The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1868-08-06
GENERAL GRANT.
His Visit to His Birthplace
Cordial Reception from His
Old Friends and n eighbOrs.


Old Friends and n NeighbOrs.
From letter in the Washington Chroni-
cle,- descriptive of General Grants trip to
the West, we quote as follows:
"Tbe steamer halted at Point Pleasant,
the birthplace of General Grant, a quiet
little country village in Ohio, not far from
Cincinnati, which will probably never as
pire to a greater distinction than it has al
ready attained, and if it does MT increase
rapidly in population, can answer its more
ambitious neighbOrs as the lion did the
fox in the fable, 1tRU81 Sed leo. Here the
General was given time to find the house
in which he was born, and which he had
never seen to remember till then. The
property has long since passed out Of the
ownership of Mr.. Grant, who removed to
GEORGETOWN, Brown County, Ohio, when
his son Ulysses was a year old. The boat
ran on up from here to Ripley, Ohio, where
the coming of General Grant had been an
ticipated unexpectedly, and preparations
made to give him a rOusing reception. 1t
was night when he arrived. Rockets were
flying, cannon firing, bells ringing, music
PLAYING and the whole town (some five or
six thousand), appeared to be on the river
bank shouting vociferously. A committee
Of gentlemen came aboard, and General
Murphy delivered an address of welcome.
General Grant replied that he was taking
a little trip to visitth old places where he
had spent his early days, and that he
would be back the next day, and would
be then glad to meet his old friends in a
quiet way. From here the boat ran up to
Maysville, Kentucky, where the General
left it, arriving about 10 o'clock the night
of the I'd. He was met by numerous old
friends, and the greater paTt of the right
was spent in talking over old times. Here
he had gone to school, and many old
schoolmates chatted freely with him Of the
sweetest of all boyhoOd memories.
At o'clock the next morning, (the 3d),
the General, his son and General Dent
drove out into the country fourteen miles,
to Mayslick, and breakfasted with an
uncle, the brother of the Generals father.
After a short vi it here they returned toI
Maysville, arriving at II o'clock noon,
having stopped at Washington en- route
the oldest town in Kentucky, where Col.
Goggin entertained them. A steamer pass
ed soon after, and the General returned to
Ripley, arriving about 2 o'clock, and was
entertained by his cousin, Mr.. Hudson,
who had invited a number of old friends
to meet his guest. The Olden times were
discussed, and a few hours spent in de-
lightful conpaniOnship. the General Wis
tied the old school house where he had re-
ceived some of his early training, and the
old market house, where it is not imprOb
able his ambition to achieve victories at
marbles made him an occasional truant at
school, He was reminded by an old
school fellow of many funny jokes and
pranks they had played eff together on
their fellows. While General Grant at
tended school at Ripley and MIysville,
Kentucky, his father lived at Georgetown,
Ohio, not far distant. 1t was from George
town he was sent to West Point. His
father applied TO Senator Morris, of Ohio,
who referred the application to Represen-
tatiVe Hamer, who secured the appoint
ment. The same person was afterward
General Hamer in the Mexican war, and
his proteqe, Lieutenant Grant, had the mel
ancholy satisfaction Of attending his dying
bed and ministering to him when mOrtally
sick of fever in Mexico.
At Ripley, Ohio, carriages were rendered
the party, and several citizens Joined in a
drive over to Georgetown, about twelve
miles distant, where they arrived at 81
O'Clock the night of the Sd. Here the
General found himself in the midst of old
and endeared friends. Here he had lived
from the age of one year until he left for
West Point. The Fourth of July was
spent here most delightfully."-, visiting from |
neighbor to neighbor, and reviving the
memories of the olden time. Friends !
went by old familiar names. Titles and |
stiff formalities were wholly ignored. 1t |
was, allow are you, JOhn?" "Why, Ulys- !
ses, is this you? How in the world did !
YOU find your way back here?' Old men |
and women greeted their former neighbor |
as their son, and the greatest joy pervaded |
the people. No discrimination was made |
by Democrats, and political differences
were unthOught of, but all We'd with each /
other in extending a good, Old-fashioned |
welcome to their old friend and neighbOr. |
Some humorous scenes and dialogues oc-
Cured. Not a few of the friends said !
"Well, Ulysses, you know we are Demo- |
Gratis, and always have been, but we are
mighty proud of our old townsman, and |
we are afraid you have demoralized our
politics a little; we reckon some of us will |
have to vote for you"
On the night of the Fourth, the General !
drove to Bethel, Ohio, twelve miles from /
Georgetown, where he stopped an hour
with Mr.. Morris, son of Senator Morris, who |
had been instrumental in appointing him .
to West Point. Here although the hour
was late, he was met by numerous old