The GARLOCH Family Line: Emmett Garlock

When Emery and Doris left Hammondsville, Emmett went back to Sebring where he met Evelyn Merrick through a friend of hers. And as Evelyn said, " We just hung out together and then ran away and got married". They were married in Hancock County, West Virginia on June 21, 1929. A daughter, Dorothy "Honey" Jean, was born the following year; and later a son, Randy, was born.

Emmett continued his education through correspondence courses and became licensed as a stationery engineer. Every night he would take his dictionary and learn 10 new words. In the early 1930s Emmett was employed by Royal Globe Indemnity Insurance Co. and in the mid-to-late '30s he worked in Cincinnati for Zurich Insurance Co. He was very successful at selling industrial insurance and at times Evelyn and Honey would accompany him to various businesses, resorts, etc. They even stayed in the Honeymoon Suite that the famous singer Lily Pons stayed in at The Homestead, a resort near Cincinnati.

At this time he also taught about diesel engines at the university in Cincinnati. This was a major accomplishment for someone without a diploma.

In the late '30s Zurich transferred him to Chicago where he worked till the early '40s. When World War II broke out Emmett was concerned that he would be drafted and his family would be stranded in Chicago without family around them. They returned to Ohio to be near Evelyn's family.

During the war Emmett was Chief Plant Engineer for Firestone Tire and Rubber Company in its life raft manufacturing operation. Because of his short stature and knowledge of diesel engines, the Navy wanted him for the submarine corps. They offered him the rank of Lieutenant Commander as an instructor, but he couldn't be released from his defense job, which was considered vital to the war effort.

Evelyn also worked at Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. She made the one-man life rafts that the navy pilots carried in case they had to bail out over water.

In the '50s Emmett was president of E. R. Garlock and Associates, a construction firm. On weekends his brother, Emery, worked with him. The company put in the water filtration system for the city of Alliance, and several power plants around Ohio, including the one at the University of Akron. Two of Emery's sons, Morrie and Gene, often worked with them. Later they installed copper baseboard-heating systems in businesses and large residences in the area.

After Emmett dissolved his business he went to work for Ford Motor Co., where he was a hydraulic specialist for 10 years. He retired in 1975. Emmett held several patents on a hydraulic device for autos. One was for "The 5^th Wheel." He was a member of the National Association of Power Engineers.

Emmett Garlock at the funeral of his twin, Emery. Oklahoma City, 1974.

In his retirement, Emmett met members of the industry from all over the country because he hosted a technical question and answer column for a national publication for the Steam and Power Industry. He and his family lived in the Deerfield-Sebring, Ohio area for 35 years.

Emmett spent a lot of time with his son, Randy, working on go-carts which Randy entered into competition. Emmett would spend hours rubbing and polishing engine parts to reduce the friction and increase efficiency, so Randy usually won! They made a good team.

The children of Emmett and Evelyn are: Dorothy Jean Shively; and Emmett Ransen, known as "Randy."

Left: Emmett and Emery Garloch, Indianapolis, IN, 1907.

Right : Emery and Emmett Garlock, Hammondsville, OH. c1925.

The Twins

In 1921, when the twins, Emery and Emmett, were 14 years old and had completed eighth grade they hopped a train in Sebring, Ohio and jumped off in Hammondsville, Jefferson County, Ohio. They got a room at the Iddings farm situated along Yellow Creek [just before entering Hammondsville]. They played on the Hammondsville baseball team and worked in the brickyards where they made money to buy clothes and court the local girls. Emery met and wooed Doris Irene Elliott for four and a half years. They married on June 16, 1926 when Doris was almost seventeen and Emery was nineteen and a half. It was in Hammondsville that the twins were nicknamed "Buck" (Emery) and "Berry" (Emmett) after the Elliott's team of oxen because they were as close as two oxen in a yoke.

Emmett and Emery [E. T. and E. R.] got a big kick out of playing "twin" games and confusing their children. One time when Emery's family was visiting in Ohio, his son, Jack, borrowed his comb to clean up before dinner. When Jack left them they were in the living room. When he came back down the families had been seated at the table. Jack didn't know who to give the comb to and stood there in a quandary. E. T. and E. R. didn't move to help him. They just sat there and grinned. Then Jack remembered his dad had brown shoes on and Emmett had white ones. So he got down under the table, checked their feet, and returned the comb to Emery!

The twins remained yoked together throughout their lives, even though many miles and circumstances often separated them. Apparently they visited as often, if not more, than the brothers who lived in closer proximity; worked together whenever they could, and ran up huge phone bills in between. E. T. and E. R. really came alive when they were together. Every time I talk to Sherm he tells the story of the time they had a family reunion and the twins hadn't seen each other for three years yet they showed up in identical clothing – yellow shirts, brown pants and white shoes.

When Emery died in 1974 I remember how absolutely devastated Emmett was at the loss of his twin. He fell into my arms and cried, "How will I ever live without him? He was my twin. He was a part of me, and now he's gone. I don't know what I'll do.

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Children of Emmett and Evelyn

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The Garloch Family Line, con't.

The Family of Emmett Roosevelt GARLOCK and Evelyn MERRICK

The Twins