GARRETT BRENNAN, for twenty-six years a resident of Benton county, was born in Kilkenny county, Ireland, in the year 1812. He emigrated to Canada in 1826, and after staying two years, came to Rochester, New York, and learned the cooper's trade, which was his occupation until coming to Benton county. From Rochester he soon returned to Canada, where he lived six years, coming thence, to Will county, Illinois, where he resided until coming to his present home in Minden township in 1855. By energy and industry, he accumulated two thousand one hundred acres of land, which he divided among his sons, in 1880, retaining but three hundred and sixty acres for himself. Mr. Brennan was married in 1840, to Miss Mary Armstrong, of Tipperary county, Ireland, who died in 1869. Of nine children which they had, but five are living; Margaret, John G., William G., Catharine, and Simon.

History of the Upper Mississippi Valley (1881) p. 362 [Minden]