Genealogical and Family History
of the
STATE OF MAINE

Compiled under the editorial supervision of George Thomas Little, A. M., Litt. D.

LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
New York
1909.

[Please see Index page for full citation.]

[Transcribed by Coralynn Brown]

[Many families included in these genealogical records had their beginnings in Massachusetts.]

GRANT Numerous writers have stated that the Grant family is descended from the Scotch (Scottish!!) clan of Grant. It is true that there are several families of Scotch descent, and in one branch there is a clear tradition that they are of English origin. The only known use of arms was by Samuel Grant in 1739, in witnessing a will. The seal used bears arms as follows: On a chevron between three fleur-de-lis five ermine spots. There is no record of arms like these in Burke's Heraldry borne by the name of Grant. (I) Matthew Grant, immigrant ancestor, was born Oct. 27, 1601, and died at Windsor, Connecticut, Dec. 16, 1681. On March 20, 1630 he embarked with his family on the ship "Mary and John" at Plymouth, England, reaching Boston May 30, 1630. He settled at Dorchester, Mass., and was admitted a freeman May 18, 1631. In Oct., 1635, he went to the Connecticut river with the party that prepared for the settlement of Windsor, although his family did not remove there until the next April. His house lot was in Palisade, next the town lot. This he gave to his son John, with whom he spent his declining years. It is said he was a carpenter by trade. He was the first surveyor of the town, and for many years the only one; was deacon of the First Church; town clerk from 1652 to 1677; selectman many years, frequently receiving the highest number of votes. In 1654 he compiled "A Book of Records of Town Ways in Windsor," and he was also compiler of the "Old Church Record," which has furnished the basis for the histories of most of the families of ancient Windsor. He married (first) Nov. 16, 1625, Priscilla ____, who died April 27, 1644, at Windsor, aged forty-three years, two months. He married (second) May 29, 1645, Susanna (Capen or Chapin) Rockwell, born April 5, 1602, died Nov. 14, 1666, widow of Deacon William Rockwell, and daughter probably of Bernard Capen. Children, all by 1st wife: 1. Priscilla, born Sept. 14, 1626, married Oct. 14, 1647, Michael Humphrey. 2. Samuel, born Nov. 12, 1631. 3. Tahan, born at Dorchester, Feb. 3, 1633-34, died May 30, 1693; married Jan. 22, 1662-63, Hannah Palmer. 4. Matthew, born at Windsor, died Sept. 10, 1639. 5. Infant, died young. 6. John, mentioned below. (II) John, son of Matthew Grant, was born at Windsor, Sept. 30, 1642, died there July 22, 1684. He resided on the homestead which he enlarged. He was in King Philip's war and Sept. 6, 1676, took twenty men and marched to the relief of Westfield and Springfield. He married, Aug. 2, 1666, Mary, baptized Oct. 8, 1648, died June 29, 1720, daughter of Josiah and Elizabeth (Loomis) Hull. Children, b. at Windsor: 1. John, born Oct. 20, 1670, died young. 2. John, born Aug. 6, 1673, died May 17, 1686. 3. Mary, born April 26, 1674, died Aug. 6, 1703; married Sept. 21, 1693, Alexander Allyn. 4. Elizabeth, born July 10, 1675, died Dec. 5, 1724; married Nov. 20, 1707, Thomas Filer. 5. Abigail, born Jan. 27, 1679-80, died Sept. 1, 1722; married April 13, 1704, Samuel Mather. 6. Josiah, mentioned below. (III) Josiah, son of John Grant, was born at Windsor, Jan. 28, 1682, died at Litchfield, Feb. 26, 1762. He removed in 1726 to Litchfield. He served as haywarden, grand juror, fence viewer and tythingman. In Litchfield, as tythingman, assessor, sergeant of militia, surveyor, grand juror and selectman. He married (first) March 30, 1709-10, Sarah, died July 30, 1713, daughter of John and Sarah (Fiske) Cooke. He married (second) Aug. 4, 1714, Sarah, born Feb. 10, 1690, died Feb. 28, 1777, daughter of Nathaniel and Lydia Cook. Children of 1st wife: 1. Josiah, born Jan. 22, 1710-11, died Nov. 15, 1789; married Dec. 11, 1735, Sarah Baker. 2. Sarah, born March 11, 1711-12, married (first) Jan., 1730-31, Elisha Peck; (second) Nov. 15, 1739, Lieut. Joshua Smith. 3. Mary, born July 20, 1713, married (first) April 28, 1737, Daniel Allen; (second) ____ Hosford. Children of 2d wife: 4. John, born May 17, 1715, died Sept. 16, 1753. 5. Increase, born Feb. 13, 1716-17, died 1793; married (first) Feb. 19, 1745-46, Ann Hosford; (second) 1786, Mindwell (Lyman) Strong, widow. 6. Elijah, born June 22, 1719, died Aug. 13, 1724. 7. Huldah, born May 26, 1721, married John Crane. 8. Ebenezer, born March 2, 1723-24, died 1765; married (first) Nov. 18, 1747, Martha Hill; (second) Mindwell Hosford, widow. 9. Jerusha, born Jan. 1, 1725-26, died Nov. 21, 1736. 10. Elijah, born April 28, 1728, mentioned below. 11. Anna, born May 30, 1730. (IV) Elijah, son of Josiah Grant, was born at Litchfield, Connecticut, April 28, 1728, and died at Norfolk, Aug. 7, 1798. He removed from Litchfield to Grantville in 1761, and was selectman and representative to the legislature. He married March 10, 1755, at Amity, Mary Andrews, died Dec. 11, 1821. Children: 1. Joel, born Feb. 21, 1756, mentioned below. 2. Lois, born Nov. 5, 1757, married 1795, Chauncey Hills. 3. Roswell, born Aug. 18, 1762, died July 7, 1837; was in the revolution; married Anna or Eliza Coy. 4. Moses, born Aug. 3, 1765, died March 4, 1835; married, Feb. 9, 1793, Sarah Phelps. 5. Levi, born 1771, died Jan. 12, 1816; married Nov. 21, 1792, Rhoda Andrews. (V) Joel, son of Elijah Grant, was born in Litchfield Feb. 21, 1756, died at Norfolk, March 16, 1796. He married, at Norfolk, Jan. 5, 1782, Zilpah, born at Torrington, June 17, 1762, died Aug. 18, 1824, daughter of Samuel and Sibilla (North) Cowles. She married (second) Feb. 2, 1818, Joseph Hull, of Norfolk. Joel Grant resided at Norfolk and was a farmer. He was in the revolution in Captain Beebe's company, Colonel Enos' regiment, in 1778. Children: 1. Elijah, born Oct. 28, 1782, mentioned below. 2. Jerusha, born April 3, 1785, died March 3, 1828; married (first) Dec. 10, 1801, Cyrus Walter; (second) 1808, Roswell Griswold. 3. Nancy, born April 25, 1788, died Jan. 5, 1833; married Jan. 30, 1811, Deacon Amos Pettibone. 4. James, born Jan. 29, 179_, died Feb 20, 1826; married, 1812, Jerusha Phelps. 5. Zilpah Polly, born May 30, 1794, died Dec. 3, 1874; married Sept. 7, 1841, Hon. William Bostwick Bannister. (VI) Elijah, son of Joel Grant, was born at Norfolk, Connecticut, Oct. 28, 1782, died at Millbrook Aug. 25, 1867. He resided at Millbrook and was deacon of the Congregational church at Colebrook. He served in nearly every town office. He married, at Colebrook, Nov. 11, 1807, Elizabeth, born Oct. 18, 1784, died Jan. 26, 1866, daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth or Sarah (Barnard) Phelps. Children: 1. Elijah Phelps, born Aug. 25, 1809, died Dec. 2, 1875; married Sept. 7, 1836, Susan Jenkins Boyd. 2. Mary Zilpah, born Aug. 18, 1811, died in India, June 24, 1842; married March 11, 1839, Ebenezer Burgess; was a missionary. 3. Elizabeth, born Feb. 8, 1813, died 1885; married Sept. 12, 1836, William Burton. 4. Joel, born Jan. 24, 1816, mentioned below. 5. Daniel, born June 19, 1818, died Jan. 2, 1892; married May 10, 1843, Caroline Burr. 6. Abigail, born June 5, 1820, died July 25, 1835. 7. John, born Aug. 29, 1822, died July 5, 1878; married Aug. 20, 1857, Sarah Gertrude Day. 8. Martha, born July 13, 1824, died unmarried Sept. 21, 1847. 9. James Marcus, born Jan. 19, 1827, married Dec. 31, 1868, Harriet Lucy Wood. (VII) Joel, son of Elijah Grant, was born at Millbrook, Connecticut, Jan. 24, 1816, died at Downers Grove, Illinois, Dec. 31, 1873. He graduated at Yale College in 1838 and attended Andover Theological Seminary in 1843-45. He taught school at Berlin, Maryland, in 1838-39 and from then until 1842 was professor of mathematics in the United States navy. He was pastor of Congregational churches at Lockport, Illinois, 1845-47, 1852-58, and 1860-61; in West Avon, 1847-52; in Bristol, Illinois, 1858-60; and Cambridge, Illinois in 1866. He was chaplain of the Twelfth Illinois Volunteer Infantry 1861-65, and of the One hundred and thirteenth United States Colored Infantry in 1865-66, in the civil war. He married, at Norfolk, Conn., Oct. 12, 1845, Abigail Fidelia, born Aug. 13, 1820, died May 5, 1881, daughter of Moses and Hannah (Betts) Cowles. Children: 1. John Cowles, born April 21, 1848, mentioned below. 2. Mary Hannah, born June 18, 1851, died Aug. 2, 1853. 3. William Elijah, born July 30, 1852, died Oct. 16, 1869. 4. Robert Stuart, born Oct. 5, 1857, died Dec. 7, 1858. (VIII) John Cowles, son of Joel Grant, was born at Avon, Conn. April 21, 1848. He received the degree of A. B. at Yale College in 1869 and A. M. in 1872, and the degree of LL.D. at Fargo College in 1897. He resides in Chicago, Illinois. He married (first) at Denver, Colorado, July 14, 1878, Susan Rae, born in New York City, Dec. 4, 1847, died Jan. 14, 1883, at Chicago, daughter of Charles Henry. He married (second) at Wiscasset, Maine, Aug. 11, 1886, Anna Foote Coffin, born Jan. 21, 1857, daughter of Isaac H. and Mary Tod (Foote) Coffin. Child by 1st wife: Susan Cowles, born Nov. 1, 1882, married Harold Emerson Smith. Child by 2d wife: Mary Foote, born Oct. 30, 1891.