Grapeland Texas
Queen City Of The Sand Flats
Marvin Lewis Garrett is the youngest son of John Frank and Cora Alice Shofner Alexander Garrett and the grandson of Robert Milligan and Emily Francis Matthews Garrett.
Grapeland Texas
Marvin Lewis Garrett
Marvin Lewis Garrett is the
youngest son of John Frank and Cora Alice Shofner Alexander
Garrett and the grandson of Robert Milligan and Emily Francis
Matthews Garrett. The Garrett family moved to this area before
Grapeland was established as a town. Both R. M. Garrett and J.
F. Garrett were active planners in the development of this
area and worked for the good of the community. Marvin Lewis
Garrett followed the pattern set by his father and grandfather
and also has served the best interest of his community when
the need arose. Marvin Lewis Garrett has one living brother,
William Hayden Garrett and nine half-brothers and sisters call
deceased\. Lewis Garrett has worked at several different types
of jobs. He first worked for C. H. Sewell (Five and Dime
Store) located on the site of our present variety store. Lewis
Garrett worked for Mr. Sewell for about six or eight years and
acquired a cash capital of $157.00 to invest in a small
grocery and feed business. He opened this business on January
11, 1936. His store was located in Block 4, lot 5. The total
sales for the first year of business were a little over
$19,000.00 and after living expenses made a net profit of
$1100.00. After nineteen months in business, he sold out and
then in April, 1938 when the oil field came in, he went back
in the grocery and feed business on the site now occupied by
Flo's Antique Store, block 4, lot 3. After the first year back
in business, he added a meat market. Eighteen months later, he
added a large meat case which is pictured in the business
section of this book. He also had a walk-in cooler six by
eight feet in size. The sales of that business grew from
$40,000.00 to $133,000.00 per year at which time he sold out
again. For the next few years, Lewis Garrett was in the
building and carpentry trade in Palestine. When Grapeland
decided to build a hospital, he donated his time to direct and
supervise the building of it and did all of the cabinet work
in the original part of the building. Lewis Garrett served on
the school tax equalization board for twenty-five years.
Marvin Lewis Garrett married Velma Smith in 1921. He and his
wife celebrated their sixty-fifth anniversary in 1986.