him to
his grave, they having solicited of him that honor.

He was born of Quaker parents, in Upper Darby, Delaware county,
Pa., on the 21st of August, 1789, on a farm still in the
possession of the family. His father, though a farmer, had been
a scythe and edge-tool maker, and Thomas learned of him the
trade, and his knowledge of it afterwards proved of the utmost
advantage to him.

He grew up and married at Darby, his wife being Sarah Sharpless,
and in 1820 they came to Wilmington to live, bringing with them
several children, most of whom still live here.

Some years after his arrival here, his wife died, and in course
of time, he again married, his second wife being Rachel
Mendenhall, who died in April, 1868, beloved and regretted by
all who knew her.

His business career was one of vicissitude, but generally and
ultimately successful, for he made the whole of the comfortable
competence of which he died possessed, after he was sixty years
of age. While in the beginning of his business career, as an
iron merchant in this city, a wealthy rival house attempted to
crush him, by reducing prices of iron to cost, but Mr. Garrett,
nothing dismayed, employed another person to attend his store,
put on his leather apron, took to his anvil, and in the
prosecution of his trade, as an edge-tool maker, prepared to
support himself as long as this ruinous rivalry was kept up.
Thus in the sweat of the brow of one of the heroes and
philanthropists of this age, was laid the foundation of one of
the most extensive business houses that our city now boasts. His
competitor saw that no amount of rivalry could crush a man thus
self-supporting and gave up the effort.

Of course, Thomas Garrett is best known for his labors in behalf
of the abolition of Slavery, and as a practical and effective
worker for emancipation long before the nation commenced the
work of liberation and justice.

Born a Quaker, he held with simple trust, the faith of the
society that God moves and inspires men to do the work he
requires of their hands, and throughout his life he never
wavered in his conviction, that his Father had called him to
work in the cause to which he devoted himself.

His attention was first directed to the iniquity of Slavery,
while he was a young man of twenty-four or twenty five