Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-05-29
HEBER j. GRANT.

- I1CoEn I
All communications for this depart
lnent should be addressed to the secre-
tary of the society, Elder Joseph Il.
Smith, Jr., care OF Historians office,
Salt Lake City, Utah.
THE GRANT FAMILY.
The Grant family has given to the
world many famous leaders, II dis
tinguished military men. From the
very earliest history recorded or this
family, their men have been noted for
their bravery, patriotism and loyalty
to country and friends.
The father of Elder Heber j. Grant,
Jcdediall NJ. Grant, Joined the Church
when u boy OF II, and held many posi-
ions of trust, both ecclesiastical and
state. Az pioneer, he was later one
Of the first presidency, succeeding
Willard Richards, as counselor to
President Brigham Young. He has the.
distinction OF being the first mayor
of Salt Lake City, which Office he hold
by continuous election as long as ho
lived. He was brigadier- general of the
Utah militia. Broad-minded and liber-
~ - 10 NiSNs' sSls aiNoSS HCtiOuS III
the nus OF truth, his life was char
acterizod by the family traits of cour-
age, candor and Integrity.
The third great grand parents of
Elder Grant were Beriah Grant and
Martha. Parke, of S%tonlngton, Con-
necticut. The mother of Berlah Grant
vas Mercy Billings. The Grants,
Parkes and Billings are all well known
New England families.
Matthew Grant and his wife Priscil-
Ia We're the first of this family to emil
crate to America and although Der
iah's exact relationship to Matthew
has not been established, it is reason.
able to suppose he belonged to the
same family. The emigrants, Matthew
and Priscilla, settled first in MassacIu-
sets in 1880, but five years later with
a. number of other families moved
from Dorchester, Mass, to the Con-
necticut valley. The Parkc and Bill
llngs families both lived in Dorchester
before settling in Connecticut.
President Ulysses S. Grant was a
descendant of Matthew and Priscilla,
and several of this family fought for
independence in the war OF the Revo-
luton.
1t is probable that tho American
Grants are descended from the ancient |
Scottish clan, the Grants of Grant. |
Nothing certain is known of the origin
of the Grants OF Scotland. The clan,
however, claims descent from Gregor,
Nor MacGregor, who lived in the
twelfth century, and this claim is sup
ported by the fact that they use to
this day the same badge OF distinction
pine, or cranberry heath" There
are several traditions about their orig
in which are interesting and enter
tanning. A manuscript of ancient date |
owned by John Grant, ESQ, boldly de-
clares that the great progenitor of the
Grants was the Scandinavian god
Odin, who came out OF Asia 500 A.
d. Another authority says: The place
from which the Highland Grants de-
rive their name is called Griantach, or
Sun, and his day was Sunday, and
even within the emo of man liba-
tons of milk We're placed in hollow
stones called grant" of which there
was one in every village. The reason,
of course, forgotten, but the ceremony
still maintained" So much for tradi-
ton.
The first of the name on record in
Scotland was Gregory de Grant. who
in the reign of Alexander II yQ214 to
1249) was sheriff of Inverness. BY
80 iio INtti iioiSt hdo5iitSi III
Sir John Biset, he became possessed
of Stratherrick. ]
His Oldest son, Sir Lawrence, married :
heiress of Comyn of Glencher-
fach, and obtained his father-in-law's
Estates in S~trathspey, and a connection
with the most potent family in Scot
At the accession of Robert the Bruce,
Inc Grants do not seem to nave been
very numerous in Scotland. out as the
of Strathspey (known from that
time as the country of the Grants,
'ormed n clan, with the Grant name,
hey acquired high position and great