Santa
Clara County
Biographies
CAPT.
RICHARD M. GARRATT
CAPT. RICHARD M. GARRATT. This veteran of the Civil war and long
resident of California was born in the city of Worcester, England,
March 3, 1839, being a son of Richard and Jennie (Steeple) Garratt, also
natives of England. His father, who was
a talented fresco painter, followed the occupation of a decorator in London for
many years and aided in the decorating of Windsor Castle, as well as the homes
of many of the nobility. During the
latter part of his life he made his home in Herefordshire, where he died at
ninety-three years of age. His wife also
attained a venerable age. Of their three
sons and one daughter the eldest was Richard M., who received the
advantages of a preparatory school, supplemented by attendance at Oxford
University. However, his tastes were
more for active affairs than for text-books and in 1849 he left the college,
took passage for the United States, crossed the ocean, and sojourned for a time
in Chicago and Galena, Ill. When the war
opened it afforded him an opportunity to gratify his tastes for military
affairs. Promptly on the first call for
volunteers he offered his services to the government. Being accepted, he became a member of
Company E., Ninety-sixth Illinois Infantry. In 1862, he was promoted from the ranks to be
first corporal and later was made first sergeant, then in 1863 he was appointed
first lieutenant of the Fourteenth Colored Infantry, and a few months afterward
was promoted to be captain in the Forty-fourth United States Colored
Infantry. Assigned to the Army of the
Cumberland, he took part in the battles of Stone River, Chickamauga, Lookout
Mountain, Mission Ridge, Atlanta and the closely contested conflict at
Nashville. In the retreat from Atlanta
to take up a position at Nashville five hundred members of the Forty-fourth
regiment found themselves surrounded on all sides by the Confederates at
Blockhouse No. 2 on the Nashville & Chattanooga
R. R. A council of war was held to
decide as to the best course to pursue.
The recommendation of the captain was accepted, and each member wrapped
around him a gray blanket, which in the darkness gave the impression of being a
Confederate uniform. In this attire they
marched through the enemy’s lines in safety, without firing a shot or having a
gun aimed at them. At other times and
places he proved himself to be ready, quick and resourceful, and there is no
doubt but that, had he received a general’s commission, he would have honored
the rank as he did that of captain. More
than once he received medals in recognition of faithful and gallant services,
and more than once he was wounded while leading his men in action. Notwithstanding his long and honorable
service and his injuries in battle he receives no pension.
After retiring from the army, in 1866
Captain Garratt came to California via the Nicaragua route. For a time he was employed by the Central
Pacific Railway Company as foreman of construction, and later he went to San
Jose as the first agent of the same road in that city. While acting as agent he had the honor of
billing the first carload of fruit that was shipped out of the Santa Clara
valley, this being a car of Bartlett pears sent to Chicago by L. A. Gould
of Santa Clara. After ten years he was
appointed general freight agent of the northern division of the Southern
Pacific. He resigned this office to take
charge of the Santa Cruz & Felton Railroad and the San Lorenzo
Flume & Transportation Company, afterward merged into the Southern
Pacific Coast Line, of which latter he was general freight and passenger agent
until it was sold to Senator Fair. After
twenty-one years in the railway service he resigned to accept a position as
superintendent of construction of the Agnew State Insane Asylum, which
responsible work occupied five years. At
the expiration of that time he was transferred to Mendocino county
to superintend the construction of the state insane asylum built at that
point. During the height of the Alaska
gold excitement he spent a part of two years in the Klondike. On his return to California, in 1899, he was
appointed superintendent of the streets for the city of San Jose. In 1902 he received an appointment as
superintendent of the almshouse of Santa Clara county, located near Milpitas,
and the following year was appointed to serve for another twelve months. In this responsible position, as in every
relation of life, he has proved himself to be conscientious, able and
trustworthy, well qualified by experience to manage the work in its every
detail. Nature fitted him to lead men,
and, whether in the army or in civic affairs, others have always deferred to
his opinions.
In Sacramento Captain Garratt married
Abbie Ellen Farmer, who died in San Francisco.
She was the mother of three sons and three daughters. He next married Mary
Jeanette Mann, who now presides over his home. Prominent in Masonry, he reached the
thirty-second degree in 1877, and is connected with the Shrine in San
Francisco. During all of his residence
in America he has been a pronounced Republican, supporting the men and measures
to which his party is pledged. The Grand
Army of the Republic has always received his co-operation and adherence, and
while at Sacramento he served as commander of Sumner Post. With his cultured wife and family he holds a
high place in the social affairs of his county and is welcomed into the most
select circles in the community where he makes his home.
Transcribed by Donna Toole.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 543-544. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Donna Toole.