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Page 2, Garbett's Migrate

Welcome to the story of how my Garbett Ancestors migrated to America. I will  start with George Robert Garbett and Mary Ann Whittingham. We will refer to them as the first generation in this story. As the generations progress I will not write paragraphs on those who died, didn’t marry or have children. George Robert Sandlands Garbett was born  in Dawley, Shropshire, England on May 3, 1823 to Elizabeth Sandlands and William Garbett. Mary Ann Whittingham was born in Garndyrris, Moumouthshire, England on Feburary 28, 1823 to Mary Jones and Robert Whittingham. She was the eldest of 14 children George worked as a foreman in the coal mining industry and saw Mary Ann for the first time while she was working in “Tate’s Art Gallery”. At that time he fell in love with her immediately. He went back to the gallery time and time again to make her acquaintance. After a time he began courting her and then he married her. They were both twenty-three years old on their wedding day.  According to those close to them they were sweethearts for life. When in England, they moved to several different locations, which was very unusual for that time.  They moved from Dawley (Shropshire), to Wolverhampton (Staffordshire), to West Brommich (Staffordshire), to Spenneymore (Durham), to Hartlepool (Durham), and to Workington (Cumberland) before migrating to America.

George and Mary Ann had eleven children; all were born in England.  Their names, birthdate, birthplace were as follows: Robert Michael Garbett      May 12, 1847 Dawley Elizabeth Garbett   July 24, 1849  Wolverhampton William Garbett   Oct 26, 1851  Wolverhampton George Garbett   Apr. 9, 1853  West Brommich Ellen Whittingham Garbett Feb. 2, 1855  West Brommich Mary Ann Garbett   Sept. 11, 1856 West Brommich Frances Garbett   Apr. 6, 1858  West Brommich James Garbett   Jan. 8, 1860  West Brommich Samuel George Garbett  May 7, 1861  West Brommich Maria Garbett   Apr. 28, 1864 Spenneymore (?) John Garbett    Aug. 22, 1866 Hartepool

Ellen was the first family member to come to America. In June 1872, their two sons, Robert and William, gave her enough money to go to Utah. Robert followed in 1873, with Samuel coming in about 1877.  In the summer of 1878 their younger son John immigrated to Utah. He came at the age of twelve years old under the guardianship of Joseph William Taylor.  George and Mary Ann stayed in England until the children had saved enough money to pay for their passage to America. The family was reunited almost ten years after Ellen had came to Utah.   The only trip they made from Utah after arriving there was a trip to Montana to see their daughter Ellen and her family. George passed away June 2, 1899 leaving Mary Ann alone as all the children were married. This was the first time she had been separated from him in all her married life.  She was seventy-six years old and still active. She was stricken with an illness in 1906 from which she never recovered. She was cared for by her daughter Mary Ann (Garbett) Finch for six years until she passed away April 1, 1912 upon which she was laid to rest in Salt Lake City, Utah next to her husband.