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Lodie. Their faith in Kansas is unwavering. 
Michael Francis Garrity was born in Jones county, Iowa, about twenty five miles west of Dubuque, August, 18, 1857.
He was raised on a farm and attended the district school. He went to Cherokee, Iowa, where his fiancee (sic) had moved a
year before and was married October 4, 1882, to Mary A. Mansfield taking her back to Cascade where she was raised.
Two daughters were born to them, Mary Frances, July 10, 1883, at Cascade, and Clara Louisa, at Cherokee.
Mr. Garrity moved to Canon City, Colorado, where his wife received the care of better physicians as her health failed, being advised to take her to the mountains; moved to Colorado Springs, where they remained a couple of years.
Thinking her health improved they returned to Cherokee but returned after a time to the mountains again, this time going to Pueblo where they remained one winter.
From Pueblo they moved to Norton in March 1886, where Mr. Garrity and his partner, E. J. Milz, bought the hardware stock of Cannon & Kennedy.
Consumption had gotten full control over Mrs. Garrity, and failing gradually she desired to he taken home to Cherokee, Iowa; they went back in July and on August 26, 1886, she died and was interred at her home cemetery.
A sad blow to Mr. and Mrs. Garrity occurred in the death of their youngest daughter, Clara, on August 11, two weeks before the death of the mother.
Mr. Garrity returned to his business at Norton and continued in partnership until 1889 when he bought Milz's interest and he has continued in the business ever since, operating one of the finest hardware stores in Kansas. In the spring of 1892, Frank, as he is called, was elected mayor of Norton on the reform ticket against C. F. Shimeall, by a vote of 256 against 86. The next year he was unanimously reelected as mayor, having been placed on both tickets. Mr. Garrity has always been a democrat. He was a delegate to the state democratic convention which endorsed the Lewelling ticket, although he and the other Norton delegates opposed fusion. Mr. Garrity is not a radical in any sense politically, and the popular address of welcome in turning over the city of Norton to the republican convention that met here to elect delegates to the national convention at Minneapolis, gave ample proof of his tact and liberality. Norton has no citizen more popular in a business or social way than Frank Garrity, being a man of fine physique, broad-shouldered, six feet in height and graceful in movement and manners. Financially he is a success and is director in the First National bank of this city. Henry J. Milz was born December 5, 1860 in Whitewater, Wisconsin. His father was a general merchant at that place, but moved to Cresco, Iowa, when the subject of this sketch was six years |
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