Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-02-14
OUR GRANTS OoURTsHIP.
His Success as e"spsrk, and LITE as Father.


| well remember a conversation |
had with Mrs Casey, the sister of
Mrs. Grant, regarding the engage
ment, marriage and married life of
the late president of the United
States. Lieutenant Ulysses S. Grant
first met Julia Baggs Dent at the
house of Colonel O'Falian, in st.
Louis. where Miss Dent was visiting
in ls48. The introduction was not
by the young lady's brother, but by
Mr.. Hazlitt, a classmate Of Grants.
Young Grant was then stationed at
Jefferson Barracks, and the Dent fam
lily were living at this time three miles
from the barracks, and, at that time,
about seven miles from st Louis, the
family were upon their fine country
place, White Haven farm, containing
about thousand acres of land and
handsome buildings, ga large farm
house full of empty rooms,' as Mrs.
Casey expressed it. The old Dent
mansion was famous for its hospital
ties, and in those days of slavery there
were plenty Of servants. Grant was
frequent visitor at the house in
company with his classmate, Fred
Dent, and the old story was told
again. They were soon engaged, and
before many months Lieutenant Grant
was ordered to Natchitoches, La.
The Mexican war followed and Grant
won his spurs as captain. After five
years of ngagement-such constancy
is, at least, remarkable-th young
couple were married at the city resi-
dence of Mr.. Don't on Fourth street,
st. Louis by Rev. DR.. Linn, a Metho-
dist, on August %, l84s. The grooms.
men were both army officers, who, by
the way were, officers in the confed-
crate army during the war. Mrs.
Grant began her housekeeping in
government barrack at Sacketts Har-
Dor, New York, where her husband
the captain, was ordered soon after
his marriage. Her life at this time
was modest enough. Sometimes she
had one servant and sometimes none,
and their quarters were of the hum.
blest description, although much more
comfortable and better supplied than
she had in after years. In about
year. in the California days of 40
Captain Grant was ordered to the
land of gold. Owing to her delicate
health Mrs Grant could not endure
the sea trip by way of the Isthmus,
and she went to her fathers home at
White Haven farm. Here her first
child was born (ls50) who is now
Col. Fred Dent Grant, on Sheridans
staff Capt. Grant was two years
and more in California when he re.
signed from the army and came bone
not having seen his wife for two and
half years and never having seen
his son. The old man Dent then
gave him portion of the White Ha-
ven farm and built a house for him on
it; but Grant was not made for far.
mer. He often said he "did not get
on" so he traded the property off for
a house in St. Louis, " hither he moved
and began business as a real estate
agent. He didn't "get on" in this
business either, and it was not long
before he was again on the White
Haven farm. The second child, Ulys-
ses S. Grant, Jr. was born at Grants
fathers house. at Bethel, Ohio, in
1852. The third child Nellie,-now
Mrs. Sartoris--was born on the old
Dent homestead in 1858. 1t will thus
be seen that not one of the four chill
dren of Gen. Grant were born under
his own roof. Those who are dis
posed to complain of Grants consid-
Grafton of his wife's relatives IN after
years, will find, if they inquire that
the obligations of lifetime are large
ly on the side of the Dent family. |
They did more for General Grant than |
he ever did for them, "by large ma
jority," as my friend Bardwell Slote
saws