The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-08-07
Grant at Halsna.
WHY lie LEFT his ST. LOUIS FARM AND
SETTLED IN NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS
go,euo Letter TO Chicago Inter. ocean.


Gdiend letter 10 chicago mte,-0cean.
When General Grant returned TO
his home in Galena in 1868, after
Summers absence on his farm pear ST.
Louis he met with most enthusiastic
reception at the hands Of our people.
He was then presidential candidate
and, despite the great honors that had
been conferred upon him, was as mod
est and unassuming in manner as the
humblest citizen of the land. During
his stay in st. Louis County he was
practically ignored by his neighbors,
his farm being in an intensely "secesh"
locality. To friend in the city he
related the following incident illustrat-
ing the animosity entertained toward
him by the Missourians Just pre-
vious to his departure for the North
he sent span of mules, which needed
shoeing, to neighbcring blacksmith.
shop, in charge of one of the hired
men. The latter, for the purpose OF
impressing the blacksmith with the
Importance of the job he was about to
undertake, informed him in some
what pompous manner that "dem dar
mules belonged to Gineral Grant, and
that "dar must be no foolishness about
de quality of de shoes
"What did you say = said the black
smith who failed TO catch the drift of
the darkey's remark. 1t was repeated
in still more ostentatious style,
whereupon the knight of the bellows
thundered out:
"You say those var mules belong to
Grant, Well, you can just take EN-
and go tc hi with em if you like ::
they get no shoeing at my shop"
The darkey took the mules home,
and Grant knocked their old shoes off
and drove them unshod until he left
that hostile locality.
In 1910 4. A. Collins, of Ohio, who
had been shipping leather to Galena
for several seasons, came on to look
after his business, and, being favor
ably impressed with the place, he
opened a store here and became a
permanent resident. During the fol-
lowing year Jesse r. Grant became
his equal partner, the firm being known
as E. A. Collins e Co. The business
continued for twelve years, the elder
Grant coming to Galena occasionally
from his home, in Ohio, to inspect the
books. About the time of the forma-
tion of the partnership Ulysses was
winding up his cadetship at West
Point. Simpson Grant, the second
eldest brother, came to Galena a boy
of IA, and entered his fathers store as
clerk. In 1853 the firm of 4. A. Col
Inns & Co. was dissolved; each one set.
ting up for himself, and in 1860 Mr..
G. II. Perkins, who was the successor
of the Grants and who still carries on
the leather business in this city, pur-
chased the stock and goodwill in trade
of 4. A. Collins, and in 1861 became
partner with Jesse Grant, the firm
name being Grant & Perkins. This
brings me to the circumstances which
induced Ulysses to take up his resi-
dence in Gaiena. The interest of his
father had been looked after by Simp-
son Grant, assisted by his youngest
brother Orville. The former by reason
of bad health, was compelled to relin-
quish his duties, going to Ohio. Simp-
son, away, it became necessary to have
his place filed, and Ulysses was re
quested by his father to give up his
farming in Missouri, in which he met
with indifferent success, and to come
to Galena and onter the leather store.
The proposition was accepted, and
Captain Grant, as he was then known,
reached here as soon as possible, un.
accompanied at first by his family.
Mrs. Grant and her children soon fol-
lowed--the former however, being
greatly opposed to leaving her Missouri
home. Ulysses position was that Of
general utility man. He kept the
books, bought hides, collected accounts
and did some little travelling for the
firm. None of the few who knew him
intimately at that time ever imagined
that destiny had marked him for one
of the greatest men in the worlds his.
tory, and that the star of his glory was
even then struggling to get above the
/ horizon.