Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1868-03-05
From the New York Ledger. p
THE EARLY LIFE OF GENERA
GRANT.


The General comes of good fighting
stock, His great-grandfather, Capt
Noah Grant, a native OF Windsor, now
Tolland, Conn, was killed in the battle
at White Plains, in:li7 his great grand
fathers brother, Lieut.. ooiomon Grant
was killed in the same battle. / have
in my possession an origi0nal muster
roll made out by Capt. Noah Grant, in
l775-the year before his deatl.5 his
own name heads itas captain the names,
dates OF service, and quality" of the
men are duly entered in seperate col
umns; and, as illustrative of the senti-
ments of those days, one hundred and
twelve years ago, on the military aspect
of color, may quote the following des
ignations of some of the privates:
Prince, negro. n"Jupiter, negro. y
Captain Noah Grants son, Noah
Grant. also native of Connecticut, was
my father; and if he did not get killed
in battle like his worthy sire, it was not
because ne did not perseveringlytake all
the chances of such a death, for lie fought
in the Revolutionary war, from. begin
ming to end oveEseven years He was
Lieutenant of militia at. the battle Of
Lexington. This long period of solderin
spoilt him Tor all financial business
NV mother-who was his second wife
lived, the family were alwaysin comfort
aDle circumstances; but after her death
in 1S65-we had to separate, ard that
impressed upon the minds of all of us
a lesson which we never forgot. She
left seven children-the. oldest only
twelve. Every one of them subsequent
ly became wealthy. My father was born
rich, and was man of education /; but
he died poor. His children were born
poor, but acquired comfortable com
potency. q" 'n' -
was born in Westmoreland County,
Pennsylvania, January %, il794. When
| was five years of aye, was taken by
my father, who emigrated with his
family, to that part of the Northwestern
Territory which is now Columbiana
County, Ohio. When was ten, years
of age we moved to Portage County, in
the Western Reserve. Atsixteen, ] was
regularly apprenticed to my halfbrother
to learn the tanning business, at Mays
willie Kentucky. l faithfully served out
my apprenticeship; and soon after be-
came of age, set up business for myself,
at Ravenna, Portage County, Otto; 81
Here suffered u severe and prptractcd
illness from fever and ague, which finally
compelled me to relinquish business.
The savings of four years were consum-
ell by the expenses of this sickness. In
1920 settledtemporarily at Smiln place
called Point Pleasant, situated directly
on the Ohio river, twenty-five miles
above Cincinnati; and in June, lS25,Jl
was married to Miss Hannah simpson,
and commenced housekeeping at that
place. ey.,i i.,-t i.t.i.e.,..l.- -,tf14 .t.,go
Here, on the 9th of April, 1922, our
first child, Ulysses S. Grant, was born.
The house in which this event occurred
Is still standing. gd ttoiGl =
Five other children-were subsequent
ly added to cur family, One, son and
one daughter, both grown aud, both
single. died of consumption during the
late war;. h...3 ysFF
Industry, frugality and perseverance,
made Inc fortunate in business and en-
abled me to accumulate a competency
for myself and my family. In, 1854, at
the aye of sixty, | measureably retired; I;
that is, Withdrew from the direct per-
sonal supervision of my business, I. s.sI
My SONS, Simpson Grant since de-
ceised-and Orvil l.. Grant-now of
Chicago the business for
twelve years, in my name, and made
more than twice as much money as we
had ever.made before. We always had
the reputation of-making the very best
of leather-we tanned with nothing but
oak, and that made 1t superior. ....
About two years ago, had made up
my mind that should enjoy more see
ing the principal part of my property In
the possession Of my children than /
should keeping 1t In my own. General
Grant said he had done nothing toward
making IL, and he did not want any of
It, The Government had provided for
him SO well that Iacquiesced In his view.
My son Orvil, who Is In business in
,r<, xx<l tba, - cha fa1