Letter from Silas D. Garrigus to Milton Garrigus

Date: 17 Jun 1902 [unknown]
Location: Talladega, Alabama, United States
Surname/tag: Garrigus

"Dear Sir, I was glad to get your letter you wrote me as that was the first time in life to get any hearing from anyone by my name. I am alone in this country. I have never heard of anyone by the name. My father came from New Jersey, his name was David Garrigus. He died in Talladega County, Alabama, June 30, 1873. He was married to his third wife which was my mother, her name was Larcenie Tyler.

"He married his first wife in Michigan, so I have been told, her name is in the bible, but it is so near spoiled out I can't tell what it is. They married December 30, 1835. Second wife name Martha Jane Wood married May 8, 1853. My Grandfather's name was Silas Garrigus, their deaths are in the bible my father left but their births are not so I don't know where they was bornd. Grandfather died March 31, 1859.

"Father died when I was 3 years old, mother when I was 9 so I have been raised by one of my aunts. I have no brothers. I have some half sisters but don't know where, none are only two (?), they live in Ironston, Alabama. I wrote to one of them since I got your letter but she was not able to tell me the county which father came from. My name is Silas David - I was named for father and grandfather. I was bornd in Talladega County April 17, 1870. I have a wife and three children. My wife is 30 years old bornd May 28, 1872. We still live in Talladega Co. - Your Truly, S.D. Garrigus (signed)"

[Note: In 1902 Silas sent the leaves of his bible to which he referred to John Garrigues in California. In 1938 these records were sent to Edmund Garrigues in Ohio. In the manuscripts of John Garrigues Edmund found the bible leaves of Silas D. Garrigus. These were transcribed and are now depicted in the family reports at www.garrigus-family.com. Edmund Garrigues attempted to return the bible leaves in 1938 but states that he learned that Silas died February 26, 1936 per a letter he received June 6, 1938 from Rebecca Garrigues. I have not seen them personally yet but the original bible leaves may be in Edmund's manuscripts as well.]

In another letter in these holdings from Silas he states that his aunt told him that his father David owned a forge about 9 miles outside Talladega during the Civil War. Silas obviously had no memory of this per the first letter. Based on this evidence Silas is a descendent of the Garrigues family and specifically the New Jersey branch as descended from Jacob Garrigues/Garrigus, Sr.

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Source: Silas D. Garrigus to Milton Garrigus, letter, June 17, 1902, FC Ga Box 37:4, Edwin C. Garrigues' research notes [Note: These are misidentified as they are actually the research notes of Edmund Garrigues], family charts and correspondence used in compiling his history of the Garrigues family: material relates to the New Jersey branch of the family, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.