The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-16

by very heavy sliding doors. The door facingS
and window acings are very broad bat without
carving or molding, and are painted white just as
they were in their days Of glory Theknobs of the
doors are of solid brass. and perfectly smooth.
as was the fashion when the house was built
The fire place is surmounted by a wooden man
tel, and is faced by an ornamented sheetiron
front which has escaped any serious DETACHMENT
or injury all these years. The most notable
feature, however is the chandelier, which Is the
same that lighted the memorable bridal festival.
1t is a very unique affair in bronze with three
burners and three supporting rods, between
which latter is a handsome knightly figure. The
wonder is that such souvenir has remained
safely through all the mutations to which the
house has been subjected. The front room is
sleeping room but at the time the report
er called it was bare and in course of renovation.
The back paror is a dining room. There is
nothing in the general plan of the house to call
for special mention, as it is an ordinary
dwelling place. with three large rooms on each
of three large floors, and hall room additional
on tie second floor. The walls and doors are all
thick, and the inside fixtures are in fair state
of preservation. 1t is furnished in style suita-
bile to the class of custom which boarding
house in that locality commands, and the land
lady pays $40 per month rental for it to Mrs.
Walsh, the owner.
1t would appear that the DAYS of this relic are
already numbered as it lies directly in the line
of the proposed route of the elevated road which
is to connect the Iron Mountain road with the
Union depot
The bridal couple did not make this house
their home. but after wedding trip they re-
turned to st. Louis and lived for sometime with
Mrs. Grants parents out at the farm. on the
Gravois road 1t was there, at the resi-
de.ce known as the Wish tom Wish, that
their daughter Nellie (now Mrs Sartoris)
was born as were one or two OF
the boys. After prolonged furlough, Lieuten-
ant Grant resumed his army duties, spending
part of his time at Jefferson barracks, where he
was located at the time of his marriage, and
part of the time elsewhere. In 1852 he was as
signed to post out in Oregon Territory. with
eF he took his wife and children. 1t was q
lonesome place. however, and the distance from
her home and friends was so great that the
young wife became an almost constant sufferer
from inconsistencies. She bore 1t long as she
could, but inally.induced her husband TO send
her home He either came with her soon
followed her, having resigned his army commits
sion This was in 1854 He located with his
family out On the Dent farm, Mr Dent having
made his daughter present of eighty acres and
four slaves. They lived there very nicely. but
Grant did not find the life congenial Every
body liked him, because he was sociable
kindly. and adapted himself to all sorts of com
pany. But nobody pointed him out as a model
farmer, and he knew it. The chief farming ne
id was TO haul cordwood to town and sell it. on
Which occasion the very familiar costume which
lad his eaunt form was n jeans pants, gray
7oolen shirt, one or two "galluses," a pair Of
rawhide boots, a SLOUGH hat and an unIrimmed
N
Somehow o. other he didn't get along very well,
and he complained because he could find nothing
TO do by which he could earn a living. He was
In no desperate strait because his father in law
was quite we'll to do, but his pride stood in the
way OF accepting any more assistance than was
absolutely necessary Finally he learned that the
county court was about TO appoint a new county
surveyor, and, being quite an expert civil en-
glneer, he wrote an application for the position.
Another aspirant was Col K. c. Solomon and as
trPaut DOScpScqd n
ing appearance, or of any of the ''infeoence"
which was as essential then as now, his applica-
ton was rejected.
firing completely of farm life. hs moved in to
town, and at first occupied for time house at
s4ne southeast corner of Seventh and Lynch
streets. Here they lived in very nice style, and
Grant meanwhile sought some employment
which would enable him to make living for
his growing family. He knew very few people,
and, besides, his army life had totally untitled
him for commercial pursuits, SO that he found
very poor success in his search His funds be-
gan to run low, and, after boarding for time,
he moved his family into very dirninutive cot
tage which now bears the number of 1908 Bar
ton street.
This dwelling is now thanked or either side by
brick residences, which tower far above it. so
that it seems TO shrink and crouch between
them. 1t has the aspect or a very lonesome lit
tie thing that had somehow other got lost, yet
it could boast the day when it was the only house
on the block; in fact, there was no house nearer
to it than two hundred yards, that being all open
and rough country at the time. There is a great
deal of individuality.to the house, and its APP
pearance is calculated to awaken the interest of
any passing stranger. 1t is suggestive of a bird
cage in its proportions and style, and it seems
difficult to believe that one of the greatest men
in Americas history lived there with his family
when he had almost reached the primo of
life. In those days, moreover, the house was
not nearly so large it is now, but
consisted only of single each
floor. The front door is reached by few stone
steps now, but before the street was graded the
ground was almost level with the door sill. The
callers knock is answered by Mrs Adolph Week
Ter who. with her husband, has lived in the
aome-like little place for twelve years The in
erior of the front or main room is, she says ex-
city the same as it was when the Grants lived
here, SO far as its general appointments are con-
erned. The front door opens right into the
DOM, whose ceiling is so low as to admonish a
all man to duck little. In the corner furthest
from the front entrance fight of stairs leads
up to the second, or garnet foor the narrow
stairway being cut off from view by a door just
before 1t makes q very promiscuous sort OF a
right angle to accommodate itself to the narrow
space allotted it The stairway gives opportunity
for snug closet underneath. At the
end of the closet the wall elbows of to the
east little and then makes room for a blind fire
place. after which there is still another elbow.
The entire room appears to be hardly more than
twelve feet square, but wthsits present tasty ap-
pointments is very inviting apartment Clam
berng up the stairsat some risk of limb, one sees
funny little room suggestive of playhouse
whose walls, beginning at height of four feet
from the floor slant inward from front and back
till they come within few feet of meeting at the
narrow ceiling. One could not help thinking
what nice place that would be in which to read
Or dream, or play when the rain is beating on
the roof. The two small windows in the front
wall of the room are still guarded by the same
diminutive railing that served in other years to
prevent Miss Nellie Grant from taking a header
out into the country road.
Along the east side of the house a porch ex-
tends, with we'll and wellcurb situated at it's
north end. At one time this well-curb was in
closed by small kitchen structure but this was
probably after the Grants left The curb and
windlass is the same that served to draw the
water supply for the uses of the Grant family,
and there is an antique air about the con
trivance which is very interesting even to the
dean that has henn in thu