| Notes |
- The book GRANT by Ron Chernow contains four chapters relevant to our family. The Dents were slave owners, the Grants were abolitionists. Julia’s father didn’t want her to marry Ulysses, and Ulysses mother did not want him to marry her! So it was the slave owner Dents, vs. abolitionist Grants.
Fred Dent, Julia’s brother, roomed with USG at West Point. Fred grew up on a slave plantation, White Haven) five miles from the army base, Jefferson Barracks. Julia and Fred had two other sisters: Nellie and Emma: their mother was related to the Longstreet family. The Dents had 13 slaves, owned 850 acres of land, with orchards.
U.S. and Julia were engaged for four years while while he fought in the Mexican War. The Grants boycotted the wedding in 1848—the families didn’t get along. U.S. U.S. was often sick, depressed and felt a failure. He tried farming but eventually ended in Galena, IL in his father’s business.
St. Louis was divided (Union/Confederate). Grant commanded the Colored IL 21st Regiment (?) and began to feel better. While a commander he helped southern slaves leave plantations, worked to give them housing, work, and eventually the vote. [1]
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1822 - 1885 (63 years)
