Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1920-05-08
THOMAS v. GARLoCK.

Among the early settlers i'm the
famous Mohawk and GeAesee valleys.
of New York, are to be found, closely
associated with the history of these
communities the family name of
Garlock. In the Genesee valley lived
the family of Peter and Maria Gar
lock, consisting of the father, mother
and eight children. One of these
boys, Thomas Van Der yort Garlock
born April Is, 1862, at Newark, y. y.
was destined to establish the name i'm
a community of the Great West main
| tanning family tradition. In 1884
drawn no doubt, by the appeal of a
new country and the report of the
gold discovery in the Hills, the young
man came to Custer and since that
time no history of this community is
at all complete without the inter
woven activities of Il. V. Garlock.
He had already shown q fertile mind
in Business relation with a cousin in
Newark where he had perfected a
packing for the steam engine, and
although he came West too early to
reap the benefit of the discovery, the
cousin found it a profitable business
and the "Garlock Packing" is now a
staple article in the East.
Upon coming to Custer the young
man entered the store Of his cousin,
A. T. Van Der Wort, where he work
ed until some years later he bought
out the interest and launched into
business for himself, several years
later erecting the fine brick building
on Main Street which bears his name
To name the enterprises in Custer for
the past % years is like naming his
plans. He planned and put into oper-
alton the first lighting system which
was an Acetylene plant, which fur
nished light for some time for the
town, then later he took the lead in
forming the present Electric Light &
Power Company, in which he has al
ways been represented as q stockhol-
der and director. 1t is notable that
at the time Of his illness he had just
completed plan by which a large saw
mill to include a lath and box factory
which was to be in connection with
the Power company and was TO give
Custer n hour service as well as a
big industry. He led the movement
to place in Custer the present system
Of water works and was better ac-
quainted with the plan than any one
else from the large part in the actual
details of the work
In 1903 he entered a partnership
with Mr.. S. f. Ainslie in the saw mill
business, and for years the firm fur
nished lumber, railroad ties and stocks
of lumber taking the output of from
one to three mills. This partnership
continued until two years ago. Mr.
Garlock was also associated with Mr.
Ainslie in the Automobile business
during the past few years During
these years he was connected more or
less with the government of the town
serving on Committees, Town Council
and School Board, being a valued
member of the Board of Education at
his death.
On November "a, 1887, he was unit
ed in marriage with Miss Teresa
Walsh, of Custer, whose parents were
pioneers in Custer. To this union
was born five children as follows;
Frank W., Custer, S. D.: Mrs. Ellen
NJ. Kurka, Philip, S. d.. Mrs. Mary
Teresa Gushurst, Rapid City, S. D.;
Miss Lucille E. and Mrs. Alice l..
Hayes, both of Custer, S. ID.
1t was known for some time that
Mr.. Garlock was rot well but no one
was prepared for the depressing news
that he had been taken to the Hos
pital at Hot Springs for examination,
and later the tragic news that he was
in a serious condition. After an ex-
hausting examination and consulta-
tion was made an operation was per
formed and the liver found to be in a
bad condition with multiple ulcers"
and an infected gall bladder. After
the operation the patient rallied and
great hopes were entertained that he
would be able to recover, but it was
to be otherwise and he began to fail