El Dorado Garrett Timeline

I will try to give an accurate accounting of the short life of Miss Fannie El Dorado Garrett, Maud’s Aunt.

April 1872 near Caldwell, TX. Fannie El Dorado Garrett is born to Jeptha Norton Garrett and Mary Elizabeth Barnes Garrett.

May 1873 in Caldwell, TX. El Dorado’s much older sister Eugenia Garrett is mentioned in Dove Baptist Church records (now First Baptist Church of Caldwell).

1873 - 1875. El Dorado’s family moves to Florence, TX. Her family at this time is her parents Jeptha and Mary Garrett, half sisters Eugenia Garrett, Victoria Belle Christman and Anna Georgia Thomas, and one full sister Laura Gertrude Garrett.

April 4, 1875 in Florence, TX. El Dorado’s sister Ella Norton Garrett is born.

Between 1874-1878 in Williamson County, TX. El Dorado’s father dies.

By 1878 Mary and daughters move to Georgetown, TX.

March 10, 1878 in Bell County, TX. El Dorado’s half sister Eugenia is married to Benjamin F Essary.

March 14, 1878 in Georgetown, TX. El Dorado’s mother Mary weds James A Mitchell.

Also about this time El Dorado’s half sister Belle Christman has been engaged to Archibald Lamb. And, El Dorado’s mother Mary has been keeping in contact with the extended Garrett family, some of which had moved to Stockton, California in the 1850’s.

Summer of 1878 or so. The family soon leaves for California but one sister, Belle stays behind in Texas and moves to Austin where she works as a servant, presumably while future husband Archibald Lamb finds/builds them a home.

Aug 11, 1878 in Stockton, California. El Dorado’s half sister Mary Evelyn Garrett is wed to Charles L Weitz.

June 15, 1880. James and Mary Mitchell and daughters now reside in Stockton and residing with them are two of El Dorado’s Uncles: Isaiah and AJ Garrett.

Sept 15, 1880 in Austin, TX. El Dorado’s half sister Belle Christman marries Archibald Lamb and soon after they move to North Blue Ridge, TX (now Stranger, TX).

By 1881, Stockton, CA. El Dorado’s half sister Eugenia Garrett Essary has moved to Stockton. Eugenia weds to Pardon Alma Davis on June 22, 1881.

April 21, 1882. Stockton, CA. El Dorado’s step father James Mitchell dies.

1888, Stockton, CA. Mary and the girls live at 253 Washington St. Mary’s occupation is a dressmaker.

March 17, 1889, Stranger, Falls County, TX. El Dorado’s half sister Victoria Belle Christman Lamb dies, age 29.

Jan 21, 1891 in Stockton, CA. El Dorado is wed to Charles P Smith.

Oct 27, 1892 in Sacramento, CA. El Dorado’s sister Ella Garrett is wed to Eugene Wiener.

About this time El Dorado’s mother Mary E Mitchell has moved to Oakland, CA, living at 2006 Everett.

Dec 10, 1893 in San Francisco. El Dorado files for divorce from Charles Smith.

May 16, 1894 in San Francisco. El Dorado is granted divorce on grounds of neglect and intemperance.

About 1894 in California. El Dorado’s sister Laura Garrett is wed to Robert Smith.

June 5, 1895 in Marin County, CA. El Dorado’s half sister Annie Thomas is wed to Grafton George Hillman.

Aug 25, 1899 in Aberdeen, Washington. El Dorado’s sister Ella weds Frank Dooling.

1900 in Oakland, CA. El Dorado lives next door to her mother Mary and half sister Marguerite on Old County Rd. 1900 census.

Oct 25, 1900 in Marin County, CA. El Dorado’s half sister Marguerite is wed to Stuart Allen.

Early Dec 1902, Oakland, CA. While staying with her mother, El Dorado contracts meningitis which turns into blood poisoning. On Dec 19 her will is drawn up: “I give my beloved mother all of my property both real and personal. She will give each of my dear sisters some trinket keepsake for remembrance of me.”

Christmas 1902 in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland, CA. Fannie El Dorado Smith succumbs to blood poisoning at her mother’s home, age 30. She was interred at St Mary’s Cemetery on Dec 27th.

In Jan 1903 Mary wrote to her grand daughter Maud about this, the loss of her 5th child.

Letter from El Dorado's mother Mary E Mitchell to Maud Hale in TX