Compiled by Martha G. Fackrell, a granddaughter, from notes given by
Maude William Holder, and from excerpts from the Book of Remembrance
of George N. Finch, a grandson of G.R. Garbett
A sketch of the life of George Robert Sandlands Garbett, christened, according to the parish records of Dawley, Shropshire, England, as George Robert Garbett.
George Robert Garbett was born in Dawley, Shropshire, England, May 3, 1823. He was the son of William Garbett and Elizabeth Sandlands. George Robert was 5 feet 10 to 11 inches tall, and his hair was light, his eyes a dark blue, and his shoulders were broad. He was a fine looking man. He had a kind disposition but was stern and he never had a son that disobeyed him although he would never strike them. He was kind to the poor and the widows and was always generous to those in need. He was not poor and neither was he rich and his position in the communities in which they lived in was respectable.
In England, he was an overseer or foreman in the coal mines and later working in the same capacity in the iron mines. The men under him thought well of him and when he retired from his job, they gave him some nice gifts. The kindness he showed toward people, the desire to help others, and his firmness in doing right impressed those who knew him and made it possible to get close to them. They would come to his door and ask him for things and he would never turn them down, but would ask them in and give them what he could. He and his family never wanted and always had something to give others. Two things he could not tolerate and that was a liar and a drunkard. Reading was one of his favorite pastimes and he was especially interested in politics and was able to grasp the deeper things of life. When in England he was a liberal. After he came to the United States he was a Republican. It is said that he was always successful in the things he undertook to do, and a man of foresight. He had many friends and always kept them. He had a temper and could really get angry when he was aroused. His wife, Mary Ann, would always keep quiet until he cooled down when he was angry.
When George Robert Garbett was a young man in his early twenties, he visited an art gallery known as ?e?rt Gallery??nd there he saw a beautiful girl and he fell in love with her sweet smile and beautiful brown eyes. It was love at first sight, so he kept going back to the art gallery until he made her acquaintance. They were both twenty-three years old when they were married, and were sweethearts all through life and grandmother?weetness never changed according to her granddaughter, Maude Williams Holder. Maude lived with her grandparents after her father died for several years and helped grandmother with her housework. She loved them and remembers them well.
When in England, he moved his family to different localities more than was the usual thing of that time. They moved from Dawley, Shropshire to Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, to West Bromwick, Staffordshire, to Spenneymore, Durham, to Hartlepool, Durham, and to Workington , Cumberland, here they found a small branch of the church.
George Robert and Mary Ann Garbett had eleven children; all were born in England. Their names were: Robert Michael, Elizabeth, William, George, Ellen, Mary Ann, Frances, James, Samuel, Maria, and John.
The second daughter, Ellen (who was living with her mother?ister, Mrs. Thomas Groom) was the first member of the family to come to America. A year later in June 1872, two sons, Robert and William, gave the daughter, Mary Ann, enough money to come to Utah. Then their son, Robert, came in 1873. Samuel came in about 1877, and in the summer of 1878 their younger son, John, emigrated to Utah. He came at the age of twelve years under the guardianship of Joseph William Taylor. This left the parents alone in England until the children in America saved enough money to pay for their passage over to America.
When George Robert and Mary Ann arrived in Salt Lake City, it was a happy reunion as they hadn?een some of their sons and daughters for ten years. On arrival, they were befriended by Bishop Jenkins, who provided work for Mr. Garbett until such a time as he could establish himself in Salt Lake City. Later he bought some land and built a six-room home on it. He had some cows and sold milk from which he was largely able to maintain himself and family until he died. He loved cows and always kept Jersey cows. He used to scrub the cows to keep them clean and would give the milk he didn?ell to poor people and children that needed it.
One day when he was going out to care for his cows, he found a neighbor woman in his barn. She had a large spoonful of cow manure she was throwing around as she turned in circles and she was supposedly putting a curse on someone (this was an old superstition she had brought over from Wales). Grandfather chased her home in a flurry of anger and in no gentle terms told her what he would do if he ever caught her putting curses on anyone in his cow barn. This woman lived next door and was a wicked, vile person and would profane to a great extent. However, she used to do my grandmother?ashing and ironing, but grandmother never neighbored wit her, but was always kind to her. Grandfather always went over to get the laundry.
Grandfather loved flowers and he used to have a beautiful old-fashioned flower garden, with a nice variety of old-fashioned chrysanthemums. He also planted a variety of fruit trees that he cared for. These things, his cows, and his milk business kept him very busy. He was very independent and always able to make a living and had security to the end of his life.
He was blessed with many grandchildren that he loved. He always carried peppermints in his pockets to give them when he saw them.
The reason grandfather didn?oin the church until just before leaving England was because he was afraid of losing his job. The missionaries of the church were welcomed in his home and often stayed there when they were in England. Often he would furnish them with shoes and clothing when they were in need. He was good to them and they would call him ?andpa??hen he joined the church, he threw his old pipe away and never smoked again. He was always bitter against liquor.
He would keep up on current events; was a good conversationalist and could talk with any intelligent person and was good to his wife and family.
He passed away on the 1st (or 2nd) day of April 1899, at his home on West 5th North, Salt Lake City, Utah. They had a large funeral in the 22nd Ward. The speakers were Royal B. Young, Seymour B. Young, and Bishop Solomon, and the singers were Lizzy Thomas Edwards and Nellie Foulger. Burial was in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.