advice, Don´t never spit on the floor or cuss before women." From that day on he was out in the world on his own.
Clint remembered a cousin Ben Garrett, who lived about a days walking from there. He reached Ben´s about sundown. Next morning he learned from Ben, who had recently married, that he and his bride planned to leave by covered wagon for Fort Worth, Texas in a few days. He told Clint and Ben´s younger brother, Lewis, that they could join them providing they could earn their way on the trip. They started out early one October morning and was about two months on the trip. They would drive until they got tired, make camp, put out their traps and fishing lines if near a river or hole. They trapped skunks, badgers, coyotes and any kind of varmit and sold their hides and pelts to get money to keep going. The hides usually brought from ten to 30 cents a piece. Besides the fish, they killed wild game such as deer, antelope, wild turkey, rabbit and squirrel for food.
They arrived in Fort Worth about the first of December. After inquiring around, Clint and Lewis left Ben and Betty and started out on foot to find Uncle Bill and Aunt Mary. They stopped and inquired of everybody they met. People were accommodating. Dugouts were scattered over the country, and most of the time the people took them in and let them roll their pallet out in front of the fireplace. Everybody had a fireplace or wood stove then. So before Clint and Lewis left next morning they could cut up enough wood for several days to pay for their keep.
They started West from Fort Worth. Soon they begin to find people who knew Uncle Bill or his brother Uncle Leve. Every place they stopped he was a little further on. Clint and Lewis trudged on and on, they walked the soles off their shoes. Finally the day before Christmas Eve, it was almost dark, they came to a place. The first thing they saw was hogs heads, livers and hearts strung around on the picket fence at the corral. They knew at once it had been hog-killing day and said, "Man, are we hungry." The man said he knew Uncle Bill, but on looking the boys over he told them he thought they should come in, since Uncle Bill lived a few miles away. Mrs. Dacus fixed them a good supper of fresh pork and sour dough biscuits. That was a meal they never forgot.
When they reached Uncle Bill´s place next morning he was out cutting wood. When he looked up and saw the boys he yelled, "Mary, Mary come here quick, here´s Clint." Aunt Mary was in the kitchen baking pumpkin and mince-meat pies for Christmas dinner with her apron on. She came running and gathered Clint into her arms. This was a welcome that Clint treasured the rest of his life. He had a home now. In a few weeks Lewis returned to his parents home, and for the next few years we lose Clint, but knew he was around Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto, and Gordon.
Clint met his first and only love in Palo Pinto county, Texas. He married Malinda Jones on Christmas Eve December 24, 1885 at Palo Pinto. They lived awhile at Gorman. Then in July 1886, Clint and his bride of a few months left in a covered wagon for West Texas. After several weeks on the road they arrived in Dickens County and settled in the Red Mud Community. Some of their neighbors will be remembered as the R.M. Parrish Family, the A.K. Mannings, Grandma Thomas, Jim Johnsons, E. Luces, John and Zona Luce, Bargers, and Gilberts and others. Clint was a well respected citizen and truly a good neighbor and friend. He helped bury the first person in the Red Mud Cemetery. in about 1897. On one of his trips to the railroad, he brought lumber to line their dugout as he had promised his wife. Soon after he got the ceiling and walls up, one of the neighbor women passed away. Clint took down boards from the walls to build her casket. Two of her daughters visited the cemetery in about 1954 and inquired of Mr. Garrett. Finally they located his youngest daughter, Mrs. Mamie Martin, who lived near. They told her they well remembered this kind deed. At that time they placed a stone at the grave.
Mr. and Mrs. Garrett lived in this community about seven years. Three children were born during this time: Edna, Annie, and Jim. Then they heard of opportunities in Oklahoma. With his family and that of the R.M. Parrish family, they moved to Green County, Oklahoma near Manguin. Mrs. Garrett became ill, and it was her wish to return to Dickens County to live her remaining days. They returned and settled this time about three miles North of the cemetery. Mrs. Garrett passed away March 14, 1900, and is resting in the Red Mud Cemetery. Clint Garrett and his children continued to live on in the Red Mud Community. He was a farmer and kept a few cows. His favorite horse was a big beautiful red sorrel named "Old Bird."
His large fruit orchard will be remembered by old timers for the many tub-fulls of Alberta peaches he gave away; he also raised sweet potatoes on his sandy land farm as a hobby. He delighted in seeing his friends drive off with a tub or a box of peaches or a sack of Spanish peanuts to enjoy.
In those days peddlers or book salesmen were numerous and they always found Clint´ house for over-nigh lodging.
Added to the list of early settlers on his return to Dickens county were: the Jim Airhearts, Lockets, Crosses, Fuquas, Perkins, McClains, Danforths, Turners, Will Martins, Gardens, Petersons, Harrises, Greers, Preslars, Hinson, Sparks, and six or seven families of Smiths (Tandy, Bob, Lava, Willis, Jeffie were a few) Brantners and many others. Dickens County was filling up. During the next nine years after Mrs. Garrett passed away, Clint operated a freight line for the Spur Ranch and the Espuela Store which was then run by Scotch Bill Elliott. Clint operated to the nearest railroad-Colorado City and Rotan. He also freighted for E. Luce and Son, who operated and owned the Old Tap Store nearby.
Mrs. Garrett was civic minded and was active in community affairs. He served on the schoolboard and was instrumental in helping build several rural schools in Dickens County. He was part owner and operator of a neighborhood gin. He was appointed by the Federal Land Bank to help appraise Dickens County land in the early twenties.
He was a member of the Farmer´s Union, the Red Mud Cemetery Assocation, which is still active. His fraternities were: the Odd-Fellow Lodge, the W.O.W. which is the Woodmen of the World, and he was an elder and layman in the Church of Christ for many ears. Since doctors were scarce, he was often called to set broken bones and pull stubborn teeth in the community.
His eldest daughter Edna married Lee Johnson. Edna passed away in young womanhood and is buried near Carlsbad, NM. They had two daughters - Maudie and Rachel. Maudie is now Mrs. N. Betenbough of Cannon City, Colorado. Rachel is married to Lee Jones and lives in National City, California. Edna and Lee took and orphaned nephew to raise. He is Lee Wright. He and his wife Effie live in San Diego, California.
Annie, the second child, married Walter Stephenson and lived for a few years in Ark. Then they moved their family to Dickens County, and lived a few years in the area west of Spur on a farm. Later moving to McAdoo where their farm is still operated by their son, Nath. Their children include: Edna (Mrs. M.J. McCoy of Lubbock) Annie Grace (Mrs. Carmie Fendley of Port Lavaca, Texas) Nathan of McAdoo, John of Ontario, CA, Jim of Paducah, TX, Lucille (Mrs. Kermit Stanley of Paducah) Charlie of Lubbock, TX and Robena (Mrs. Barney L. Watts also of Lubbock. Walter and Annie are buried in the McAdoo Cemetery.
Mamie the youngest child has lived all but two years of her life in Dickens County and more than 50 years in the same home. She is Mrs. Forrest Martin of the Highway Community. Mamie and Forrest celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at Spur in 1953. Their children are: Robbie (Mrs. Jim Wyatt of Girard), Harry of Spur, Syble (Mrs. Cecil Estep of Doublin), Forrest Jr. of Littlefied.
Clint lived an active life until he reached the age of ninety three. He sold his Dickens County farm at about the age of eighty and semi-retired. He lived in his own home near his son Jim at Floydada. He was always busy doing odd jobs around the place until his health failed in 1953.
Uncle Clint as he was affectionately called in later years passed away December 1, 1954, and was laid to rest beside his wife Malinda in the Red-Mud Cemetery just one mile from where they started housekeeping in 1886.
If he had lived thirteen more days he would have reached the age of ninety-five.
Red Mud Cemetery
Woodman of the World Ribbon Submitted by Harry Bob Martin (great grandson of William Clinton Garrett)
William Clifton Garrett, resident of Dickens County for about 60 years and a resident of Floydada for the past ten years, died in the home of his son in Floydada, Dec. 1, 1954.
He was born Dec. 14, 1859 and married Melinda Jones in 1884. He was converted to the Christian religion sixty years ago.
The funeral services were held at the Church of Christ in Spur with C. V. Allen, officiating. He was assisted by Gordon L. Wowning of Floydada.
Pallbearers were Harry Martin, Forrest Martin, Jr. Nathan Stephenson, John Stephenson, Kermit Stanley, and Jim Stephenson.
He is survived by two sons, J. C. of Floydada and Walter of Aztec, NM and 3 daughters, Mrs. Annie Stephenson, McAdoo, Mrs. Lila Murphy, Walsenberg, CO and Mrs. M. Martin, of Spur, 25 grandchildren, 67 great grandchildren, and 15 great great grandchildren.
Chandler Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
