Ulysses S. Grant

Kyra Jenkins, AMH2010, M-F 10:30 am

Having been born and raised in the very small town of Bethel, Ohio, I have come to know a lot about America's 18th President. Ulysses S. Grant was born in the area and was eventually a resident of Bethel, which has left quite a stir in our little town. There stands a Grant Memorial Building on the main street which contains a museum in his honor.

Hiram Ulysses Grant was born on April 27, 1822 at Point Pleasant, Ohio on the Ohio River in Clermont County. The birth was attended by Dr. John Rogers. The home where he was born is now a national monument. His parents were Jesse R. and Hannah Simpson Grant.

When Ulysses was 15 years old his father requested aid from Congressman Thomas L. Hamer in gaining an appointment to the U. S. Military Academy at West Point. Congressman Hamer did not know that the young man's first name was not Ulysses, and therefore, filled out the application using Ulysses S. Grant. The S. was for his mother's maiden name Simpson since it was common during this time in history to use the mother's maiden name as a child's middle name. He was now and forever Ulysses S. Grant. Grant entered West Point in 1839 and graduated in 1843. In 1848, he married Julia Dent of St. Louis. Ulysses s. Grant was elected the 18th President of the United States in 1868 receiving 214 of 294 electorial votes and was re-elected President in 1872 with 268 of 348 electorial votes. In 1880, he was a candidate for a third term as President, but lost the nomination to General James A. Garfield.

Grant's father (who called Ulysses "useless" Grant) was eventually elected the first mayor of Bethel in 1848.