Garrett borough, four miles west of Meyersdale, was laid out in 1869, by John Jacob Schell, Isaac Hugus, John D. Roddy and George D. Wolf, on land that was at one time owned by Peter P. H. Walker. This was before the completion of the railroad. The town did not build up very rapidly for some years, but presently became the southern terminus of the Berlin branch, and also the shipping point for the product of several steam sawmills. Several coal mines were also opened in its immediate vicinity, since which time the town has had a more rapid growth. A considerable part of the population are miners. They mostly own their own homes.
The first home in the town was built by Moses Burkholder. The first store was opened by Franklin Enos and E. P. Younkin. The first hotel was kept by Joseph Ringer, in 1869. Dr. Price was the first physician, locating there in 1881. Dr. Richard T. Pollard located here a few years later, and is still in practice. The first industries were a planing mill built by William B. Shaffer, in 1870, and a large steam sawmill that was put in operation in or near the town by Samuel Fox about the same time. These have long since been discontinued. There is, however, at the present time a good planing mill, operated by William Christner.
Esquire Samuel J. McKenzie, a well known citizen, was killed in 1892 while walking on the railroad track. Florian Husband was also killed, under similar circumstances, on August 30, 1903. Mr. Husband was a great-grandson of Harmon Husband, the pioneer of the Somerset settlement, and the last surviving male member of the family who continued to reside in Somerset county.
The only serious visitation by fire occurred in 1893, when a good hotel property and one or two other buildings were destroyed. During the night of April 29, 1904, the house of Jeremiah Meyers, who lived just outside of the borough, was burned. Mr. Meyers and a boarder named Sullivan were the only persons who escaped from the burning building. His wife, Mrs. Rosa Meyers, three daughters and two grandchildren perished in the flames. At the time it was charged that the house was set on fire from the outside, but this has never been definitely settled. At the same time Garrett was the storm center of a bitter and prolonged strike on the part of the employees of the Somerset Coal Company, during the progress of which there was much violence, lawlessness and even bloodshed.
Garrett is looked upon as being one of the prosperous towns of the county. At the present time it has three hotels and nineteen stores. The First National Bank of Garrett went into business in 1903, with a capital of $25,000. William A. Merrill is president, and H. B. Philson is cashier. Garrett was incorporated as a borough in 1900. Franklin Enos was the first burgess, his successors were L. A. Maust and A. J. McKinzie.
(History of Bedford & Somerset Counties, PA; 1906)
GARRETT 2
Garrett is a village of about three hundred inhabitants, situated at the junction of the Pittsburgh division and the Berlin branch of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. It has been built since the opening of the railroads, and is an important shipping point. The present industries of the place are three stores, one boardinghouse, one shoemaker’s shop, two blacksmith shops, and one sawmill, owned by Herman Christner. Garrett is surrounded by coal mines, which as yet are not extensively worked.
F.E. Meyersis a native of Berlin, and was educated in the schools of Berlin and Meyersdale. In 1871 he began teaching, and taught in the schools of the county for ten years. In 1882 he began the study of telegraphy and is at present agent and operator at the Garrett station.
(History of Bedford, Somerset & Fulton Counties, PA; 1884)
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