Ninth Generation


460. Abbie E Hammond GRAY was born on 5 May 1861 in Stockton, San Joaquin, CA.1461 She died on 30 August 1952 at the age of 91 in San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.1462 She was buried on 4 September 1952 in Rural Cemetery, Stockton, San Joaquin, CA.1462 Abbie has reference number 428. Newspaper clipping - undated

$1000 MONTHLY ASKED BY WIDOW

The sum of $1000 a month for her support was asked for in a petition filed in San Francisco yesterday by Mrs. Abbie Garwood from the estate of her husband, the late John Garwood, native of Stockton, and shoe merchant here for many years.

The request was made in a petition for probate of Garwood's will which created a trust for the benefit of Mrs. Garwood to be administered by the Crocker First National Bank in San Francisco.

Garwood died in San Francisco, November 7, at the age of 83. Committal was in the Rural Cemetery here. Before their marriage Mrs. Garwood was Miss Abbie H. Gray. They removed to San Francisco 30 years ago. A sister of Mrs. Garwood, Mrs. (sic) Hannah Gray, resides here.


Stockton Record - December 2, 1954

Three Stockton organizations will share in the $231,541 (before taxes) estate of Mrs. Abbie Garwood, widow of John Garwood, wealthy Stockton shoe dealer and later San Francisco financier. She was a daughter of the late George Gray, prominent early day Stockton lumberman.

The will of Mrs. Garwood, who died in San Francisco in 1952 left the estate to a sister, Miss Hannah Winchell Gray, who succumbed here in 1947.

Alternate provisions call for the estate to be divided among Joaquin Parlor, Native Daughters of the Golden West, the Central Methodist Church, the Children's Home of Stockton, the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals "preferably for work in the Stockton area," and the Masonic Homes of California.

An inventory listed 15 separate bank accounts ranging from $30 to $48,000 and totaling $163,412, plus $22,000 in Stockton real estate and securities and personal effects.

Mrs. Garwood spent most of her early years in the family mansion at 315 E Fremont. Razed two years ago, following her death, the home constructed in 1872, was considered to be an amazing survivor of the Victorian era in styling and furnishings. In 1901 Mrs. Garwood moved to San Francisco and from 1910 until her death resided in the Palace Hotel.

From Lynne Roberts: I visited Abby Garwood at her suite at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco during a stay with my cousin (on my mother's side) Ruth Pels (1850 Gough Street, San Francisco) in about 1949. She had "Modess Because" advertisement pictures decorating the tables in her suite. Very eccentric, but as I recall she was very nice to me. I also remember that after her death there was a great deal of resentment about the distribution of the estate - which had been arranged by Mr. Garwood. The family felt that something should have been left to my grandmother, Abby Marble Hammond Roberts, as evidently Grandmother had been very helpful and kind to her. I remember many unhappy references to the SPCA by others regarding the will - but I never heard one word from my grandmother.

Abbie E Hammond GRAY and John GARWOOD were married on 13 September 1887.1463 John GARWOOD, son of John M GARWOOD and Mary , was born in 1858. He lived in Stockton, San Joaquin, CA on 5 September 1877.1464 He registered to vote - Ward 2, Pct 3 in 1897 in Stockton, San Joaquin, CA.1465 John was buried in 1941 in Rural Cemetery, Stockton, San Joaquin, CA.1466 He died on 7 November 1941 at the age of 83 in San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.1467 He has reference number 430. Newspaper (San Francisco?) clipping - undated

JOHN GARWOOD

John Garwood, retired Stockton shoe dealer, and a resident of the Palace Hotel for the past 30 years, died last night following an eight month illness. He was 83.

Mr. Garwood came across the plains with his parents when a child. He was in the shoe business in Stockton for 25 years and there was married 54 years ago to Abbie Gray, who survives him. The body is being sent to that city for burial. Mr. Garwood was a Knight Templar.

History of San Joaquin County, p 30: John Garwood ran for San Joaquin County Treasurer on 5 Sept 1877, but lost by 2 votes.