Andrew Garrett, 1823-1887, an American explorer and self taught naturalist and artist specializing in malacology and ichthyology, went to sea as a sailor at the age of 16 for three years. Later he became a crew member to various whaling vessels, traveling extensively. During his travels, Hawaii particularly appealed to him, and in the Spring of 1852 Garrett returned to Hawaii where he remained for seven years. By this time, Garrett was an ardent shell collector, but lacked scientific training. Hence, he learned Latin, taught himself to draw and paint, and compiled his own conchological library (now in the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum in Honolulu). In 1855 Garrett proposed an arrangement to Louis Agassiz, professor at Harvard and founder of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, whereby he would be a collector for the Harvard institution. As a result, James M. Barnard (a Boston merchant and amateur naturalist), donated money for Garrett to act as a field representative for eight years. On his return from a trip to the Society Islands in 1857, he became associated with and was employed by another conchologist, William Harper Pease (1823-1870). A resident of Honolulu, Pease was a land surveyor, assessor of the City of Honolulu, and Commissioner of Water Rights. He had an extensive collection of Hawaiian shells an extremely valuable library of rare books. The two collaborated on several works: Pease sponsored Garrett's trips, and Garrett sent Pease descriptions of his living specimens and drawings of shells for Pease's papers.

From July to October, 1858, Garrett lived on the island of Kauai, probably collecting for Agassiz and Pease. In this same year, Pease and Garrett contemplated opening a shell store in Honolulu. Between 1859 and 1863 he explored the Kingsmill Islands, and then seems to have explored every nook and cranny of the Society Islands, including Tahiti, Moorea, Huahine, Tahaa, and Bora Bora. In 1863 he worked identifying shells and fishes for the California Academy of Sciences, and between 1863 and 1866, Pease continued to sponsor Garrett's trips, in particular for drawings and descriptions of nudibranchs for inclusion of numerous papers Pease was writing. By 1866 Garrett was established in Samoa and collecting on the Islands of Upolo and Savaii. He established a permanent residence on Huahine in 1870, and lived there for the rest of his life. It was during this time in Huahine that Garrett worked on finishing and perfecting his drawings and descriptions, and published the bulk of his papers.

Garrett published about 24 scientific papers in publications such as the Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, the Journal of Conchyliogie in Paris and Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. Many of his works are considered classics, including his multi-volumed catalog Fische der Sundsee, and particularly his "Terrestrial Mollusca Inhabiting the Society Islands" (JANSP 9: 17-114), which formed the basis for the important work of Hartman and Crampton. Unfortunately, much of Garrett's important pioneer efforts in the field of marine biology were published by other authors, and due credit was not always given to him. Garrett's private collection, consisting of 8,000 species and 30,000 specimens, was acquired by the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum sometime between 1893 and 1899.