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New York, Pennsylvania, and other Northern as well as Southern States.
Mr. Garnett's interest in the promotion of agriculture was very great, and his exertions for that object commenced early in life and continued to old age, even to the detriment of his own interests.
Charles Carter Lee, in his poem ‘Virginia Georgics,’ has a humorous couplet to the effect that, while Garnett lectured on agriculture, his neighbor Waring ploughed his corn.
Mr. Garnett's annual addresses to the Agricultural Society of Fredericksburg were attended by both ladies and gentlemen, and he succeeded in making these addresses very popular.
With great personal effort, in which he was assisted by his friend, Colonel John Taylor, of Caroline county, the ‘Arator’ of literature, he founded the Virginia State Agricultural Society, to which also he delivered annual addresses.
His high moral character and decided ability gave him great influence with all to whom he became known.
This was shown in a marked manner in the case of his poorer neighbors, for whose welfare he specially interested himself.
About 1815 he built a log-house on his own land and established a Sunday-school in it, which was at first taught solely by himself and the members of his family, and subsequently neighbors and persons educated in the school gave assistance.
The house was twice enlarged and the number of scholars sometimes reached two hundred, some of whom came from a distance of fifteen or twenty miles, and not a few owed their entire education to this school.
Mr. Garnett was a true Christian from an early age, and a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church.
The Bible and the Book of Common Prayer were used in the school; and Mr. Garnett often wrote special prayers for use in it, some of which have been preserved.
After school he would read some moral or religious story, and at regular periods would deliver addresses to the school, which were largely attended by persons other than scholars.
The moral and religious influence of this Sunday-school was very great, and may be traced to this day.1
During the four years of his service in Congress Mr. Garnett formed many warm friendships.
Among the closest and most lasting
1 It may be mentioned, as an evidence that the memory of this school is still preserved in Essex county, that, at the conclusion of this address, a gentleman stated to the writer that he had in his possession a Bible which was given to his mother by Mr. Garnett when she was an attendant at the school.
Richmond, VA. 1898.
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