The Manuscripts of Grady Garrett

on Virginia and North Carolina families

VOLUMES 1 - 106

Compiled by Grady Garrett

Donated

By

Mr. Horace G. Dyer

Grady Garrett was born May 5, 1892 in Rockingham County, North Carolina, died January 24, 1978 in Richmond, Virginia, the son of James Price Garrett and Anna Lee Mitchell Garrett.  His family moved to Henry County, Virginia where the families organized a school in the town of Ridgeway to give their children a better education than was available in the public schools of that day.

In 1901 the oldest children in his family were ready for college, and his mother took all of the children and moved to Salem, Virginia where the oldest could attend college at Roanoke College.  The younger children enrolled in the public schools of Salem and Grady graduated from Salem High School in 1910.  While in high school he worked as a reporter and city editor of the Salem newspaper.

He graduated from Roanoke College and worked for the "Roanoke Times" as a reporter.  In 1915 he went to the Philippine Islands and worked for ten years in the Bureau of Education.  He took a leave of absence to travel and visit at home, fully expecting to return to the Philippines.  On his travels he became sick and entered Catawba Sanitarium where he stayed for five years.

In 1930 he obtained a job teaching English in Richmond, Virginia.  During his summer vacation he attended Columbia University and received his masters degree.  In 1940 after completing his work on graduate studies he became interested in genealogy, and during the summers he devoted his time to travel and genealogical research.  When he retired in 1957 he devoted his time to genealogical research and work in organizations that he belonged to which were devoted to genealogy, education and historical preservation.

Horace G. Dyer

Nephew of Mr. Garrett

View the list of family names available