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SAMUEL GARRETSON is a representative of one of the early families of the county and is a leading farmer of Rochester Township residing on section 2. He was born in what is now Howard County, Md., on December 4, 1823, and is a son of Samuel and Ann (Pierce) Garretson. His father, a native of York County, Pa., was born about 1786, and his mother was a native of Chester County, Pa. Their marriage was celebrated in the former county, whence they removed to Howard County, Md., in the spring of 1829. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom our subject was ninth in order of birth and when he was a lad of five years his mother died. His father afterward again married and in the spring of 1839 emigrated to Sangamon County, Ill., locating in the northeastern part of Rochester Township, where he followed farming until his death, which occurred May 1, 1847.

Samuel Garretson, whose name heads this sketch, passed his early boyhood days in his native county and there attended school until his sixteenth year, when he accompanied his father and stepmother to Illinois. He has passed almost his entire life since that time upon the old homestead farm in Rochester Township and the place is dear to him for its many pleasant associations of both his youth and manhood. Having at length attained to mature years he chose as a companion on life's journey Miss Amelia J. Dickerson, the marriage being celebrated at her home in Rochester Township on the 9th of November, 1848. The lady was born in Bourbon County, Ky., February 25, 1829. Her father, Samuel Dickerson, also a native of Kentucy, was a soldier in the War of 1812, was taken prisoner at the battle of the River Raisin and suffered untold hardships. His wife, whose maiden name was Susanna Kane, was born in Tennessee. In 1831 they came to Sangamon County, Ill., and located five miles southeast of Mechanicsburg, where they spent the remainder of their lives, the father dying at the age of sixty-two years, and his wife in the sixty-fourth year of her age.

Mrs. Garretson is the youngest of their six children and by her marriage she has six children: James T., who died at the age of twelve years; Susan Ann; Charles, a resident farmer of Rochester Township; Frank, also engaged in farming in that township; Minerva, wife of Norris Lobdill; and Harriet, who died at the age of six months.

Mr. Garretson owns three hundred and seventeen acres of land situated in Clear Lake and Rochester Townships. He has made many improvements upon his farm and the well-tilled fields yield to him a golden tribute for his care and cultivation. He possesses good business ability, is energetic and enterprising and ranks among the valued citizens of the community. Both he and his wife are earnest Christian people. At the age of eighteen he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and when sixteen years of age she became a member of the Christian Church.