Garrett William Frielink was born on 1 March 1827 in Hannover, Germany.
His declaration for naturalization paper, filed on 19 January 1858 in the Kalamazoo County Court, states he was born in the Kingdom of Hannover. He had immigrated on 7 May 1850 to Kalamazoo.
Garrett married Helen Niezen, daughter of Jan Willems Nijsing and Grietje Jans Vredeveld, on 19 November 1858 in Kalamazoo. Their first child was born during their trip by overland wagon to Muscatine, IA, where they lived for about nine years, then returned to Kalamazoo. He and Helen had eleven children according to the 1900 Census.
Garrett was engaged in many occupations, including draftsman, and had charge of a fruit farm during the time he lived in Kalamazoo.
A charter member of the Bethel Baptist Church, organized 22 May 1888, Garrett held the office of trustee for many years, as well as other offices. Garrett and his family had previously belonged to First Baptist Church of Kalamazoo. During his youth Garrett was a very active Christian worker, identified with many movements toward reform and for the betterment of people in general.
Garrett was a deposition witness for the U.S. Civil War pension applications of John W. Nason, Ralph Nason and Henry M. Nason, three of Helen’s brothers.
He was a witness for the marriage of Frederick L. Lewis and Lillie M. Frielink, one of his daughters, on 21 September 1892 in Kalamazoo.
Garrett died on 30 July 1905 at home in Kalamazoo, at age 78, due to chronic nephritis. He was buried on 2 August 1905 at Riverside Cemetery in Kalamazoo.