Augustus Garrett

Move to Chicago Facing difficulties in New Orleans as well, the Garretts separated for a short while - Augustus to Chicago, while Eliza returned to Newburgh. Reuniting in 1835 in Chicago, the couple worked in real estate and prospered.

Mayoralties In 1842, Garrett ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Chicago. He ran again in 1843 and was elected.

In 1844, Garrett initially won re-election, only to have the election invalidated based on charges of "illegal proceedings and fraud." Garrett ran in a second election that year, but lost to Alson Sherman.

Garrett was again elected mayor in 1845.

During his terms in office, Garrett pushed to have the first brick school in Chicago, Dearborn School, turned into either a warehouse or an insane asylum, believing that the building was too large for use as a school.

Death and legacy

Augustus Garrett died at the Sherman House Hotel in Chicago on November 30, 1848, and was buried in Rosehill Cemetery. Following his death, Eliza established the Garrett Bible Institute, now Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, in nearby Evanston, Illinois.