Garrett was probably born in Augusta County, Virginia.521 He lived in Pendleton County, (now West) Virginia before moving to Kentucky. Late in 1791, his “next friend” Jane Lambert, possibly his mother, appeared in court on his behalf in an action against John Nelson for trespass, assault and battery. The suit was dismissed on the motion of Nelson’s attorney,568 perhaps because of a prior settlement outside of court, perhaps for some other reason.

Garrett first appears in Kentucky records in 1794, when he married Dorcas Yates in Woodford County.818 In 1797, he appears for the first time in Nelson County tax lists, with taxable personal property of four horses, a few lines away from Abraham Lambert and James Lambert.525 He may have been living with them for a few years before. In 1810, he is shown in the census of Bardstown, Nelson County, with his wife, three young sons, and two daughters.814,823 His wife presumably died in the next few years, since he made his second marriage, to Ruth Ann Duffy, in 1816.819 In 1820, he was in the census for Little York, Hardin County, along with Abraham and Jeremiah Lambert.824 In 1825, he borrowed money in an agreement secured by bond from William Yates, who I believe is most likely his wife’s father, and Cornelius Van Arsdale.825 In 1828, he signed a bond 826 to John Green, his son-in-law, and Elijah Lambert, his son, assigning rights to land and all of his personal property for $450. However, he retained rights to use of the property, to which title was to pass only in the event he did not repay the money with interest within eighteen months.

He later moved to Daviess County, where he stayed until his death in the early 1860s.816

Garrett is reported to have been a bit of a character,825 as also was his father, but the evidence is largely speculative.