History of Lee County, Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

82 HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
business pursuits in this vicinity, managing liis farm ably and suc-
cessfully until liis deatli, wliicli occurred November 26, 1874.
On the 1st of October, 1860, Mr. Garrett was united in mar-
riage to Miss Louise C. Hatch, who was born near Sublette, in
Lee county, a daughter of Sherman L. and Lucy (Brown) Hatch,
natives of Vermont and pioneers in Illinois. They came to Buf-
falo by stage in 1837 and thence by way of the Great Lakes to Chi-
cago, where they obtained wagons in which they conveyed their
household goods to Lee county. Sherman L. Hatch took up a
homestead claim in this locality and for many years thereafter
was connected with farming interests here. He was one of the
early settlers in this part of the state and his first home had a dirt
floor in the general living room, and a floor in the chamber made
of sjilit rails covered with cornstalks. His door was at first a
blanket nailed up to keep out the chill night aii' and all of the
tables and chairs in the house were home-made. The crude log
cabin was subsequently destroyed by fire and in 1816 Mr. Hatch
built a sixteen by twenty frame house which he replaced in 1852
by a brick residence. For a number of years lie courageously
faced the hardships and piivations of pioneer existence, becoming
in the course of time one of the prominent fai'mers and highly
esteemed citizens of Lee comity. His deatli occuri'ed at the home
of his daughter, Mrs. James Garrett, in Ashton, February 7, 1903.
He and his wife became the parents of four children :
Mrs. Har-
riet L. Gardner, of Sublette, Illinois; Mrs. Garrett, widow of the
subject of this review; Mrs. Julia A. Latta, deceased, and Charles
L., who lives on the old homestead. Mr. and Mrs. Garrett became
the parents of four children. The eldest. James H., was graduated
from the Illinois State University in 1886. He married Miss
Fliza Jennings Scott and they became the parents of two children,
the elder being a daughter, who was also graduated from the State
University, receiving her degree June 9. 1913. Mr. and Mrs. Gar-
rett's second son. Frank S., has passed away. William B., a resi-
dent of Wyoming, married Miss L. Perkins, of St. Louis, Missouri.
George B., who completes the family, -was born May 2, 3875. and
now makes his home with his mother. He married Miss Bertha
B. Wingert, a native of I^ee county, Illinois, and a daughter of
J. W. and Hannah (Hittle) Wingert, the former of whom died
June 8, 3913, and the latter August 23, 1911. George B. Garrett
is at present engaged in the fire insurance business in Ashton.
James Garrett passed away November 26. 1874, and was laid
to rest in the Ashton cemetery. He had become very widely