The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1908-06-12
GRANT REJECTED
FOR SMALL OFFICE
Paper Found Shows He want
ed TO Be County Engineer.
Nine Years Later He Was N0nli-
mated by Acclamation for
Presidency.

J.5t Gen. L. S. Grant was once turn
q down by 5. Louis poll icians' who
refused 10 give him a job viii be a SUI
prise TO many who DO nol know ne
once asked for an office here. \
document was uncovered in The office
Of City Register Regain wednesday
which shows that Grant ,red 20 get
political office in 1888.
The paper was discovered by Depu-
~ CITY Register JDla ". McCluskey
while lie was searching through old
records for an old 5. Louis County
document. He found that under da e
of August /, 1859. The future grea;
general and president, ,hen 81 years
old had applied for position as coun-
y engineer, and was turned down by
the Board Of County Commissioners in
favor of another applicant.
The paper was unmarked, except a
pencil uo-e on he back, stating mat
ST was the application " L. :. Grant
1884, j. was O recommends ION wr.,-
ten D. I. I. Reynolds, o Wes- PJin,
e.alu and chlm 90 Grant Rty-
Lo.5s was a1apr,,.sz.r ot e-g.neeriag
AID ...... .cs ID, Washington DA-F-.-
SHY. ... ap-r was a--s.@d by 5.
it, Fra. T.J explained -la. i- had
also l... chum 5i Grant al Yves,
P1.a. uI mad served -.sl years
with Jim ID The army The document
follows.
5. Louis. Angus 3. ls-2.-Cap- L..
S. Grant was q m-m.-. of lie class
a. -1e mI AIRY academy Yves, PoinJ,
which graduated in 1913. He always
maintained a high standing and gradu
a.,I win great c.-i. especially ia
ua-1aM- - mechanics and engineer
ing. From my personal knowledge
Of bis e.. acl.y and acqu!remeA.s a.
well as las strict IN gritty and un.e-
uniting .alIsjry,I consider him In an
emlu-n. RI gree Qual.n-d for the office
Of c,un.y engineer I.LREYNOLDS.
Professor Mechanics and Engineerin
Washington University.
was for three years in the corps
of cadets at West Point with Cape.
Gram and afterward served with him
for some eight years is in the army
and can fully indorse The foregoing
statements Of Prof. Reynolds.
(Signed) 5. NJ FROST
That Gen. Grant did not get the
position which he asked for is shown
by the failure of his name 10 appear
in the county roster OF that date and
by the American Encyclopedia, which
says that he accepted employment
with his father in The leather bust
ness al Galena, H., 3, about that date
The position of county engineer was
poor pay and its principal duies dealt
with the construction of county bridge
and similar work. The office was un
der the jurisdiction Of the Board of
County Commissioners whose duties
judging from the old records seem
20 have consisted mostly in the man
agemout and Improvement of county
roads and ne admission OF paupers 10
the PoornOuse.
The Board of County Commissioners
1sgms 10 nave showed no interest in
the man who was 10 be president OF
tne United States. Aside from The
one -ccord, showing that his appli-
cation for he position was duly filed
jOr record, he seems 10 have b-en
entirely ignored by -Ao board.
Gen. Grant had love for 81. Louis
due 30 the face that he married in
1S4S. MissJulia Dent, a S.. Louis cDun-
ty girl who was u sister Of one Of his
West 20 classmates. He rs g. ]
from tine army while stationed al
Fort vancouver Ore, July 81, 1851,
and came ~ ST. Louis County 10 live.
He cultivated a farm and engaged in
..g real esta.e business unul 1858
when he entered business with MS
le remained until the beginning OF
the c.y.l Ntr. r. gnt years la.er, ~
JUS, li.e gasrs after being refused q
Job iy g.. Board Of Commissioner.
OF ST. Lou County, ne Was u1mlAa,-
ed by accialuation in the Republican
National Conyon ION for presiden, Of
The United Scates and elcc,ed.
The. discovery Of Tho record OF
Grants firs1 failure as politician is
of peculiar interest just now
on account Of the references
10 Gen. Grants 81. Louis
career by Secretary Of War Taft
in his Memorial Day address which has
raised a Juror among Grants friends.
In his personal memories General Gran
of the incident:
While a citizen of st. Louis and
engaged in the real-estate egency bust
ness | was a candidate for the office
of county engineer an office of re-
spectability and emolument which
would have been very &C
ceptable to me at that time
The incumbent was appointed
by the County Court which con-