President Ulysses Grant - Grants Pass, Oregon
Since Grants Pass was named to honor Ulysses Grant, I thought a bit of historic trivia would be of interest.
Throughout my adolescence, they thought that his name was Ulysses Simpson Grant.
Actually, Hiram Ulysses Grant was born in Georgetown, Ohio on April 27, 1822.
When the Congressman who appointed him to West Point was filling out the paperwork couldn't remember Grant's middle name, he just put Grants mother's maiden name on the form, since it was custom of that era to connect families in that manner.
Once inside the Point, Grant did not make an effort to correct the error, as one does not make waves in the United States Military Academy when appointed as a cadet, besides with the initials H.U.G. he would have been teased unmercifully throughout his career.
Being a staunch Republican, Grants' first ever vote had him cast his ballot for presidential candidate James Buchanan, a Democrat!
When questioned by a friend as to why the switch, Grant stated, "I didn't know him, and I really was voting against Fremont, because I do know him!"
History reports that on the day President Lincoln was assassinated, that John Wilkes Booth had stalked Grants' wife Julia, as the Grants had been invited to the presidential party at Fords Theater.
Had the General accepted the invitation, Booth may have deprived our country of two Presidents!
Hiram Grant's reputation as a heavy drinker was oftentimes mis-reported, as he suffered all his life from severe migraine headaches.
Photos of Grant generally show him with a cigar. He didn't start out his career as a heavy smoker, but it is said that a photographer took one of his first publicity shots with Grant holding an unlit cigar.
Within a short time, he received over a thousand cigars from admirers, so the image was set and the habit followed.
Grants' father-in-law was a slave owner, and the general purchased a slave from him named William Jones. Later on, Grant gave Mr. Jones his freedom, rather than sell him when he really could have used the money.
Happy Birthday, Hiram Ulysses Grant!
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