GRANT, ULYSSES SIMPSON

Ulysses S. Grant papers collection (at Chicago History Museum), 1832-1885.

Finding Aid for the Collection at Chicago History Museum, Research Center

Please address questions to:

Chicago History Museum, Research Center

1601 North Clark Street

Chicago, IL 60614-6038

Web-site: http://www.chicagohistory.org/research

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Title: Ulysses S. Grant papers collection (at Chicago History Museum) [manuscript], 1832-1885.

Main entry: Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885.

Inclusive dates: 1832-1879.

Size:

0.5 linear ft.

1 oversize folder.

1 microfilm reel : neg. ; 35 mm. (Camera negative of bill of lading record book).

Restriction: Advance appointment with special permission required to view portions of this collection. Photocopies are available for research use for many of these items.

Provenance statement: Acquired from several sources (accession#: M1984.0148; 1923.1000; M1973.0066; M1919.0128; 1983 1984).

Terms governing use: Copyright may be retained by the creators of items, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law, unless otherwise noted.

Please cite this collection as: Ulysses S. Grant papers collection (at Chicago History Museum) plus a detailed description, date, and box/folder number of a specific item.

This descriptive inventory contains the following sections:

Summary description of the collection,

Description of some material related to the collection,

List of online catalog headings about the collection,

List of contents of the collection.

Summary description of the collection:

Correspondence, notes, general orders, check stubs, and other papers, including much Civil War material. Topics include the surrenders of Fort Donelson and Vicksburg, disloyalty of some newspapers, Grant's recommendations for promotion of officers, and his refusal of a cabinet post in 1864; 90 items on the presidential election returns in 1868; many items on preparations for a reception for Grant in Chicago in 1879; drafts of 2 messages to the Senate; and a few notes Grant wrote after he lost his voice during his last illness. Correspondents include Mason Brayman, Henry Wager Halleck, Joseph Russell Jones, Ellen “Nellie” Grant Sartoris (folder 5, 30 items), and William T. Sherman.

Early materials include a bill of lading record book from Jesse Root Grant's tannery in Galena, Illinois, (1859-1863, ca. 130 p.) with many of the records filled out by U.S. Grant, the last being that of April 10, 1861, two days before the firing on Fort Sumter.

Includes 2 Bibles used in the Ulysses S. Grant family: large volume (published at Nashville by the Southern Methodist Publishing House, 1859) with penciled note that it was used by the Grant family during its residence in Galena, Ill.; and Bible (published in London, n.d.) used for the administration of the oath of office at President U.S. Grant's second inauguration (1873), inscribed to Miss Nellie Grant from L.W. Middleton.

Photocopies of most original manuscript items by Grant at Chicago History Museum, Research Center, have been filed with the Grant papers for convenient access.

Description of some material related to the collection:

Originals of General Sheridan's letter to General Grant about General Lee's surrender (1865 Apr. 6) and Lincoln's dispatch to General Grant are in the Abraham Lincoln papers at Chicago History Museum, cataloged separately.

Related Grant materials at Chicago History Museum, Research Center, include papers of Grant's father, Jesse Root Grant, and a published volume about the 1879 reception.

List of online catalog headings about the collection:

Subjects:

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885--Archives.

Sartoris, Nellie Grant, 1855-1922.

Brayman, Mason, 1813-1895.

Halleck, H. W. (Henry Wager), 1815-1872.

Jones, Joseph Russell, 1823-1909.

Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891.

United States. Army--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

Currency question--United States.

Families--Illinois--Galena--19th century.

Fort Donelson, Battle of, Tenn., 1862.

Generals--United States--19th century.

Presidents--United States--Election--1868.

Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877)--Louisiana.

Galena (Ill.)--Social conditions--19th century.

Vicksburg (Miss.)--History--Siege, 1863.

United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.

Form/genre:

Bibles.

Correspondence.

Checks.

Orders (military records)

Added entries:

Sartoris, Nellie Grant, 1855-1922.

Brayman, Mason, 1813-1895.

Halleck, H. W. (Henry Wager), 1815-1872.

Jones, Joseph Russell, 1823-1909.

Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891.

United States. President (1869-1877 : Grant)

United States--Illinois--Jo Daviess County--Galena.

United States--Mississippi--Vicksburg County--Vicksburg.

List of contents of the collection:

Grant, Ulysses Simpson: Memo book, stamped on the outside: Lt. Gen'l U.S. Grant, in account with Robert Black. N.E. Cor. 18th & Chestnut, but contains only a list of table and bed linen in the house, Dec. 3, 1868 (in pencil).

Records relating to the 1879 Chicago reception for President Grant include:

1 vol.: Record of the Citizen’s Executive Committee, for a reception for Gen. U.S. Grant, Chicago, 1879.

The Citizen’s Executive Committee dates from the following notice that appeared in the Chicago papers of Oct. 16, 1879:

"It has been thought by many of the citizens of Chicago--regardless of politics--that the program agreed upon by the Army of the Tennessee would not afford the people of Chicago and the Northwest such an opportunity as they desire to welcome General Grant and express their regard for him as a distinguished citizen of Illinois and the U. S. the following gentlemen will meet Friday afternoon in the Club-room of the Grand Pacific Hotel to make necessary arrangements. This movement is in addition to the preparations already being made by the Army of the Tennessee, and in harmony therewith." List of prominent citizens follows.

Volume contains correspondence; acceptances and regrets; badges for various committees, such as finance, address, music, procession, and transportation. Memo book of collections in envelope attached to cover in book.

Minutes of meeting on Oct. 17; Conference Committee appointed; minutes of meeting on Oct. 20, 1879; Oct. 23, 1879; Citizen’s Executive Committee appointed; Committee for Procession; Committee on Invitations; Finance Committee; Committee on Decorations; Committee on Salute; Committee on Decoration of Shipping and Tugs; Committee on Transportation; Committee on Music; Committee on Address of Welcome; Reception Committee.

Records of meetings held Oct. 24, Oct. 25, Oct. 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31; Nov. 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 19.

Report of Committee on Music: list of bands; leader and number of men; statement of amount paid; account of expenses of S.H. Kerfoot, chairman of committee.

Report of Committee on Resolutions

Report of Committee on Processions

Report of Committee on Salute

Resolutions

Report of Committee on decorations: statement of expenses

List of contributors to the funds of the Citizens Executive Committee and amount contributed.

Report of the Treasurer

Dec. 29, 1879: "the foregoing one hundred and fifty pages being the true record of the acts of the Citizens' Executive Committee are hereby approved." document signed by Thos. E. Hoyne, Pres.; Geo. E. Davis, Sec’y; Wm. H. Bradley, Treas; and members of the committee.

Misc. material in folder: Reception to Gen. Grant.

List of subscriptions received

Appropriations and payments

Street decorations on State Street

Total amount collected and list of expenses

50 cancelled checks.

Letter re badges and decorations for club rooms.

A second volume of materials about the reception is stored in the vault.

Grant, Ulysses Simpson: check book

Check book of the national Metropolitan Bank, bound volume, name U. S. Grant on cover and on each check, used by Grant when he was in Washington, President of the U.S. Only three entries are made, all for Aug. 17, 1774 (sic).

Handwritten note: for Grant manuscripts of: October 12, 1959, see folder one in collections: Grant, Ulysses S.

Misc. correspondence and papers, including the bill of lading book from Jesse R. Grant's tannery.

Storage locations:

Call#: MSS Alpha: Grant, U.S.

folders: mostly copies of originals by U.S. Grant; originals by others

Includes Bill of Lading record book from Jesse Root Grant's tannery business, maintained by U.S. Grant until he rejoined the U.S. Army.

Includes items re. 1879 reception for Grant.

Call#: MSS Oversize: Grant, U.S.--Missing as of 2014

oversize folder: History 1861, 1 p.

Call#: MSS AlphaV: Grant, U.S.

originals by U.S. Grant

Call#: MSS AlphaV: Grant Bibles

Bibles related to Grant

Call#: MSS AlphaV: Grant, U.S.-Reception

items re. 1879 reception for Grant

Call#: MSS VOS: Grant, U.S.

oversize folders: originals by Grant (9 items)

Call#: MSS AlphaV: Madlener

original Grant letter to Peabody, A.L.S., 1868 Dec 23

Call#: MSS MicroM: Grant:

camera negative master microfilm of the Grant tannery bill of lading vol.

Restriction: to be used only to make additional microfilm copies.