Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-04-08
GENERAL GRANTS UNCLE.
Ninety-One Years of Age and "Rather
Sassy About n Horse Trade Yet"


Sammy Simpson is the oldest man in
Clermont County, and the oldest living
relative OF General Grant He was born
in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania,
ninety-one years ago, and has lived in
Clermont since 1913, when his father.
John Simpson, moved to Ohio and
bought the Page farmnear the old town
of Bethel. On this farm, and in 4 brick
house yet standing, Uncle Sammy Simp-
son saw his sister Hannah married to
Jesse Il. Grant This was on June q,
1921, and Rev. Moses Edwards, a Bap-
fist minister, performed the ceremony.
Sixty-fye years have passed since that
day, and Uncle Sammy is the only sur
viyor of that happy wedding party. He
is yet hearty old man who, although
somewhat lame from rheumatism, walks
about his modest little farm near the
town of Bantam, and talks sensibly and
sadly of his distinguished nephew, Cen
eral Grant When Jessie Grant became
a member of the Simpson family he also
became a partner with Uncle Sammy in
a tannery at Bethel. When less than a
year after the wedding Hiram Ulysses
was born the proud uncle insisted that
the boy baby should be named for him,
but name had already been chosen by
the mother, and the uncle was told that
the next male child should be called by
his full name
The next child was boy, and the
promise was kept 1t was christened
Samuel Simpson Grant. Strange TO
say, no newspaper writer or blographer
has ever taken notice of General Grants
brother Samuel The child died young
and was buried in the old cemetry at
Bethel, near the monument which marks
the grave of Thomas Morris, once sena-
tor from Ohio. This child is the only
member of the Grant family buried in
the old county of Clermont
The Herald correspondent learned this
during q recent visit to the old man at
his humble home. He lives with his
daughter and her husband, W. Z. Bur
rou9hs, few miles south of Batavia. He
came into the parlor with some diff
Guilty and noise, using cane and crutch.
He dresses plainly, his hair is white, but
for his age abundant, his eyes dim, yet
he cun read with his "glasses." And
during his nephew's sickness no one in
the land read the papers closer than his
old uncle here in the quiet country home.
Eyes, I'm pretty old" said the old
man with pride "Few live to be as old
as | am When the Ncrai6 CORE
spondent referred to the dead general he
said: "Oh, how ! wanted to see him be-
fore he died, Two years ago when sis
ter Hannah, his mother, died, couldn't
GO to the funeral at Cincinnati, but
Ulysses came out here to see me. He
was looking heavy and fat then and l
thought he would live to be at my fun
eral He was glad like then TO come
back here and we talked for several
hours. He gave me picture Of him
self, but don't suppose he looked much
like that when he died. "
Then the old man went to his room,
and came back with the precious pict-
ure, cabinet photograph on which the
general had written his autograph. And
as the conversation turned ON pictures
and relics Of the great dead relative
other members OF the family brought
out pictures made during the war, show
ing the general in the field among his
captains and generals. There were also
pictures of Oville Grant made before
the war, when he was a big, full-beard-
ed farmer.
A picture of Simpson, the brother re-
ferred to before, represents him q young
man of refined, soft features. He was
consumptiy( and died in a wagon while
making an overland trip for his health
in Minnesota. Caroline Grant, maid
en- sister, who died during the war; is
remembered by an old photograph rs a
thin, not npleasaut-looking woman, of
whom much admiration has been ex-
pressed.
She died Just rs her brother was about
to take charge of the Army of the Poto-
mac-a command which had ruined so
many generals. Uncle Sammy speaks
very tenderly of her last sickness. and
her tender remembrance of her brother.
Her last words were: Il fear Ulysses
viii have misfortune She is buried in
Cincinnati beside the father and mother
There is little resemblance between
the general and his old uncle. And yet
the son inherited from his mothers side
the courage and determination which
distinguished his career. The Simpson
blood is cooler than that of the Grants,
and the utter fearlessness of the dead
warrior is a characteristic of the uncle,
made manifest as he said: Eyes, my
time will come soon, but I'm ready"
Some one said: Uncle Sammy, are
you nor afraid to die?"
what, sir. Afraid to die? Oh, no.
If l was sure that l would die to-mor-
row morning at o'clock, / would lie
down tonight and sleep just as soundly
as if was to live hundred years long
en-"
The old mans pride even to-day is his
knowledge Of horses In this the gen.
eral was like him. Whenever the two
met their conversation was mostly on
horse flesh, and the old man told the
Herald correspondent how when Ulysses
was boy he had taught him how to
break horses and ride--a knowledge
which was Of service 70 the soldier.
But during the war Ulysses found one
horse that he could not manage said
the old man, laughing. 1T was a big,
dun beast, and he sent it here thinking
that could use it. 'Twa'nt no use. He
was war boss, and would jump every
fence on the farm So we sent it to the
sanitary fqiy. al Chicacro and H. was sold