JARRETT, Wm. B. (1840-1928)

JARRETT

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/6/2020 at 20:35:32

William Bennett Jarrett
(May 10, 1840 - December 23, 1928)

Ida County Pioneer, Ida Grove, Iowa, Wed., Feb 4, 1925, p.1&5
Whole County Becoming Interested in Our Octogenarians

William Bennett Jarrett, a resident of Ida Grove at the corner of Fifth & Taylor streets was born in Hartford County, Maryland, May 10,1840 and will be 85 years old this coming spring. For over 72 years he resided on the same farm on which he was born, located 20 miles from Baltimore and about the same distance from Chesapeake Bay. This farm was in the possession of his family nearly 190 years and at one time comprised nearly 500 acres, divided into three parcels which bore the illuminating names of Steward’s Desire, Isham’s Garden and The Bill. The last piece of this property passed out the hands of the family 13 years ago, when Mr. Jarrett sold it and moved west.
Mr. Jarrett, among his records has a wonderful old parchment, dated 1831 in which the properties are confirmed by a patent granted by the land office of eastern Maryland to Sarah H. England, the mother of Mr. Jarrett. This document also mentions that the tract known as Isham’s Garden had passed into the family on July 10,1724, through one James Isham.
The Jarrett family own a number of other very valuable family heirlooms, which are sometimes shown to favored friends in Ida Grove. One of the most highly prized is a beautiful bedspread made in 1819 by Sarah H. England, at age 19. This has a six inch tied fringe and the center design is a large basket of flowers, very finely worked out and the ends secured in wonderful fashion. The family has a Windsor chair in cherry, which came from the Jarrett side of the family and a rocker that came from the England family. Both are over 200 years old. Other relics are a small stand in mahogany, a pair of solid brass candlesticks, a mahogany table with inlaid top and bookcase. All of these are very old and descended from Colonial times, and are still in most excellent state of preservation. Mr. Jarrett also has a huge old wooden and brass flintlock pistol, dating from Revolutionary times and a big silver handled saber. These were carried by Mr. Jarrett’s grandfather, Bennett Jarrett in the war of Independence and also in the war of 1812, when he dashed home one day in 1813 and seized them and carried them to Havre de Grace, where it was thought the invading British would land of their march to Washington, instead they traveled by water, took, Washington and burned it. Mr. Jarrett also owns a quaint powder horn, hand carved and carried a century ago by an uncle of Mr. Jarrett’s. The latter, as a boy, sometimes proudly carried it when he was permitted to go squirrel hunting on the ten acre hickory nut grove on the farm. The old horn is now yellow with age but the quaint scene carved on its surfaces are very interesting.
Mr. Jarrett’s mother, Sarah England, was a Quaker, his father, Devereaux Jarrett, a Baptist. They are buried separately in Maryland in graveyards that adjoin the meeting houses of their different faiths. Mr. Jarrett was twice married, his union to Martha Price Conard taking place in Baltimore on February 2,1888. He has one daughter, Mrs. Honor Conard, and one step-daughter, Mrs. Frank Day, three grandchildren and all three step-grandchildren. He accompanied the late Will Conard to Ida Grove from St. Joe, Mo, eight years ago. Mr. Jarrett is a man of rather delicate appearance and had a very serious illness last year from which he apparently recovered. He mows his lawn and makes garden in season and keeps busy and happy.