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Ulysses S. Grant

Hiram Ulysses Grant

18th President of the United States of America

(Willard Grant was the 5th cousin of Ulysses S, Grant twice removed)

Soon after birth, Grant's name was changed to Ulysses Hiram Grant; when he arrived at West Point military academy in 1839, he found that he had been registered as Ulysses Simpson Grant, and he never bothered to change it. A sloppy cadet but a great horseman, Grant went on to serve in the Mexican War. A failure as a farmer and a businessman, Grant soared to fame during the Civil War as President Abraham Lincoln's choice as commander of the Union Armies (from 1864). After the war, Grant was easily elected to two terms as President, but his administration was tainted by corruption among his Cabinet members.

He was succeeded by Rutherford B. Hayes.

Grant died impoverished, but his family was saved from bankruptcy when his memoirs were published... Grant succeeded Andrew Johnson as president; Johnson had taken over when Abraham Lincoln was killed in 1865... He was the 18th president of the United States.

Born - April 27, 1822

 Point Pleasant, Clermont County, Ohio

Married - August 22, 1848

St. Louis, Missouri

Died - July 23, 1885  ~ 8:06 A.M.

Mount McGregor, New York

Burial - General Grant National Memorial

Manhattan Island, New York City, New York

Wife - Julia Boggs (Dent) Grant

Born - January 26, 1826

White Haven Plantation

West of Saint Louis, Missouri

Died - December 14, 1902

Washington, District of Columbia

Burial - General Grant National Memorial

Manhattan Island, New York City, New York

Son - Major General Frederick Dent Grant

Born - May 30, 1850

Saint Louis, Missouri

Son -Ulysses Simpson Grant Jr.

Born - July 22, 1852

Bethel Township, Miami County, Ohio

Died - September 25, 1928

San Diego, San Diego County, California

Daughter -Ellen "Nellie" Wrenshall Grant

Born - July 4, 1855

Wish Ton Wish, (Near) Saint Louis, Missouri

Son - Jesse Root Grant

Born - February 6, 1858

Hardscrabble, (Near) Saint Louis, Missouri

Father - Jesse Root Grant

Born -January 23, 1794 

Greensburg, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Married - June 24, 1821

Point Pleasant, Ohio

Died -June 29, 1873

Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky

Mother - Hannah Simpson Grant

Born - November 23, 1798 

Died - May 1, 1883

Grandfather - Noah Capt Grant

Grandmother - Rachel Miller Kelly

Ulysses S. Grant was stationed in Placerville following the Mexican War. Missing his family, Grant turned to drink as solace. He earned a reputation as a drunk and left the service under a cloud. His spirituous notoriety would follow him into Civil War service. Abraham Lincoln is reported to have replied when informed that Grant had a propensity to partake: “Find out what he is drinking and send a case to my other generals. This man fights.”

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On February 16, 1862, during the Civil War, a Union soldier carried a message from his general to the battle-weary Confederate forces defending Fort Donelson in Tennessee. The Confederate commander had asked for terms upon which he could surrender the fort. The 39-year-old Union general, Ulysses S. Grant, replied that only “an unconditional and immediate surrender” would be accepted. This phrase, and the man who said it, at once captured the attention of the country. U. S. Grant became Unconditional Surrender Grant.

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Ulysses Grant was a devoted family man and had his family with him whenever he could during the War. His oldest son Fred was with his father often. During the Battle of Black River Bridge, thirteen year old Fred was wounded when a musket ball struck him in the left thigh.

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On August 28, 1848, Grant married Julia Dent from St. Louis, whose family held slaves. Grant himself owned a slave named William Jones, acquired from his father-in-law. At a time when he could have desperately used the money from the sale of Jones, Grant signed a document that gave him his freedom.

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Grant's wife, First Lady Julia Grant, was cross-eyed. When it was suggested to her that she have an operation to have it corrected, President Grant replied that he liked her that way

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A riddle relating to Grant's Tomb, popularized by Groucho Marx on his game show You Bet Your Life, is "Who is buried in Grant's Tomb?" Though the proper answer is "nobody" Grant and his wife are entombed, not buried, Groucho would usually accept "Grant". Groucho would ask this question to contestants to ensure that they won something on his show.

"My family is American, and has been for generations,

in all its branches, direct and collateral."

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Last Up-Date   12/25/2007 01:08:13 PM