New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-01-28
THOMAS GARRETT.
From the Wilmington DELI Commercial. j.

From the Wilmington DELI Commercial Jan. rs
He was born of Quaker parents, in Upper
ar% s GGu IN ~ Of
father though farmer had boon soythe ana edge
bis knowledge of aferward proved Of the utmost ad
S sFsx anS they o
ve bringing with them several children most OF when
Some years after his arrival here his wife died and in
course Of time he again arred ms @ beoTsS
Bis business career was one Of vicssitudes but gen
Of the comfortabs which he died po.sessed
after he was 90 years of age While In the pegnhng
wealthy rival house attempted to crush him by reducing
q SS 9ss % 70 s
on bis leather apron, took to his anvil and In the prose-
cutOn Of his trade as All edgetool maker PREPARED %
suppOrt himself as long this ruinous rivalry was Kept
up Thus in the sweat of the brow Of one of the heroes
and phianthrophss Of this age was laid the
of one of the extensive business houses that our
city now boasts His competitor that no amount OF
rivalry could crush man thus selfsuppornng ana gave
OF course Thomas Garrett best known for his abors
10 behalf Of the abolition OF ane onS beor" the
nation commenced the work of liberation and Justice
Born Quaker, he held with simple trust the fath OF
the society that God moves and inspires to do work
he requires at their hands, and throughout ms NE ns
called him to work IN the cause to which he devoted
himself His attention first directed to the inguly
ta oe dny to s oas OF
sence and found the family dsmayed and indignant at
Tho%a. lately resolved follow Ednappers.
track made by their wagon enabled him to trace them
with ease and followed them by devious course from
and then BY inquiries &C. tracked them to Kensingon.
where he found them and, we believe, secured the
During this ride he afterwards assured his friends he
felt the nquity and abomnation OF the whole system OF
ANAL him. and he seemed to feel Voice within him az
surfing him that his work In life must be to help and de-
From this time forward he never failed to assist any
fugitive from Slavery on the way TO freedom and, OF
greatly increased and in the course OF time
his house became known as one OF the refugees for ig
tiyes The sentiment OF this community was at that
time bitterly any word effort against Slavery
aud Mr. Garrett had but half dozen friends who stood
positive aversion and bis house was constantly under
always on the watch for any fugitive from bondage.
Thomas was not disheartened dsmayed by the Lack
OF popular sympathy approval. He believed the Lord
was on his side, and cared nothing for the adverse
MANY and interesting stories are told Of the and
women he helped away Of them full OF pathos, and
some decidedly amusing He told the latter, which re-
s 5 s po w %ud in Lis
aes years. rs''S could many Of them
lice WAS the only thing however which forced him
any secrecy in his operations and in all other re-
promise In his opposition Slavery. He was a man
Of unusual personal bravery and Of powerful physique
ing intimidation by which the proslavery men OF that
ay Sown %ba Sr % and rate
Shareholders often called on him TO learn the wherea-
MED having helped the fugtives their positively
refused to give them any information and when they
mands, he calmly pushed the weapons aside and told
them that but towards resored to such means to
carry their ends.
He continued hs abors TINS for helping all who
came TO him. and making no eo1cealment OF lis reaai
Others first TO admire and then TO assist him. ana the
| nlarO and included in It's number
all ranks and differing creeds. and singular as may
seem, numbering some ardent Democrats in its
ranks He has in with the present writer
Others frequently acknowledged the valuable ser
vices OF two Roman Catholics, OF Irish BIRTH st living
In this city, who faithful to him. and will now
be among those who most earnestly mourn his decease
His efforts of brought him much persecution and
ANNOYANCE but never eliminated in anything really ser
Gus, until about the year 1876 or Al. -
children from the eastern shore Maryland. The
was free, the had been slave. and, while in
then set free and afterward had four children. The
whole party away They Travelled several days, and
were taken in, fed and cared for by John HUM, a
wealthy Quaker there. They were watched, however,
rested them and sent them to Newt Castle to jail The
Sheriff and his daughter were antisIavery people and
an interview found from their statement that four OF
party were undoubtedly free and returned saS %ss s
went and had the party taken before Judge Booth
on writ OF haSeas cops 10 hold them that in the
absence evidence tho presumption pas Always ~ jaeor
o freedom, and discharged tneI
Sir. Garrett then SAID "Here is this woman with
babe ut her breast child suffering from white swell
casr ia and belppg them over to Wilmington u Judge
Booth responded, Certainly not"
driver distinctly to understand that only paid the
woman and the young children the rest might walk,
They all got in however and finally escaped OF course
the two children born in slavery among the rest
Six weeks afterward the Shareholders followed thsan,
Bayard, commenced suit against Mr. Garrett claiming
all the Iugtiyes slaves Mr. CARROTS friends claim
This trial came on before ChiefJustce fancy and Judge
Hall In the May Qsis) of the u s. Court sitting at
New Castle iiyard representing the prosecutors, and
Wales the defendant. There four trials IN ALL last
ing days We have not room here for the details OF
than the plaintiff claimed, and the Judgments swept
aT1 sveIs aGr we're Concluded Mr. Garrett arose. the
Court being adjourned, made speech OF an our 10 he
large crowd III the COURTROOM In the course OF wch no
declared his intention 10 redOuble his eXertoDs help
him God. His bold assertion was greeted Win hhgeu
cheers and Misses and me OF s sp.eSs
the benches, grasped his hand and begged his for-
Mr. Garrett kept his pledge and redoubled his exer
tons The trial advertised him. and such was the dc
mand on him for shelter that no was compelled TO put
another story on his buildings His friends helped
him to again lii business, and commencing anew III
his Goth year with nothing. he again amassed hand
some nee generously contributing all the while
To every work in behalf of the downtrodden BLACKS OF
his suffering fellow men OF any color.
In time the came, and rs he remarked the nation
went into the business by tho wholesale SO ne qu ms
retail operations, having, after he commenced TO keep
record helped of 2O0 slaves ana no incohsidera
BILE number before that time.
In time too he came be honored instead OF exeerat
ed for his noble Efforts Wilmington became an abolition
CITY and for once ut least, prophet was not without
honor in his own city. Mr. Garrett continued Ills inter-
est i'm every reform up to his last illness.
He lived to see the realization Of his hopes for unver-
sal freedom and In April last, ON the occasion OF the
great parade OF the coorcd people in this city, he Was
carried through streets III an open barOuche, sun
rounded by the IN whose behalf he had hbored so
faithfully and the guards around his carriage carrying
banners with the Inscription, "Our Moses"
He was beloved almost TO alteration by his dusky.hueu
friends, In the dark days OF the beginning OF the
war which every WilmingtOnian viii remember with
shudder In those days OF doubt, CONFUSION, ana sus