Garrard D. Eccles, a citizen of Pleasant Township, is a native of Mercer County, Ky., born March 3, 1820, and was the son of Samuel and Jane (Darland) Eccles, who were respectively natives of West Virginia and Pennsylvania. His father was born March 15, 1788, and was the son of Joseph and Jane (Carr) Eccles, both of whom were natives of Ireland. His mother was born January 22, 1785, and was the daughter of Garrard Darland, who was a native of Scotland. His parents were married in Mercer County, Ky., about 1815. They emigrated from Mercer County, Ky., to Johnson County, Ind., in 1835, and located on the farm our subject now occupies, in Pleasant Township, which has been his home ever since, and where his parents both spent the rest of their lives. His mother died November 5, 1853, and his father died August 30, 1859. At the age of twenty he took up the carpenter’s trade. This was finished in due time, and furnished his chief employment for a number of years. He also occasionally worked some upon the farm. In 1843, he and his brother, Joseph, went to the state of Iowa. They started on the 14th day of February, and reached Washington County, Iowa, some time in March. During the three seasons following this, our subject was employed breaking prairie land in Washington and Johnson counties, that state. In 1846, he returned to this county, but in 1854, he went to Washington, Tazwell Co., Ills., where, for three years, he worked at the carpenter’s trade and clerked in a store. He then returned to the old Eccles homestead, where he has resided ever since. Since 1858, his undivided attention has been given to farming. He has owned the old homestead himself since 1859. He was married December 9, 1857, to Mary G. Lemasters. She was born in Pleasant Township, this county, November 14, 1833, and was the daughter of David and Elizabeth (Alexander) Lemasters. Her father was born in Virginia, November 14, 1805, and was the son of Richard and Gemima Lemaster. Her mother was the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Crary) Alexander, the former of whom was a native of Kentucky. Her parents were married in Pleasant Township, in 1828. Her mother died in Pleasant Township in April, 1843. Her father died in White River Township, in August, 1870. Mr. and Mrs. Eccles are the parents of three children, as follows: Samuel B., born November 15, 1858; Albert C., October 20, 1861, and John C., January 25, 1864, all of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Eccles, and all of their children, are members of the Presbyterian Church. In politics, Mr. Eccles is a staunch democrat; he has served his township in the capacity of assessor two terms. Mr. Eccles owns a farm of 144½ acres of land, about 100 of which are in cultivation.