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A photo of Ulysses S Grant

Ulysses S Grant 1822 - 1885

Hiram Ulysses Grant of Mt McGregor Rd, in Saratoga County, New York United States was born on April 27, 1822 in Point Pleasant, Clermont County, OH, and was the father of Ulysses S. Grant Jr. Hiram Grant died at age 63 years old on July 23, 1885 in Wilton, Saratoga County, NY, and was buried on August 8, 1885 at General Grant National Memorial Riverside Dr, in New York, New York County.
Hiram Ulysses Grant
Hiram Ulysses Grant
Mt McGregor Rd, in Saratoga County, New York United States
April 27, 1822
Point Pleasant, Clermont County, Ohio, 45157, United States
July 23, 1885
Wilton, Saratoga County, New York, 12831, United States
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Hiram Ulysses Grant's History: 1822 - 1885

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  • Introduction

    Born in Point Pleasant, Ohio on April 27, 1822, Hiram Ulysses Grant was the first child of Jesse Root Grant and Hannah Simpson Grant. Descended from a long line of patriots, including an ancestor who fought in the French and Indian War and a grandfather who served in the American Revolution at Bunker Hill, Grant's father was a passionate abolitionist and Whig Party supporter who worked as a foreman in a tannery. When Grant was born, his parents selected the name Ulysses from a hat, but his father later added his own name, Hiram, to his birth certificate. Ulysses S. Grant, or Hiram Ulysses Grant, was an accomplished American military leader and politician. He served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877, and as Commanding General, he played a crucial role in leading the Union Army to victory during the American Civil War. As president, Grant was committed to civil rights and collaborated with Radical Republicans to safeguard the rights of African Americans, including the creation of the Justice Department.
  • 04/27
    1822

    Birthday

    April 27, 1822
    Birthdate
    Point Pleasant, Clermont County, Ohio 45157, United States
    Birthplace
  • Ethnicity & Family History

    Ulysses S. Grant was of mostly English, Scottish, and Irish descent. His father, Jesse Root Grant, was born in Pennsylvania to a family of English descent. His mother, Hannah Simpson, was of Scottish and Irish ancestry and was born in Pennsylvania as well. Grant's ancestors were early settlers in New England and had been involved in the American Revolutionary War. His great-grandfather fought in the French and Indian War, and his grandfather served in the American Revolution. Grant's father was a tanner and a farmer, and his mother was a homemaker. Grant's family did not have a particularly illustrious history or significant wealth, and Grant himself was born in a humble cabin in Ohio. Despite this, Grant's family valued education and worked hard to provide him with opportunities to learn and succeed.
  • Nationality & Locations

    Hiram Ulysses Grant was born on April 27, 1822, in Point Pleasant, Ohio. He grew up on his family's farm, where his father worked as a tanner. Grant was accepted to the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he excelled in horsemanship but was an otherwise unexceptional student. After graduating, he was assigned to the Fourth Infantry at the Jefferson Barracks in Missouri and later fought in the Mexican War. Following the war, he was transferred to Detroit and New York and then to the Pacific Northwest. In 1854, Grant resigned from the Army and returned to Missouri with his family, where he struggled to make a living as a farmer and attempted other lines of work. By 1860, he had to appeal to his father for help, and he went to work as a clerk in his brother's leather goods store in Galena, Illinois. During the Civil War, Grant rejoined the Army and became one of the Union's most successful generals. After the war, he served as the 18th President of the United States from 1869 to 1877, living in the White House in Washington D.C. He later lived in several locations in New York, including New York City and Mount McGregor. He died on July 23, 1885, at the age of 63 in Mount McGregor, New York.
  • Early Life & Education

    Grant's formal education was somewhat limited. He attended local schools in his hometown of Georgetown, Ohio, but he was not a particularly enthusiastic student. His father, Jesse Grant, hoped that Ulysses would attend West Point and become an officer in the Army, and so he secured an appointment for him. Grant entered the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1839. He was an average student academically, but he showed a natural talent for horsemanship and military leadership. He graduated in 1843, ranking 21st in a class of 39. After graduation, Grant was assigned to the 4th Infantry Regiment and sent to Missouri. However, he found the peacetime Army dull and unchallenging, and he struggled with loneliness and separation from his family. He began to drink heavily, which would become a lifelong struggle for him. Overall, Grant's education was focused primarily on his military career, and he did not pursue any further academic study beyond West Point. However, he was an avid reader and had a lifelong interest in history and politics. He wrote two memoirs later in his life, which were well received and remain important historical documents.
  • Religious Beliefs

    Ulysses S. Grant was not known for being a deeply religious person. Although he was raised in a Methodist household and attended church as a child, he did not seem to have a strong personal faith or attend church regularly as an adult. In his memoirs, he mentions religious matters only in passing, and there is little evidence to suggest that he was motivated by religious beliefs or values during his military or political career. Despite this, Grant was respectful of religious beliefs and practices, and often attended church services and other religious ceremonies as part of his official duties as President. He was known to be tolerant of different religious beliefs and to have supported the right of all individuals to worship as they saw fit.
  • Military Service

    Ulysses S. Grant had a long and distinguished military career, which began after he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1843. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army and served in the Fourth Infantry at the Jefferson Barracks in Missouri. From there, he was sent to Louisiana and Texas to prepare for the Mexican-American War, which began in 1846. During the Mexican-American War, Grant served with distinction and was twice cited for his bravery. He was appointed quartermaster for the Fourth Infantry, responsible for providing supplies and transportation for his regiment as it moved through the Mexican countryside. This post gave him valuable experience in the logistics of war and provided a foundation for his future success as a commander. After the Mexican-American War, Grant was stationed in various locations throughout the United States, including Detroit and New York. He was eventually sent to the Pacific Northwest, first to the Oregon Territory and then to California. It was during this time that he began to experience financial problems and became depressed, which may have contributed to his sudden resignation from the Army in 1854. However, with the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Grant was called back into service. He initially served as a colonel in the Union Army, but his successes on the battlefield quickly led to promotions. In 1862, he was made a major general, and he played a key role in the Union victory at the Battle of Fort Donelson. Grant continued to rise through the ranks and was eventually appointed commander of all Union forces in the Western Theater of the war. He achieved some of his greatest successes during this period, including the capture of Vicksburg and the defeat of Confederate forces in Tennessee. In 1864, he was appointed commander of all Union forces, and he devised a strategy to defeat the Confederacy that involved simultaneous attacks on multiple fronts. Despite suffering heavy losses, Grant persisted in his strategy, and by the spring of 1865, he had succeeded in breaking the Confederacy's will to fight. On April 9, 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House, effectively ending the Civil War. After the war, Grant was promoted to the rank of general of the Army, the highest rank possible in the U.S. military at the time. He continued to serve in various roles, including as the 18th President of the United States, but his military career remained a defining part of his legacy. His success on the battlefield, as well as his leadership and strategic thinking, continue to be studied and admired by military historians and professionals to this day.
  • Professional Career

    Ulysses S. Grant is best known for his military career, but he also had several other professions throughout his life. Grant is best known for his role as a Union general in the American Civil War. He served in the Mexican-American War before the Civil War, and later became the commanding general of the U.S. Army. Grant served as the 18th President of the United States from 1869 to 1877. He was elected as a Republican and focused on Reconstruction, civil rights, and economic growth during his presidency. After his presidency, Grant became a partner in a financial firm on Wall Street. Unfortunately, the firm went bankrupt and Grant lost most of his money. In order to support his family after losing his money, Grant began writing his memoirs. His memoirs, which he completed just days before his death, are considered some of the best written by any American president. Interesting to note, before the Civil War, Grant tried his hand at farming in Missouri. He was not successful and eventually left the profession to join the Army.
  • Personal Life & Family

    Grant was born on April 27, 1822, in Point Pleasant, Ohio, to Jesse Root Grant and Hannah Simpson Grant. He had five siblings, three brothers and two sisters. Grant married Julia Dent on August 22, 1848, in St. Louis, Missouri. Julia was the sister of one of Grant's West Point classmates, Frederick Dent. Grant was only married once, to Julia Dent, and they remained married until his death. There were rumors of infidelity on Grant's part during the Civil War, but there is no solid evidence to support these claims. They had four children: Frederick, Ulysses Jr., Ellen, and Jesse. Grant was known to be a devoted father and husband, although his military career kept him away from his family for long periods of time. Grant's children all had their own struggles. His eldest son, Frederick, struggled with alcoholism and died of tuberculosis at the age of 31. Ulysses Jr. and Jesse both had business failures and financial troubles. Ellen, the only daughter, suffered from severe depression and eventually committed suicide at the age of 43. Overall, Grant was a dedicated family man, but his military career and the stresses of his presidency put a strain on his personal relationships.
  • 07/23
    1885

    Death

    July 23, 1885
    Death date
    throat cancer
    Cause of death
    Wilton, Saratoga County, New York 12831, United States
    Death location
  • 08/8
    1885

    Gravesite & Burial

    August 8, 1885
    Funeral date
    General Grant National Memorial Riverside Dr, in New York, New York County, New York 10027, United States
    Burial location
  • Obituary

    The original obituary for Ulysses S. Grant as it appeared in The New York Times on July 24, 1885: "GENERAL GRANT DEAD The Nation Mourns Its Illustrious Citizen and Soldier. THE END PEACEFUL AND PAINLESS A SIMPLE MESSAGE TO THE WORLD FROM MOUNT MCGREGOR. SKETCH OF HIS ILLNESS AND FINAL MOMENTS A LIST OF THE DISTINGUISHED VISITORS WHO HAD CALLED AT HIS BEDSIDE. THE DEAD HERO'S LIFE AND SERVICES TO HIS COUNTRY. General Ulysses S. Grant died at 8:08 o'clock this morning, July 23, 1885. The event occurred at Mount McGregor, where he had been passing the summer in the hope of restoring his shattered health. His death was painless, and the end came peacefully, like the sinking to rest of an infant. The great commander had not been conscious for some hours before he breathed his last. The news was received with sorrow throughout the length and breadth of the land, and in all the cities and towns the flags were at once displayed at half-mast. As soon as the intelligence reached New York the flags on the shipping in the harbor were lowered to half-mast, and the stores in the city were closed. It was resolved to take such steps as would fittingly honor the memory of the departed hero and illustrious citizen. Ulysses S. Grant was born at Point Pleasant, Clermont County, Ohio, on the 27th of April, 1822. He was educated at West Point, where he graduated in 1843. In the following year he was commissioned second lieutenant of infantry. He served in the war with Mexico, distinguishing himself on many occasions, and was promoted for gallantry to the rank of captain. He left the army in 1854, and engaged in farming, but was not successful in that pursuit. At the outbreak of the rebellion in 1861, he offered his services to the Government, and was at once appointed Colonel of the Twenty-first Illinois Volunteers. He soon afterward received the commission of Brigadier-General, and was assigned to duty in Missouri. From that time until the surrender of General Lee, General Grant was in active service, and participated in most of the great battles fought by the Army of the Potomac. He was the Commander-in-Chief of the Union armies, and conducted the campaigns which resulted in the downfall of the Confederacy. On the close of the war he was appointed General of the Army, and held that position until he resigned it in 1869. The funeral arrangements are not yet fully completed, but it is probable that the remains will be interred in Riverside Park, New York City."
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22 Memories, Stories & Photos about Hiram

Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
A painting of Ulysses S. Grant in color.
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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General U.S. Grant seated
General U.S. Grant seated
A photo of General U.S. Grant, seated at a table.
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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The Death of General Grant: At Mount McGregor, Saratoga
The Death of General Grant: At Mount McGregor, Saratoga
A drawing of the deathbed of General Grant at Mt. McGregor, Saratoga, New York.
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General Grant and his family
General Grant and his family
A drawing of then General U.S. Grant and his wife and family in a drawing room.
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Lieutenant-General Grant at his head-quarters
Lieutenant-General Grant at his head-quarters
A wood engraving of Ulysses S. Grant, full-length portrait, standing, facing front, leaning against tree by tent that was published in Harper's weekly, 1864 July 16, p. 449 (cover).
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General Grant at City Point
General Grant at City Point
Originally titled "General Grant at City Point", this is a photo of General Ulysses S. Grant in the Civil War at City Point, Virginia.
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Hiram Grant's Family Tree & Friends

Hiram Grant's Family Tree

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Ulysses S Grant

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Hiram's Friends

Friends of Hiram Friends can be as close as family. Add Hiram's family friends, and his friends from childhood through adulthood.
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7 Followers & Sources
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