18) Ulysses S. Grant*

Ulysses S. Grant

18th President

2 terms

1822-1885

Republican

Was a well-liked and honest man

He was a respected millitary man and Civil War hero

Birthplace: Point Pleasant, OH

Hiram Ulysses Grant was born here on April 27th, 1822.

Boyhood Home: Georgetown, OH

Grant lived here from 1824-1839.

Home: Saint Louis, MO

Grant lived here in the 1850's. It is named "White Haven".

Home: Saint Louis, MO

Grant lived here from 1855-1885. It is named "Hardscrabble"

Home: Burlington, NJ

In 1864, Gen. Grant became worried for his family's safety. On April 14th, 1865, Grant was invited by Mary Todd Lincoln to attend a play at Ford's Theatre titled "Our American Cousin", but declined.

"Summer White House" Washington, D.C.

While he was President, Grant ordered the most extensive renovation of the White House since it was damaged in 1814, during which he stayed here. He also stayed at Long Branch, NJ. The New Jersey home no longer exists.

Home: Galena, IL

In 1865, a group of Republicans purchased this house and presented it to Grant.

Home: Mount McGregor, NY

Former President Grant and his family stayed here while Ulysses wrote his memoirs. It was here that he died in on July 23, 1885, surrounded by family and friends. Grant's body lie in state in the parlor of the cottage from July 24th until August 4th, 1885, and his funeral was held on the cottage porch.

The Story

On August 29, 2009, while the rest of my family was at a Yankee game, me and my grandparents had planned to go to see Ulysses Grant's Cottage. We arrived without getting lost, (already easier than Uncle Sam!), and arrived on the prison grounds. We quickly located the cottage (as it was the only brown and yellow building on the grounds!), and were then taken on a guided tour of the cottage. It included many rooms and items from the time of Grant's stay there, including the bed on which he died, the original memoirs that he (under the instruction of Mark Twain), wrote to earn money for his wife Julia, (he had invested his money into the company Grant & Ward, but Ward took the money and bankrupted the company), and a photograph of the original tomb of Ulysses Grant, where his body rested until 1897.

Sign

This historical marker is located outside of the cottage.

Plaque

This plaque was located outside of the home.
It reads, "'Lest we forget'
At this cottage on July 23rd, 1885
Died Ulysses S. Grant
General U.S.A. 1866-1869
President U.S., 1869-1877
"Let Us Have Peace""

Erected by New York Division
Sons of Veterans
1916

Sign #2

This sign was located outside of the cottage.

Floral Arrangement

This was presented at the funeral of Ulysses S. Grant.

Bed

This is the bed in which Ulysses Grant died in 1885.

Clock

This clock reads 8:07, the time of Ulysses's death, it was stopped by Julia that day, and never restarted.

The Cottage

The cottage on a rainy day in August.

Timeline

A timeline of the life of Ulysses S. Grant located outside of the cottage.

Outlook

This is an old photograph of the outlook where Grant would sit and view the scenery.

Sign

This sign was outside of the cottage near the outlook.

Stone Marker

This marker rests on the spot where Grant had his last view of the scenery before his death. It had to be gated off after it was replaced because so many people would chip off pieces to take home as souveniers.

'This stone marks the spot where General U. S. Grant had his last view of the valley July 20 1885.

The Shop

This is the gift shop.

The temporary tomb.

Gravesite and Memorial: New York, NY

In 1897, the memorial was dedicated by Benjamin Harrison, and Grant's body was removed from the temporary tomb (also in Riverside Park), and placed in the tomb.

The story

The next grave of the day took us to the famous "Grant's Tomb". It was a huge structure, as seen by comparing the size of me to the tomb. Inside, the memoribilia to Grant was amazing, it included many of his Civil War things, as well as a triboard with information on Grant's Civil War Years. Our next trip was our mistake, the mistake that would take us to Long Island.