WILLIAM CLINTON GARRETT

12-14-1859 to 12-1-1954
text by Lila Garrett Murphree (daughter)
Taken from History of Dickens County, by Fred Arrington, 1971, pp. 246-249

On a cold December morning, in the year of our Lord, exact date--December 14, 1859--in a small cabin on the White River, near Augusta, Arkansas, in Woodruff County, a small son, who was named William Clinton, was born to Maranda and Jim Garrett. He was the second child of this pioneer family and one of two children that survived. An older brother, James Thomas, was one year older. We will learn more of James Thomas Garrett in another chapter of this book.

When Clint was a year old the Civil War broke out and Mrs. Garrett was left behind with the children while their father served his country. Clint often said that about the clearest memory he had of his father was when he returned from the war--Clint was probably five years old then--his father came walking down the road playing his fiddle.

His father only lived a few months more and then his mother passed away about four months later. Clint and his brother, Jim, were taken into different homes of two of their uncles where Clint remained until he was fourteen. This uncle was Harve Hughes. Clint remembered him as being a very strict, firm old gentleman. Clint was taught to work and earn his living by the sweat of his brow.

Life seemed cruel to Clint and he began to get itchy feet. He remembered another uncle, Bill Garrett, that had moved a few years before, out somewhere around Ft. Worth, Texas. He thought a lot of running away and going to Texas to try to find Uncle Bill and Aunt Mary. One morning he got up early and thought he was slipping away. He went out around the back of the barn, took a small trail, or path, down through the dense forest and swamps of White River. Uncle Harve's horse had gotten out the night before so he had risen early and caught him. Clint heard a noise and looked up and right before his eyes was Uncle Harve on his horse. Clint expected to be reprimanded and told to go home, but instead Uncle Harve asked, "Where are you going?" Clint said, "To Texas," Uncle Harve looked him straight in the eyes and said, "Take this advice: Don't never spit on the floor or cuss before women." From that day on he was out in the world on his own.

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