JULIA GRANT

Julia Dent was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Her father, Frederick T. Dent, of Maryland, made a good living in the fur trade on the Mississippi Frontier and settled with his wife in St. Louis. Just outside of town he developed a country place copying a southern plantation, and named it "White Haven." This plantation gave their seven children a place to play, and Dent a profitable farm using slave labor. Between Dent's four sons and three daughters, Julia was the liveliest. At seventeen she graduated from boarding school, and that same summer she met her eldest brother's roommate, Ulysses S. Grant. Grant, a first lieutenant was stationed at Jefferson Barracks, near White Haven, so he was able to spend much of his time with her. When Grant was ordered elsewhere, he and Julia became secretly engaged. It took some time to get together, struggling for her father's consent, but finally they were married on August 22, 1848 at the Dent House. Grant's family refused to attend the wedding because the Dent family was slave-owning. Julia endured hard times, not being accepted by Grant's family in the beginning although she learned to get along, and the years of poverty after Grant resigned from the Army, over a drinking incident, and being unable to find civilian work. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Julia and Ulysses lived in a small house in Galena, Illinois, where he worked in his father's leather shop for small wages. The Grant's had four children; Frederick, Ulysses, Ellen and Jesse.

The Civil War necessitated Grant's return to the military, and Julia became his frequent traveling companion. At the War's end, Julia traveled with Ulysses throughout the North, where they were showered with gifts from people desiring to see the War hero. Among the gifts was a house, built for them in Galena. One of the greatest rewards to the Grant's was Ulysses election to the Presidency. As hostess to the President, Julia took her duties seriously, and gave lavish parties and receptions. After the Presidency, the Grant's went on a two-year world tour. Upon returning, Grant realized he was poor and needed to make money. He tried being a stockbroker, which was a financial disaster.

Grant finally settled down to write his memoirs, but was also suffering from cancer. He completed his memoirs just four days prior to his death. His memoirs made Julia quite wealthy. Julia was so devastated by his death that she was unable to attend his funeral. She survived him by seventeen years.

Copyright© John T. Marck. All Rights Reserved. This article and their accompanying pictures, photographs, and line art, may not be resold, reprinted, or redistributed for compensation of any kind without prior written permission from the author. From The First Ladies of the Unites States by John T. Marck.