The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-29
TWO SETS OF 7RIPLETS.
The Only Known Trio Of Brothers
Who Reached Seventy Two
simultaneously.
Three Sturdy Grant Brothers Who
Are tho Pride Of Torring-
ton, Conn.
Tho Town Of Essex, Same State, Com On
Forward with . Set of Female
Trlplots.

Trlplets.
tTonR1NdToN. Conn.,, Sept. 28:--1t 10 doubt
fol il any town ever had go pleasant a time
all to itself - TorrinRton had last Wednes-
day. II has placed a new feather in its cap,
and nov wears two. The hrst denotes
possession Of the largest brass works in the
world. a fact also visible on tho face Of
local affairs; and tho new one because it
has tho only SGT of seventy-year old triplets
In the known world. The whole town 10
aRoR over the triplets' jubilee.
These are tho Grant brothers-Matthew
A.. William A., and Daniel A., in order Of
seniority. Matthew does mot take much
glory to himself over his advantage, but
William and Daniel insist on making due
acknowledgment. They are three as gay,
hearty, and erect old boys as one may meet.
They rush in unflinchinRly where younger
mon hesitate. and for tho day they owned
the town. It was ell at their disposal. In
the afternoon they held a reception at the
Office Of Lawyer Welsh. Lots Of people
camo in to shake hands aud chat with them,
and their history all came out.
They were born here In T%orrington. near
the town plot, early or o Sunday morning.
Daniel says that soon after his birth they
put him in . two-quart cup and clsppsd on
the cover over him. But no one can say
anything against his stature now, for he
lines up with his brothers without discredit
to himself. The family of Grant has 4
predilsction for T%orrinaton. The gra nd
father and father passed their lives here,
and the triplets are doing the same. They
William shamefacedly to-day confessed to
having onoe passed eleven months away;
but / was in the state" he added, stoutly.
The father of the triplets must have been
a proud man, for, when tho babies were i've
weeks old. he exhibited Thorn at the Litch-
field county cattle fair. This 20 ancerred
tho grandfather that he vowed to out his
son off with less than = nickel, but forgot
to keep his word.
The brothers came up through babyhood
in company with \ sister who had fourteen
months the start Of them. 'And you should
ses the cradle we had.'' orinned Matthew.
ut was square. and they put US one in
each corner, feet toward the middle, and
there we set" After emancipation from the
square cradle came boyhood, much like that
quarreled. They dwell on that point with
pride, and say it might have been because
they didn't have each others old clothes to
wear out.
But you used to scrap with the other
kids, unols?" Everybody unoles the BROTH
ers.
.'Scrap! / should say 80. Lot any boys
tackle one of us and the rest would be there
in short order. And ! guess it would be
about SO now. We were boys together.
(uncle doesn't know 'comrades.' y had groups
and measles all at the same time, and We
with blazing four-foot wood evenings and
hear stories. Oh, my grandfather fit at
Bunker Hill, and when l was but a younker
full many a tale he told me of that %sanguin-
airy fray."
speak poetry, did We, and sing? Oh, I can.
We went to singing school when We were
ten years old, didn't We, Luciuo?" slappinR
on the knes Lucius Booth, of New Britain,
who was there to see his old mates for the
FIRST time in forty years. "and went home
with the girls afterward?"
II did, ohuckled Lucius.
Eyes, but not our girls" and the brothers
Yoared at the memory of their callow days.
Then they went or unrolliuR the years of
the past, and the web showed that no plain
Connecticut farmer. The brothers married
in T%orrington and surrounding towns, and
along in 1866 William sickened of typhoid
fever. II was a hard pull for him and
doubtful days went by. Then one night,
his wife, who had cared for him uncens-
1IRlyv 0kOA0 v AllA &AAA AS WIN
a shadow Of his old happy way: William
is better" said he. From that mo-
ment she was weakened. Sustained through !
trial by love for her husband, when he was
safe once more, the strain relaxed, and in a |
week she was dead. A solemn hush, sue
ceedinR loud laughter, fell on the little
group as William huskily spoke OF the loss
he sustained so many wears ago. "And then
In a compile of years I married again. he
went on slowly. u sorter had to. I WAS
on the farm, and hadn't no one to keep |
house for me, and there was my motherless
little girl"
Then the gathering cheered up again,
and the brothers lecounted present bless
ings. Matthew has three children and five
grandchildren. Daniel has one child and
is brevet grandfather to, seven descendants
of a former marriage of his wife, but mono
OF the Grant brothers children are boys,
and none of the descendants bears the |
family name. 1T dies out with u.s." said
Daniel.
The brothers are life long democrats in
national and state POLITICS. In town mat
teIs they are independent. Daniel and
William are church members, (~Adventists,)
but Matthew, SO his brothers say, belongs
to the devils church" As the boys had
all boyish sicknesses together, SO they to-
ecther attained to the tobacco habit when
chewed and smoked as they wanted to.
To-day huge Characterization leaf
we're projected from their mouths all day,
except when being photographed in a group;
and as for drink, they take that when
inclined. They drink cider, brandy, and
lager beer. and think a glass of red spirit
not a bad thing after n hard days work.
They claim the relation of nephews to-
ward Miles Grant, the celebrated Adventist
speaker, and n more distant one toward
Gen. Grant.
The opera house was packed with citizens
ut night publicly to Congratulate the Grant
brothers on their unrivaled record. That
Was the way ] awyer Welch explained it in
his speech. He said the occasion was with
out parallel, and that it wys a great thing
to be a ~triplet. Adam raised Cain, but he
failed on t~riplets. Common people had to
60 it alone; thay couldn't be triplots. Even
r eaident Harrison had to admit that
the brothers feelingly alluded to as
the three I%orrlngton triplets,' stood up
Soul, Thy Groat Redeemer Praise, , in the
way they did at singing school sixty years
ago, and they sang up good and loud. and
how they we're applauded! Plainly, Tor
rington people have great regard for tho