Garner

This house, used for filming the ABC Television show Resurrection in 2013, was built in 1900 by Huss Beutell (1849- 1919). Beutell was born in New Jersey and moved to Atlanta shortly after the Civil War. A manufacturer of furniture and fixtures, he was also active in city politics. He served as an alderman for the Fifth Ward of Atlanta for several terms. 

The house, on 11 acres of land, was Beutell’s country home, and he spent much of his time thereafter his retirement around 1910. 

After his death, the family kept the property until 1930, when they sold it to J. R. and Mary Garner. The Garners and their descendants made it their home for the next 60 years. 

James Richard (1866-1947) and Mary Lankford (1873-1963) Garner moved their family to Norcross in 1907 to establish a grocery on South Peachtree Street. The store moved to Jones Street in 1921,to the building that currently holds the Iron Horse Tavern. The grocery store operated there through three generations of Garners. It closed in 1978. 

Dick and Mary Garner had eight children, seven of whom survived to adulthood. Sons Carl and “At” both served in World War I – Carl in the Marines, stationed in Boston, and At in the Army, serving in France. Carl later served as Mayor of Norcross, as did his son Carl Jr. Raleigh was a physician and volunteered for military duty during World War II, serving in the Pacific campaign. Minor ran the family store for 40 years. Sisters Mary, Lina and Elsie were teachers, with Lina and Elsie working at Summerour Middle School in Norcross after retiring from the Atlanta school system. 

Why two daughters named Mary? Mr. Garner wanted to name a child after his wife, so when a daughter was born in 1905, she was christened Mary Elsie. But the family started calling her by her middle name. When another daughter was born in 1914 he tried again, naming her after both parents—Mary Dick.