The final story in Jonas Garman’s life began in 1899 with the “assignment for the benefit of his creditors,” a comfortable retirement in Lykens, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, and his death, which occurred in 1908.
_______________________________________________
From the Pottsville Evening Herald, March 24, 1899, the wire service story; also found in the Shenandoah Evening Herald, March 24, 1899; Northumberland County Democrat (Sunbury), March 30, 1899; Lebanon Daily News, March 24, 1899.
Assigned to His Creditors
Harrisburg, March 24 [1899] – Jonas Garman, who suddenly disappeared from Lykens in December 1898, was located in St. Louis recently and brought back to Harrisburg Wednesday by a private detective. When Mr. Garman left town he started ostensibly for Harrisburg on a trip, and had considerable money. He disappeared as suddenly and mysteriously as if the earth had opened and swallowed him up. Mr. Garman left home under a misapprehension on account of his financial affairs being in somewhat of a tangled condition. A conference was held with his attorney, and to properly square up his financial affairs Mr. Garman has made an assignment for the benefit of his creditors.
_______________________________________
From the Harrisburg Telegraph, March 25, 1899:
These appraisers in the assigned estate of Jonas Garman of Lykens and his wife Sarah Garman, have been appointed: Reuben Coble and Charles Wolcott.
_______________________________________
From the Lykens Register, March 30, 1899:
Jonas Garman and wife made assignment last week for the benefit of their creditors to B. M. Nead, Esquire, of Harrisburg.
_______________________________________
From the Harrisburg Telegraph, July 6, 1899:
Assignee’s Notice
NOTICE is hereby given that Jonas Garman, of the borough of Lykens, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, and Sarah A. Garman, his wife, have executed a deed of voluntary assignment of all their estate, real and personal, to the undersigned for the benefit of the creditors of the said Jonas Garman. All persons indebted to the said Jonas Garman will make immediate payment, and those having claims or demands will present the same without delay to —
BENJAMIN M. NEAD, Assignee, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
________________________________________
From the Lykens Register, October 19, 1899:
Assignee’s Sale
In another column we advertise the assignees sale of Jonas Garman of this place. The sale will take place Saturday, November 11, 1899, at 1 o’clock, at the Union House, corner of Main and Market Street, and many valuable properties will be offered, situated in this valley.
A listing of 16 groups of properties was included. Most were in the Lykens Valley area.
_________________________________________
Jonas Garman lived for about eight years after the settlement of his accounts, which resulted in a comfortable retirement for him. His obituary appeared in the Lykens Standard, March 6, 1908:
JONAS GARMAN
Jonas Garman of Main Street, died at 3 a. m. Wednesday of a general breaking up of the system due to old age. He was bedfast for several months, growing gradually weaker until the end. The funeral will be held at 1 p. m. Monday from his late home, and the remains will be laid to rest in the family vault in Odd Fellows’ Cemetery. The cortege will then proceed to Zion Lutheran Church where the sermon will be preached by the pastor, Rev. C. M. Nicholas.
Jonas Garman was a son of Peter Garman and wife (nee Catharine Minium), and was born in Snyder County, then Union County, Pennsylvania, November 12, 1827. He attended the district schools in Perry Township, Snyder County, and worked with his father on the farm, until he was 21 years of age. He learned cabinet making and worked at that trade for several years in different parts of the State. Having learned the drug business in a wholesale house in Philadelphia, he came to Lykens in 1857 and opened a drug store, which he conducted for 20 years with good success. In 1881 was also associated with Riley Bressler in the tin and hardware business. In 1866, with J. M. Hensel as partner, Mr. Garman built and equipped the Eagle Iron Works of this place and continued its management for eight years. He was also postmaster and Adams Express agent at this place for a number of years. In 1891, after having retired from active business for several years, he opened a grocery store on North Second Street, which he conducted with success for a year or two, when he was compelled to retire on account of his advanced age. He also conducted a drug store at Elizabethville for a while.
Mr. Garman was married, in 1857, at Freeburg, Pennsylvania, to Martha Lupold of Washington Township, this county. Their children are five in number: Jonas H. Garman, of Elizabethville; Martha V. Weidler, wife of J. L. Weidler, of Renova; Samuel E. Garman, Peter Garman, and Kate Garman, deceased. Mrs. Martha Garman died at this place in 1867. Mr. Garman married again in 1878; his second wife was Sarah A. Wirt, widow of H. H. Mosser, of Millersburg. Two children resulted from this union — Jessie Ennis (Mrs. James Ennis), and Pauline Broaddus (Mrs. James A. Broaddus), both Living at Bowling Green, Virginia.
Mr. Garman was a staunch Republican and served for several years as school director, and also for a number of years as Justice of the Peace. Fraternally he was connected with the Odd Fellows of this place, and with Washington Camp P. O. S. of A., of Wiconisco, of which he was a charter member. He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church, and has served as a deacon, elder and trustee. In the way of enterprise and progressive and pushing business spirit and methods, Mr. Garman has been a leading man in the community.
____________________________________________________
News articles from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.