GRANT

Aruma Grant, wife of Converse Fitch (see Fitch V), was a lineal descendant of Matthew Grant, founder of the family in America. Nothing seems to be definitely known of the European origin of the Grants. While many writers state that they descend from the Scotch clan of Grant, no proof has been forthcoming. In several branches of the family there are traiditons of Scottish descent, but they are vague and contradictory, while in another branch there is a particularly clear tradition of English origin. Few if any Scots emigrated to New England as early as 1630, and they would have been marked men. On the other hand it is known that Matthew Grant sailed from England in a ship that bore a Puritan church, gathered in the extreme south of England, that he was or soon became a member of this church, and was one of its most priminent members after the removal to Windsor, Connecticut. None of his children or grandchildren bore typical Scottish names, but instead bore the names then common among English Puritans, and which are still borne by a Grant family in the south of England. The only use of a coat-of-arms was by Samuel Grant, in 1739, in witnessing a will. Beside his signature is a seal on which is impressed the following coat-of-arms: On a chevron between three Fleur-de-lis five ermine spots. They are not the arms of any Grant family given by Burke, but Samuel being of the senior male line, would have been the most likely to possess any seal ring belonging to Matthew Grant. Whatever may have been the history of the family in Europe, in America it has been one that any member can review with honest pride.

Matthew Grant was an educated man, and among his descendants but two have been found who could not write. Other characteristics of the family are absolute honesty, unflinching tenacity, and a tendency to reticence. The best known and most conspicuous member of the family was President Ulysses S. Grant (baptized Ulysses Hiram), whose career from West Point to Mt. McGregor is American history, and whose imposing tomb on beautiful Riverside Drive in New York city is the American mecca. He was a son of Jesse Root Grant and his wife, Hannah Simpson, grandson of Noah Grant and his wife, Rachel (Miller) Kelly, great-grandson of Noah Grant and his wife Susanna Delano, great-great-grandson of Noah Grant and his wife, Martha Huntington, great-great-great-grandson of Samuel Grant and his second wife, Grace Miner, great-great-great-great grandson of Samuel Grant and his wife, Mary Porter, and great-great-great-great-great grandson of Matthew Grant, the emigrant and his wife Priscilla.

(I) Matthew Grant was born Oct. 27, 1601, died at Windsor, Conn., Dec. 16, 1681. He married (first), Nov. 16, 1625, Priscilla _____, died April 27, 1644.
On March 20, 1630, he embarked with his family on the "Mary and John" at Plymouth, England, and reached Boston Harbor May 30, 1630. He settled at Dorchester, Mass., and was admitted a freeman May 18, 1631. With many others he disliked the close union of church and state that characterized the colony of Massachusetts Bay, and in October, 1635, went overland with a party to the Connecticut river and prepared for the settlement at Windsor, where he settled with his family the following April. He was the first and for many years the principal sureyor; deacon of the First Church; recorder (town clerk), 1652 until 1677; selectman many years, and one of the most important men of the town. Stiles says: "Few men indeed, filled so large a place in the early history of Windsor or filled it so well as honest Matthew Grant."
In 1654 he compiled, "A Book of Records of Town Ways in Windsor." He was also the compiler of the "Old Church Record," which has furnished the basis for most of the families of ancient Windsor. He was a type of the best settlers of New England, and left to his descendants an untarnished name, and the example of an unswerving fidelity to the public trusts committed to him; for he quaintly comments on his own work: "I have been careful to do nothing on one man's desire."
His first wife, Priscilla, died in April 1644, and May 29, 1645, he married Susanna (Capen or Chapin) Rockwell, widow of Deacon William Rockwell.
Children of first wife:
1. Priscilla, married Michael Humphrey, a leading man in civil and ecclesiastical matters, by whom she had seven children. The Humphrey genealogy gives more than 76,000 of their descendants.
2. Samuel, see forward.
3. Tahan, married Hannah Palmer.
4. Matthew, died young.
5. ______, died young.
6. John, married Mary Hull; he was the fist military man of the family; during King Philip's war he was ordered to take twenty men and march to the relief of Westfield and Springfield.

(II) Samuel, eldest son of Matthew and Priscilla Grant, was born at Dorchester, Mass., Nov. 12, 1631, died at East Windsor, Conn., Sept. 10, 1718. When eighteen years of age he was employed to attend the Connecticut river ferry; in 1661 he was employed to "Shingle the inside roof of the Meeting House'" was part owner of a sawmill; sealer of measures; lister; constable; surveyor; and held other offices. He joined the church at Windsor, with his wife, in 1685, and were members of East Windsor in 1700. His house was on the bank of the river in the rear of the Theological Institute, but he afterward removed to the site of the present residence of Hon. Roswell Grant.
He married, May 27, 1658, Mary, born in England, 1638, daughter of John and Anna (White) Porter.
Children:
1. Samuel; see forward.
2. _____, died in infancy.
3. John, married (first) Elizabeth Skinner; (second) May Wells; had issue.
4. Matthew, wealthiest man in Windsor; part owner of a vessel; one of the company that owned the town of Torrington, Conn.; constable, sealer of leather, selectman and member of the church; married Hannah Chapman and had issue.
5. Josiah, removed to Stonington, Conn., where he was collector, lister, constable and tythingman; married Rebecca Miner and had issue.
6. _____, died in infancy.
7. Nathaniel, removed to Tolland and Ellington, where he was one of the earliest settlers; was hayward; colector and tythingman; married Bethia Werner and had issue.
8. Mary, married Deacon Joseph Skinner and had issue.
9. Sarah, died in childhood.

(III) Samuel (2), eldest son of Samuel (1) and Mary (Porter) Grant, was born in Windsor, Conn., April 20, 1659, died May 8, 1710. He was a carpenter, owned a cider mill, part owner of a sawmill, kept tavern, member of the East Windsor church, having previously owned the convenant on the church at Windsor.
He married (first) Dec. 6, 1683, Anna or Hannah, daughter of Samuel and Anna (Gillet) Filley.
Married (second) at Stonington, April 11, 1688, Grace,daughter of John and Elizabeth (Booth) Miner.
Children of first wife:
1. Sarah, mararied Thomas Skinner.
2. Samuel, died 1686.
Children of second wife:
3. Hannah, married (first) Thomas Morton; (second) Quartermaster John Moseley.
4. Samuel; see forward.
5. Noah, removed to Tolland, Conn., where he was one of the earliest settlers, selectman, lister and surveyor; married Martha Huntington and had issue.
6. Abigail, married Abiel Abbott and had issue.
7. Ephraim, removed to Grant's Hill, Tolland, where he was a most important man; collector, constable, treasurer, ensign, lieutenant, captain of the militia company.
Married (first): Elizabeth Cady; (second) Mrs. Esther Ladd; (third) Katherine Macham, and had issue by them all.
8. Grace, married John Bowers.
9. David, removed to Bloomfield, Conn., where he was tythingman, surveyor and ensign; married Elizabeth Chapman and had issue.
10. Ebenezer, had the homestead at East Windsor Hill; was a farmer; engaged in the East India trade as early as 1728; merchant as late as 1779, but was ruined by the war; large shipowner and builder; innkeeper, graduate of Yale College, 1726; clerk of the church, surveyor, deputy sheriff, constable, selectman, moderator, grand juror, captain of train band, member of committee of correspondence, 1774; he had charge of purchasing and forwarding clothing for the soliders, 1776-77; on committee to consider articles of confederation proposed by Congress, 1778; the British general, Prescott, was imprisoned at his house, 1777; married (first) Anne Ellsworth; (second) Mrs. Jemima (Leavitt) Ellsworth, widow of Captain David Ellsworth, and had issue by the first.
His son, Roswell, was a distinguished public man and soldier of the revolution and war of 1812.

(V) Samuel (3), eldest son of Samuel (2) and Grace (Miner) Grant, was born in Windsor, Conn., Sept. 19, 1691, died in East Windsor, April 7, 1751. He removed in 1726 to Bolton (now Vernon, Conn.), where he purchased five hundred acres of land on which a large part of Rockville now stands, and thirty-five of which are still in the family. [transcriber's note: this material was published in 1910]. Later he returned to Windsor. He was a weaver, lister, hayward, surveyor, constable, tythingman, and sergeant of the train band.
He married, Jan. 1, 1718-19, Theophyle Bartlett.
Children:
1. Abigail, married Joseph Prentice and had issue.
2. Azariah, of East Windsor Hill; member of the church, fence viewer, packer of tobacco, tythingman, grand juror; hayward and poundkeeper; married (first) Abigail Beaman; (second) Eunice _____, and had issue.
3. Aaron, of East Windsor Hill, lived opposite the homestead; carpenter and farmer, grand juror, keykeeper, tythingman, inspector; his wife, owned the covenant in the church at East Windsor, 1787; married (first) Mabel Easton, (second) Theodosia (baptized God's gift, and called Eudocia on the East Windsor church record), widow of Ozias Pitkin, of Hartford.
4. Gideon, died at Wapping, Conn., aged ninety years; member of the church at East Windsor; fence viewer, tythingman, grand juror, married Mehitable Bowers.
5. Abiel, married (first) Elizabeth Loomis, (second) Mary Wolcott.
6. Ozias, see forward.
7. Alexander, removed to Westfield, Conn.; was a carpenter and joiner; married (first) Thankful Lyman, (second) Miriam (Sexton) Bliss, daughter of Judge Sexton, of Enfield, and widow of David Bliss.
8. Elizabeth, married Sergeant Nathaniel Strong. (his second wife).

(V) Ozias, sixth child and fifth son of Samuel and Theophyle (Bartlett) Grant, was born at East Windsor, Conn., 1733, died at Rockville, May 22, 1823. He removed in 1761 to Vernon, Conn.; was a farmer and had grist and sawmills; was pressed into the English army and took part in the campaign aginst Quebec; when the news of Lexington reached Vernon he joined the company that marched from there. He was a large, stalwart man, of simple and quaint manners and given to queer speeches.
He married in Windsor, June 30, 1761, Lorana Strong, born in Windsor, Feb. 8, 1739-40, died in Bolton, June 25, 1817, daughter of John and Hepzibah (Walcott) Strong.
Children:
1. Elnathan, farmer of Rockville; private in Colonel Enos' regiment, 1778, and last survivor of the war in Tolland county, Conn.; member of the Vernon church, "a simple-hearted, pure-minded, honest Christian man"; married Roxana Fitch, daughter of Jeremiah and Abigail (Converse) Fitch.
2. Abiel, a miller; married Elsie King.
3. Wareham, a farmer and shoemaker; deacon of the Presbyterian church of Vernon; married Grace Reed.
4. Aurelia, married William Thrall, a deacon of the Congregational church, of which she was a member.
5. Augustus, a farmer and saddler of Rockville; principal owner of a woolen mill; member of the Vernon church; married Asenath, daughter of Captain Jehiel Fuller.
6. Aruma; see forward.
7. Zerviah, died in infancy.
8. Zerviah (also called Saviah), died unmarried at Vernon, Sept. 7, 1851.
9. Elijah, died in childhood.
10. Elisha, a carpenter and builder of Vernon; married (first) Electa Fuller; (second) Roxana Wyman.
11. Francis, a farmer of Rockville; married (first) Lora Root, (second) Anna Gates, (third) Mrs. Anna (Wood), widow of Isaac Doane.
12. Lorana, died unmarried.
13. Anna, married Ebenezer Root.
14. Elvira, died young.

(VI) Aruma, sixth child and second daughter of Ozias and Lorana (Strong) Grant, was born in Vernon, Conn., May 4, 1769, died in Tolland, Conn., June 7, 1855. She married in Vernon, Oct. 25, 1792, Converse Fitch (see Fitch V), son of Jeremiah and brother of Roxana fitch, wife of her brother, Elnathan Grant. Converse Fitch was a farmer and innkeeper. They owned the covenant in the Vernon church in 1794.
Children:
1. Augustus (see Fitch VI).
2. Russell, unmarried; served in the war of 1812.
3. Warren, of Coventry, Conn.; tin-peddler, farmer, butcher, selectman, and grand juror; twice married.
4. Abiel G.
5. Fanny, married Joseph Truman.
6. Halsey, a farmer, died without issue.
7. William, died without issue.
8. Orson, unmarried.
9. Nathan Strong, a farmer and grocer of Tolland and Rockville, Conn.; married Electa Catherine Strickland; four children.
10. Lorana, married Nelson William Northrup, a mill operative, millowner and inventor, one of his inventions being for loading and firing heavy cannon by steam; was special dispatch bearer in the Army of the Potomac. Before her marriage Lorana Fitch successfully taught a school from which other teachers had been driven out.

SECOND ENTRY:

The founder of the Grant family under consideration, in New York, was Thomas Grant, born in Ireland in 1827. He came to the United States in 1846 and settled in Edwards, St. Lawrence county, N.Y>, where he engaged in farming, following that occupation until his death in 1908.
He married, in 1850, Julia Ann, born in St. Lawrence county, in 1829, died in 1880, daughter of John and Ann Rushton, who came from England in 1826, and settled in Edwards, St. Lawrence county, N.Y. John Rushton was a wheelwright and worked at his trade, operating also a farm. He was a successful man and a valued citizen.
Thomas Grant married (second) March 17, 1881, Sophia Scoughton, of Russell, St, Lawrence county, N.Y., and had two children:
1. Ralph Thomas, born in 1883; married, June, 1907, Hazel Eggleston, and has one child [as if 1910].
2. Myrtle, born Jan, 1885.

(II) Henry Lincoln, son of Thomas and Julia Ann (Rushton) Grant, was born in Russell, St. Lawrence county, N.Y., Nov. 1, 1863. He was educated in the public schools of the town, and soon after leaving school became an assistant in a butter and cheese factory in Rensselaer Falls, N.Y. He became familiar with the methods of manufacture and in 1887 purchased the factory. He was very successful in its operation, and in a few years purchased a similar factory in De Kalb, known as the "Howard," conducting both establishments. In 1901 he sold both properties at an advantage and returned to Edwards, his early home. There he was in the clothing business for a short time only. In 1902 he built a creamery at Pulaski, Oswego county, N.Y., which he operated until 1905. In that year he located in Copenhagen, Lewis county, the centre of a large milk producing section. Here he erected a large, modern creamery and cheese factory, equipped with all the latest appliances peculiar to the business, and is now (1910) doing a large and successful business. He has the good will and respect of the farmers on whom he depends for milk, and in their mutual interest both prosper.
He is a liberal, public-spirited man and esteemed by all for his sterling, manly qualities. His energy and enterprise has developed the profitable business of dairy farms and added to the prosperity of the town. Mr. Grant is a prominent member of the Copenhagen board of trade, and served the village corporation as president in 1907-08.
He is a Republican in politics, and with his family members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
His fraternal order is Copenhagen Lodge, No. 89, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and his beneficial the Independent Order of Foresters of Rensselaer Falls.
He married, Dec. 28, 1887, Leona Payne, of Edwards, N.Y., born Jan. 20, 1857, daughter of A. and Ann (Arnold) Payne. Mr. Payne was born in Edwards, June 21, 1821, died in April, 1908.

THIRD ENTRY:

Matthew Grant, immigrant ancestor, was one of the company who came to Dorchester, Mass., in the ship "Mary and John," in 1630. He was born Oct. 27, 1601. He was admitted a freeman, May 18, 1631, and removed to Windsor, Conn., with the Dorchester company, which settled in that place, about 1635. He is supposed to have come from Devonshire, England, although he may have come from London.
He was the second town clerk in Windsor, and the first principal surveyor of the town, a position which he held for many years. He was a prominent man in the church, and was just and exceedingly conscientious in all his dealings, and often added notes to his records which have been of much value. He was the compiler of the Old Church Record of inestimable value. His family record is in his own handwriting and is a model of neatness and accuracy. The last four years of his life he spent in the home of his son John.
He died Dec. 16, 1681, and his will was dated Dec. 9, 1681.
He married (first) Nov. 16, 1625, Priscilla ____, who died April 27, 1644, aged forty-three years, two months. He married (second) Susanna ____, born April 5, 1602, died Nov. 14, 1666.
Children by first wife:
1. Priscilla, born Sept. 14, 1626.
2. Matthew, born in England.
3. Samuel, mentioned below.
4. Tahan, born Feb. 3, 1633.
5. John, born Sept. 30, 1640.

(II) Samuel Grant, son of Matthew Grant, was born in Dorchester, Nov. 12, 1631. He died in East Windsor Hill, Sept. 10, 1718. He married, at Windsor, May 27, 1658, Mary Porter, born in England in 1638, daughter of John and Anna (White) Porter. He lived in Windsor, and removed to East Windsor Hill as early as 1672, where he built a house on the bank of the river in the rear of the Theological Institute.
He moved afterwards to the site of the present (1910) residence of Hon. Roswell Grant. He was employed when eighteen years old to attend the Connecticut ferry, and in 1661 was employed to shingle the inside roof of the meeting house. He was part owner of a saw mill, sealer of measures, lister, constable, surveyor and boudgoer many years. He was on the committee to run bounds between Simsbury and Windsor.
He and his wife joined the church at Windsor in 1685, and in 1700 they were members of the church at East Windsor.
Children, born in Windsor, Conn.:
1. Samuel, born April 20, 1659.
2. Child, died young.
(According to the records he had eight children born in Windsor before Aug. 17, 1677).
3. John, April 24, 1664.
4. Matthew, Sept. 23, 1666.
5. Josiah, March 19, 1668.
6. Child, died young.
7. Nathaniel, April 14, 1672, mentioned below.
8. Mary, Jan. 23, 1675-76.
9. Sarah, Jan. 19, 1678-69.

(III) Nathaniel Grant, son of Samuel Grant, was born in Windsor, April 14, 1672. He married there, Oct. 12, (May 16), 1699, Bethia Warner. He lived in East Windsor, where they owned covenant in 1700. They probably moved to Tolland in 1713, and from there to Ellington in 1723-24, where they were among the earliest settlers and lived there in 1735. He way hayward, collector and tithingman.
Childre, seven born in Windsor, the last four in Ellington:
1. Bethia, born Jan. 17, 1700.
2. Ruth, Feb. 26, 1702-03.
3. Nathaniel, Oct. 18, 1705, mentioned below.
4. Benjamin, July 8, 1708.
5. Esther, Oct. 31, 1710.
6. Jonathan, Aug. 18, 1713, died Sept. 10, 1713.
7. Jonathan, 1714.
8. Child, died young, 1723-40.
9. Child, died young, 1723-40.
10. Child, died young, buried in East Windsor, Aug. 4, 1724.
11. Hannah, about 1721.

(IV) Nathaniel Grant, son of Nathaniel Grant, was born in Windsor, Oct. 18, 1705. He lived at Ellington as early as 1734, and had three children, died there before 1740. He was fence viewer and surveyor. He was, perhaps, a member of the Lyme, New Hampshire, Congregational Church in 1782.
Children:
1. Child, died at Ellington before 1740.
2. Child, died at Ellington before 1740.
3. Child, died at Ellington before 1740.
4. Noah, removed to Lyme before 1775.
5. Reuben, born in Ellington, mentioned below.
6. Bethiah, in Ellington, Jan. 21, 1758.
7. Nathaniel, died at Lyme, Feb. 24, 1829.
8. Sarah, married Samuel Smith.

(V) Reuben Grant, son of Nathaniel Grant, was born at Ellington, died at Lyme, New Hampshire, 1839-40. He married (first) ____ Franklin ?. He married (second) January, 1779, Martha Skinner, who died in Lyme. They lived in Connecticut and removed to Lyme before 1774. He was on the roll of the militia company of Lyme, Dec. 6, 1776. He was officer's servant in the revolution.
They joined the Congragational church in 1782; he was a "saintly old man."
Children, born at Lyme:
1. Hannah, baptized May 12, 1782.
2. Lucy, baptized May 12, 1782.
3. Abdon, born April 21, 1783.
4. Elihu, Feb. 17, 1786, mentioned below.
5. Mary, baptized April 1, 1787.
6. Reuben, baptized March 29, 1789.
7. Noah, Oct. 16, 1790.
8. Thomas Wright, baptized Dec. 2, 1792.
9. Peter, died in early manhood; a physician.
10. Cynthia, baptized Sept. 9, 1798.

(VI) Elihu Grant, son of Reuben Grant, was born Feb. 17, 1786, died at Dolgeville, New York, Sept. 4, 1864. He married in Thetford, Vermont, 1812, Sarah Cadwell, born there March 5, 1797, died at Dolgeville, June 13, 1856, daughter of Moses and Sarah (Hosford) Cadwell. They lived at Lyme and Dolgeville. He was a merchant and miller.
Children:
1. Lewis Franklin, born in Lyme, March 19, 1815.
2. Elihu, Lyme, 1818.
3. Sarah A., Herkimer, N.Y., 1820.
4. Martha, Herkimer, April 11, 1822.
5. Mary, Herkimer, Aug. 25, 1824, mentioned below.
6. John, Herkimer, Sept. 2 (9), 1827.
7. Alvoisa, Herkimer, 1830.

(VII) Mary Grant, daughter of Elihu Grant, was born in Herkimer, N.Y., Aug. 25, 1824, died in Ilion, N.Y., Dec. 5, 1897. She married in Dolgeville, N.Y., June 7, 1853, Edward Stowitt Walker, born at Root, Montgomery county, N.Y. May 18, 1824, died in Ilion, July 13, 1876, son of Samuel J. and Mary (Hudson) Walker.
They lived in Little Falls, N.Y., and moved to Dolgeville, and in 1865, to Ilion.
He was a physician.
Children, born in Dolgeville:
1. Delavan Edward, born Nov. 17, 1856.
2. Ida May, Jan. 16, 1858; married in Mohwak, N.Y., July 22, 1800, Seth Grosvenor Heacock (see Heacock).
3. Flora Harriet, Oct. 4, 1860.

RETURN TO INDEX