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 The Grannis Family in America. 
 
Q^o^-,^^ ^^^ 
 
Genealogical History 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Grannls Family in flmeriGa 
 
 FROM 1630 TO 1901 
 
 TO ACCOMPANY 
 
 The Grannis Family Chart of 1900 
 
 By SIDNEY S. GR'ANNIS 
 
 MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. 
 
 THE FRANKLIN PRINTING COMPANY 
 I90I 
 
G, 
 
 "^^ 
 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 A DESIRE to live in the memory of family, friends, and 
 the world at large is universal as is shown in the great vari- 
 ety of monuments from the Egyptian pyramids down to 
 the marble slab or bit of wood that marks the resting place 
 of the departed for a period of time more or less brief; the 
 same desire also is shown in the written histories of indi- 
 viduals, families, communities, states, and nations, and in 
 painting, poetry, and song, as well as in fiction, sacred or 
 profane, of good and bad alike. 
 
 The writing up of a family history of eight generations 
 in this new country with its changed and changing condi- 
 tions from the early Pilgrims to the Twentieth Century 
 (nearly 300 years) is not so easy nor pleasant a task as one 
 might imagine. 
 
 In our Family Record we only ask the full tiame, place 
 and date of each birth, marriage, and death, but there gene- 
 rally come family or personal items that go to help make 
 up a family history. Efforts have evidently been made 
 from time to time by individuals entirely unknown to each 
 
4 TJic Gra?mis Family in America. 
 
 other to collect the history of the Grannis Family, and if 
 the present writer has been more successful than the others 
 in rescuintj these few names from oblivion for a few hun- 
 dred \ears. more or less, it has been due more to the won- 
 derfully improved mail, telegraphic, and transportation fa- 
 cilities that have come into use during the short space of 
 his existence than to any superior ability of his own. When 
 we read in our evening papers, the events of the day, in all 
 parts of the world, including China, we are becoming more 
 and more prepared for the conviction, that this little planet 
 is to be put into communication with other planets, and 
 probably with the whole universe by One who has alread\- 
 gone in person, to prepare a place for those who through 
 faith and patience inherit the promises, and has declared 
 that He will come again and receive them unto Himself, 
 that where He is, there they may be also, in a condition with 
 and like Himself, in the presence of His glory and power 
 beyond the power of gravitation, (to say the least) and that 
 to be to all eternity- 
 Whatever may have been the family name and local 
 nativit)' of Edward (1630) it is certain that his father gave 
 him a name that has stood high among the "Upper Ten" in 
 England from 1004 to 1553 (see Johnson's EncNxloptedia, 
 article "Edward"), and when we consider the troublous 
 times in Church and State in which he came to America we 
 can well believe that he kept his famil}' name and nativity 
 a personal secret and that it died with him. 
 
 Whether he came as a Puritan or Independent is not 
 certain but probabh' it was the latter. It would seem at 
 
The Grannis Family in America. 5 
 
 this distance that the family was early divided ; the East 
 Haven branch being Episcopal and the North Haven 
 Congregational or Independent. 
 
 Col. G. W. Grannis, of San Francisco, Cal., says Octo- 
 ber 28, 1887 : "My ancestors were mariners for several 
 generations. My father was a sea captain. My predilec- 
 tions were maritime, and I was once a pretty good sailor." 
 
 "I have searched the business directories of London, Liv- 
 erpool, Manchester, and Edinburgh, and did not find it (the 
 name) in any directory in Great Britain or Ireland. I was 
 told by an old clerk at Somerset House (House of Records) 
 London, that I would find my name over in Flanders, that 
 it was Flemish. Some years since I wrote the postmaster at 
 Ayer, Scotland, and he replied that he knew of no person 
 in the town or vicinity of the name Granniss. If we never 
 find the name extant in the Old Country, then we may con- 
 clude that our ancestor changed his name when he came to 
 America. It was done in many instances as you are probab- 
 ly aware." 
 
 The family as a whole are rovers, the men before sixty 
 caring little for their ancestry. Many do not know the sur- 
 name of their grandfather nor when he lived. The Family 
 Bible is found in some instances, but contains records of not 
 more than two or three generations. The women are much 
 more reliable ; their tea table records often run back three 
 or four generations and are generally correct. Most of our 
 Record is gathered from them. Neither is the family wealthy. 
 There are a few names that will appear as we review the 
 Chart. Our extensive correspondence shows good educa- 
 
6 The Grannis Family in America. 
 
 tion. all th( professions beinjr represented. No icills have 
 hctii rcpcjftrd and the writer takes the liberty to record the 
 old soul;- "Daddy's Will" which may apply in some, per- 
 haps in most cases. 
 
 Sidney S. Grannis. 
 Rid Wini!^, Minn., May i, igoi. 
 
Daddy's Will. 
 
 To my dear wife, my joy in life, 
 
 I freely now do give her, 
 My whole estate, with all my plate, 
 
 Being just about to leave her. 
 
 A tub of soap, a long cart rope, 
 
 A frying pan and kettle, 
 An ashes pail, a threshing flail. 
 
 An iron wedge and beetle. 
 
 Two painted chairs, nine cards in pairs 
 And a large old dripping platter; 
 
 The bed of hay, on which I lay, 
 And an old sauce pan for batter. 
 
 A little mug, a two quart jug. 
 And a bottle full of brandy; 
 
 A looking glass, to see your face, 
 You'll find it very handy. 
 
 An old sword blade, a garden spade, 
 
 A hoe, a rake, a ladder, 
 A lamp oilcan, a close stool pan, 
 
 A clyster pipe and bladder. 
 
The Graimis Family in America. 
 
 A tailor's goose, the handle loose, 
 And a book put out by Bunyan, 
 
 A spinning wheel, an old hand reel, 
 And a skein or two of spun yarn. 
 
 A flock of geese, a pot of grease. 
 Two pothooks and a ladle; 
 
 A logerhead, a trundle bed, 
 And the little baby's cradle. 
 
 This is my store, I have no more, 
 
 I freely now do give her, 
 My whole estate, with all my plate. 
 
 Being just about to leave her. 
 
The Grannis Family in America. 
 
 EDWARD GRANNIS^ 
 
 Was born about 1630 and is first found, as a shoemaker, 
 in Hartford, Conn., where he married Elizabeth, daughter 
 of William Andrews (the schoolmaster), then of Farming- 
 ton, Conn., May 3, 1654. Joseph, his first living son, 
 was born in Hartford, March 31, 1656. They had no other 
 children and we learn nothing more of her, but he married 
 Hannah, daughter of John Wakefield, of New Haven, Conn., 
 in 1662. She had two sons and five daughters, all of whom 
 married ; of the first three daughters born in Hartford, 
 Hannah, Mabel, and Abigail, we- have no date of birth. He 
 removed to Hadley, Mass., about 1670, where Sarah was 
 born, October 20, 1671, and John, December 5, 1674, and 
 here we must conclude that the first Joseph born (March 
 31, 1656) died before naming of the second Joseph in the 
 family, aged about twenty years. 
 
 He removed from Hadley to New Haven about 1677, 
 where Joseph was born (March 12, 1677), and Ann the young- 
 est was born, but there is no date of her birth. 
 
 So far as we know, he located in the Third School Dis- 
 trict, otherwise called the Muddy River District, in the 
 North Parish of New Haven town, and here he brought up 
 
10 The Gra?i?iis Faynily i?i America. 
 
 his family. He followed the occupation of shoemaker and 
 taught his sons the same. 
 
 Religiousl)- he seems to have been an Independant or 
 Congregational ist. 
 
 In those days, the wife is seldom mentioned; at marri- 
 age her name seems to sink into oblivion, and she has no 
 record. 
 
 Col. G. W. Grannis, of San Francisco, Cal., sa)'s, June 
 5th, 1889: 
 
 "Have \ou read a late history of New Haven, 
 edited by Edward E. Atvvater? In it you will see that in 
 1680 a division of outside lands occurred, and Edward Gran- 
 nis appeared with eight in his family, self, wife, and six 
 children, and his share was thirt}'-eight acres, west of New 
 Haven. This was drawn by lot and he did not receive land 
 on his side of the town. This was the third division of lands. 
 The first was to residents of the city proper and the lands 
 (lots) were in the city. The second was to outsiders (out- 
 side the city) as well, but Edward does not appear. In 1669 
 he was not in the list of inhabitants of the town proper and 
 here following is when he comes in. 
 
 "In the spring of 1644, Totoket (or Branford) a place fit 
 for a small plantation betwixt New Haven and Guilford, 
 was sold to Mr. Swain and others of Weathersfield, upon con- 
 dition that they should join in one jurisdiction with New 
 Haven and the other plantations upon the fundamental 
 agreement settled in 1643, which, they duly considering, 
 readil}- accepted. 
 
 "From this time to its dissolution in 1665, the New 
 Haven Colony consisted of the six plantations of New Hav- 
 en, Southold, Stamford, Guilford, Milford and Branford. 
 
 "Edward Grannis must have been inside the East Haven 
 boundary (which was then New Haven town) or he could 
 not have drawn his land in the division of lands in 1680. 
 
 "Did he come from Weathersfield? Then he came with 
 
TJie Grannis Family in America. 1 1 
 
 the Connecticut colony and not with the New Haven colony. 
 His name does not appear anywhere that I find the names 
 of the New Haven colony. But where did he come from in 
 England? The New Haven colony were from Kent, Surrey, 
 Sussex, Hereford, Yorkshire, and sailed from the ports of 
 New Haven and Hull in England and also from London." 
 
 The first one married in the family was Hannah, who 
 married John Hill (January 12, 1681). 
 
 The second was Mabel, who married John Johnson 
 (March 2, 1684). 
 
 The third was Abigail, who married John Allen Jr., 
 (March 20, 1688). 
 
 The fourth was Sarah, who married Nathaniel Bishop 
 (April 28, 1690). 
 
 The fifth was Joseph, who married Hannah Russell 
 (November 3, 1702). 
 
 The sixth was Ann, who married Moses Brockett (Jan- 
 uary 8, 1706). 
 
 The seventh and last was John, who married Elizabeth 
 Brockett (October 12, 1706) and probably took his wife 
 home and occupied the old homestead and became a promi- 
 nent man in civil, religious, and military affairs in the town. 
 His father died four years later (December 5, 1710), aged 
 eighty years and was probably buried in the Montowese 
 cemetery, where two of the three little children of John 
 were buried a year later (in 1711)- 
 
 JOHN GRANNIS 2 
 
 Was born in Hadley, Mass., Dec. 5, 1674, and married 
 Elizabeth Brockett in 1706; they had six sons and one 
 daughter. 
 
 Mr. Sheldon B. Thorpe, of North Haven says, May 21, 
 1891 : 
 
 "Concerning the Grannis family at North Haven I make 
 the following memoranda." 
 
12 The Grannis Family hi America. 
 
 In January, 1716(7), John Grannis was moderator of the 
 Ecclesiastical Society meeting. In 1717, December 3d, John 
 Grannis was chosen one of the Prudential Committee in the 
 above Society. 
 
 In 1718, August 5th, John Grannis was one of the com- 
 mittee to take care of ye ordination of Rev. James Wetmore. 
 In this year he was 1st Lieutenant of the first military com- 
 pany in North Haven (then North Parish). 
 
 In 1721, December 21st, Lieut. John Grannis was on a 
 committee to seat }e meeting-house. 
 
 In January, 1722(3), Lieut. Grannis was on a committee 
 to procure a minister in the above Societw In 1725, Decem- 
 ber 7th, Lieut. Grannis was collector for above Society. 
 
 John Grannis was Tythingman in 1727 (North Haven 
 Annals). 
 
 In December, 1730, Lieut. Grannis was chosen on Soci- 
 ety Committee. 
 
 [Here oeciirs a break of Hue nty years in the A?via/s.~\ 
 
 John Grannis was Pound-keeper in 1732 (North Ha\en 
 Annals). In 1733 he was made Captain. 
 
 In 1739 John Grannis was Agent of the Ecclesiastical 
 Society to procure a new meeting-house. 
 
 Again he says : "The Ecclesiastical Society Church Rec- 
 ords beginning 1760 carry the name of Capt. Grannis. I can- 
 not tell his first name. It occurs with the footnote, that he 
 was one of the original settlers of the town which would lead 
 me to think it was probably John from his connection with 
 the first militar}' company here." 
 
 Again he says, May 21, 1891 : "The name of Grannis 
 does not appear on any stone in the old cemetery at North 
 Ha\-en in 1720." 
 
 In the Muddy River District (the locality where John 
 and Joseph lived) are three rude stones, small and uncouth, 
 marked : 
 
The Grajuiis Family in America. 13 
 
 HG EG EG 
 
 1711 1711 1719 
 
 These are all I have on m}^ schedules. I believe them 
 to stand for children of the Grannis family. 
 
 Again he sa\-s, Oct. 20, 1899 • 
 
 "The Third District and the Muddy River District are 
 identical, so I suppose John remained where he was raised. 
 I was in the Montowese cemetery a few days since and saw 
 the three old stones. They are fast decaying. I notice the 
 foot-stones which are under the surface of the ground some- 
 what retain the sharpness of the letters, but the surfaces ex- 
 posed to the weather are perishing." 
 
 As there were at this time no other but the families of 
 John and Joseph and no deaths in the latter, they could onl}- 
 belong to John ; so the writer takes the liberty of arranging 
 them in the Record, Hannah (1711), Edward (1711), and 
 Edward (1719). The four remaining sons of John were 
 John (1714), James (1716), Caleb (1718), and Enos (1720). 
 
 From this point we will follow the Chart, giving the 
 personal and family history as found in the Record Book of 
 each of the four sons of John (1674) and the six sons of 
 Joseph (1677). separately through one generation after 
 another. 
 
 There are doubtless many other deserving names (some 
 soldiers) whose history has not been reported to the writer. 
 
 All these ten branches end the name with one "s". 
 
14 The Grannis Family in America. 
 
 John Grannis ^ 
 
 Was born in North Haven, Conn., in 17 14, and married 
 Mary Munson (1717) in 1738. They had four sons and 
 three daughters. There has been much uncertainty in regard 
 to these two brothers, John (1714) and James (1716) 
 until this year (1900) when we learn from Mrs. Laura G. 
 Peaseley, a descendant of John (1789) that James (1716) 
 married Mabel Potter in 1739 less than one month after the 
 marriageof his brother John ( 1714), and the tea table records 
 seem to have been badly confused. At the same time we 
 learn from Miss Marj.;aret Mclntire Grannis (1878), daugh- 
 ter of Frederic A. (1851), that the record of her ancestors 
 back to Simeon (1748) clearly, connects with James 
 (1716), leaving it clear that John (1714) was father of John 
 
 (1739)- 
 
 John 4 (1739). 
 
 Was born in North Haven, Conn. All the writer has 
 been able to learn of him is a tradition that he went south 
 and was never heard from. 
 
 Timothy •* (1750). 
 
 Was born in North Haven, Conn., and married first 
 Sarah Sumner ( 1749) in 1771 and had seven children; he 
 married sccondSarah Nye (1759) in 1790 and had four sons; 
 eleven children in all (all of whom married except one of 
 the seven by his first marriage). His grandchildren number- 
 ed just fifty. 
 
 Mr. Solon C. Grannis (1801), Claremont, N. H., writes, 
 Nov. 21, 1887, "Mr. Gilmore has furnished some copies from 
 the Union Church Society Records which I enclose." 
 
 Aug. ye 13, 1780. Then Timothy Grannis had a son baptized 
 William. 
 
 Sept. ye 28, 1793. Then Timothy Grannis had a son baptized Syrus. 
 1787. Timothy Grannis chosen vestryman. 
 
The Grafuiis Family i?i America. 1 5 
 
 Aug. ye 27, 1789. Timothy Grannis bought ye pen at ye left hand 
 of ye door for ten pound. 
 
 Sept. 12, 1790. Then Timothy Grannis had a son baptized John. 
 
 Aug. 30, 1795. Timothy Grannis had a son baptized Sidney. 
 
 April, 1790. Timothy Grannis chosen 2nd Warden, again in 1791- 
 92-93-99. 
 
 Vestryman in 1800, again in 1801. Warden in 1802 and 1803. 
 
 Timothy Grannis Junior Collector 1804 chose T. Grannis Junior 
 Warden again in 1805. In 1810 chose Wm. Grannis Clerk. 
 
 181 1 chose T. Grannis Junior Vestryman ; 1824 Junior Warden and 
 in 1825. 
 
 A list of ratable polls belonging t';* Union Church So- 
 ciety, April, 1817, contains the following Grannis names: 
 Timothy, Timothy Jr., George, David, and Sidney. 
 
 Solon C. Grannis sa)'s, same date, "Grandfather Grannis 
 was a prominent man among the first proprietors of the town. 
 Was for a long time on committee of corporations and used 
 to be an owner of "'town rights\. 
 
 The writer learns from Mr. John M. Ives (1801) that 
 "town rights" were certain rights to remove down timber, 
 grass, etc., from the kings land (public) in return for his 
 oversight of the same to prevent cutting and removing 
 standing timber. 
 
 Timothy died in 1827, aged seventy-seven years. 
 
 Edward ^ (1752). 
 
 Was born in North Haven, Conn., and was twice marri- 
 ed, and had one son by each wife but the wives' names are 
 not known. He evidently had some knowledge of his an- 
 cestry and endeavored to perpetuate the memory of his 
 {supposed) great grandmother, Elizabeth Andrews and her 
 son Joseph (1657) by naming his first-born Joseph Andrews 
 (1779), the first doidde name in the great famih', but both 
 wives died without further issue. The second son was Sam- 
 uel Johnson (1785). 
 
1 6 The Grannis Family in America. 
 
 David M1793)- 
 
 Was born in Claremont, N. H., and married Olive Scott 
 (1803) in 1832 and they had one son and two daughters. 
 He died in Claremont, N. H., in 1837, aged forty-four years. 
 One daughter, Jane (1833) was born in Claremont, was un- 
 married, and died in 1854. Their son David Henr}- (1835) 
 was born in Claremont and was unmarried. He enlisted in 
 the 3d Vermont Volunteers, June 6, 1861, but was taken sick 
 and discharged before leaving the state. Enlisted again 
 August 22, 1861, in the 3d New Hampshire Volunteers, Co. 
 A, at Claremont, N. H. Was in the battle of James Island, 
 June 16, 1862, and had his canteen shot awa\-, but was unin- 
 jured. He died at Hilton Head, S. C, March 4, 1863, aged 
 twenty-seven years. Their daughter, Mary Scott ( 1837). mar- 
 ried Nelson F. Twing, of Springfield, Mass., in 1861. The 
 Record, Chart, and History of the Grannis Family were printed 
 in his office in Minneapolis, Minn., where they now reside. 
 
 Their children are: Edward Henry (1863), unmarried, died in St. 
 Paul, Minn., 1888 ; Herbert Nelson (1867) ; Mary Scott (1869), unmarri- 
 ed, died in Minneapolis, Minn., 1889 ; William Fuller {1873). 
 
 Sidney ^ (1795). 
 
 Was born in Claremont, N. H., the tenth child in a fam- 
 ily of nine brothers and two sisters, all but one of whom 
 married. He served seven years apprenticeship in the Jar- 
 vis Clothing Works in Claremont; married Betsey Stro- 
 bridge (1797) in 1819 and had five sons and three daughters. 
 Removed to Irasburg, Vt,,. and engaged in running the 
 clothing works with his brother Evander. Was Captain of 
 Militia when the military spirit ran high after the War of 
 1812. The clothing business was abandoned and in 1825 he 
 removed to Utica, N. Y., and found various employments un- 
 til 1834, when he began work in the woolen mills of Smith & 
 Tillinghart at Morrisville, N. Y. There he brought up his 
 
TJie Grannis Family in America. 1 7 
 
 famil\- and died, a Congregationalist, in 1844, aged forty-nine 
 years. His widow died in 1874, aged seventy-four years, and 
 was buried in Red Wing, Minn. 
 
 Samuel ^ ( 1792). 
 
 Was born in New Haven, Conn., and married Sail)- Bar- 
 nard (1795) in 1815, and had five sons. He died in 1880, at 
 the age of eighty-eight years. 
 
 The third son, Sidney Martin (1827), never married ; he 
 was a singer in his early days and was a member of the Am- 
 phion Band which sang through New York and New Eng- 
 land about the early fifties. Afterwards he travelled alone 
 as a singer. He composed the music set to the song "Do 
 they miss me at home? Do they miss me?" 
 
 He says, Los Angeles, Cal., Aug. 22, 1888 : 
 
 "Your name being the same as mine surprises me, as it 
 is not a family name, mine coming to me as a compliment to 
 an intimate friend of m)- mother. I find that \'Ou are ten 
 years older than the writer and a widower. In that regard 
 you have touched life at a point where I have failed, for my 
 family are under my hat." 
 
 Martin ^ (1794). 
 
 Was born in New Haven, Conn., and married Amelia 
 McGee in 1823, and died in 1828, aged thirty-four years; he 
 had two daughters. 
 
 Mrs. Laura Kissam was a widow and her sister Harriet 
 was living with her at the time of her death. 
 
 The only copy of the "Coat of Arms" that the writer had 
 ever seen, bearing the full name of R. A. Granniss was 
 presented by his father, Geo. B. Granniss (1798) to Mrs. 
 Kissam or her sister, in about i860 in New York City. By 
 her it was given to Sidney M. Grannis, by him to his cousin, 
 Anna M. Hickox, daughter of David Granniss (1790), by 
 
1 8 The Grajinis Family in America. 
 
 her to her daughter Kathrine of Buffalo, N. Y., and finall\- 
 by her to the writer. He has seen onl\- one other cop\- and 
 that had the initials cut off. 
 
 Laurens A. " (1803). 
 
 Was born in Claremont, N. H., and married, first, Mar}' 
 Johnson (1808) in 1831; and, second, Martha Cole (1816) in 
 1836. He died in Guildhall, Vt., in 1896 at the age of nine- 
 ty-three and a half years. 
 
 By his second wife he had four sons and three daugh- 
 ters. Their second son, Timothy (1841), enlisted in Co. E, 
 First Regiment U. S. Sharpshooters about Jul\- i, 1861 and 
 served until Januarj- 31, 1862, when he died in camp at 
 Washington, D. C, and was taken to Claremont, N. H., for 
 burial, 
 
 Samuel R. « (1812). 
 
 Was born in Claremont, N. H., and married Caroline 
 M. Higbee (1816) in 1839. They had four sons: Samuel 
 Higbee (1839), Henry Sumner (1844), Charles William 
 ( 1850), and George Francis (1852). Henry Sumner was a 
 member of the First Minnesota Heavy Artiller\-. He volun- 
 teered Feb. 7, 1865, died in Chattanooga, Tenn., June i, 1865, 
 at the age of twenty-one years, and was buried in Chattanoo- 
 ga, Tenn. 
 
 William C. D. « (1826). 
 
 Was born in Hatley, P. 0., Canada, and married, first, 
 Lucia Baldwin (1827) in 1851, and, second, Clara Brown 
 (1842) in 1868, by whom he had one son and three daughters. 
 He was president for some years of the Union National Bank 
 of Chicago, and also in 1898, when he died at the age of sev- 
 enty-two years. 
 
 Timothy O. « (1810). 
 
 Was born in Claremont, N. H., and married Julia B. 
 
The Grannis Family in America. 19 
 
 Kelsey (1821) in 1842, and had two sons and one daughter. 
 He was for man)' years cashier and president of the Oneida 
 Co. Bank of Utica, N. Y., and also when he died in 1883, at 
 the age of seventy-three years. 
 
 Frederic W. ^ (1822). 
 
 Was born in Utica, N. Y., and married, first, Mary M. 
 Bennett (1836) in 1852, and, second, Elizabeth Bartlett 
 (1841 ), but the date of the marriage is unknown. 
 
 Of his second wife, the New York Graphic says : "Mrs. 
 E. B. Grannis, a quiet little bundle of energy, weighing only 
 ninety pounds, is editor and proprietor of the Church Union. 
 She holds a tight rein and in her team of assistants drives 
 seven Doctors of Divinity tandem. 33 E. 22nd St. N. Y. City." 
 
 Sidney S. ^ (1820). 
 
 Was born in Irasburg, Vt., and married Sarah S. Howe, 
 (1816) in 1842. They had four sons and two daughters. 
 
 He invented the Jointless Wire Heddle for weavers har- 
 ness and the machine to make it. It was patented in 1842, 
 and renewed in 1856 ; it has gone into general use in this 
 country and in Europe. 
 
 He removed from Morrisville, N. Y., in 1857, to Red 
 Wing, Minnesota Territory, which became a state in 1858. 
 Engaged in lumbering, was a member of the Red Wing City 
 Council, School District Directorin 1863 and '64, member of 
 Legislature, County Commissioner of Goodhue County for 
 three years, and retired in 1879. Was the genealogist of the 
 Grannis Family from 1630, during the years 1885 to 1901. 
 
 See the "History of Goodhue County", 1878. 
 
 William P. « (1833). 
 Was born in Morrisville, N. Y., and married Marietta 
 
20 The Grannis Pauiily in America. 
 
 B. Bronson (1839) in 1863. They had one daughter, Lucy 
 S. (1869). 
 
 He learned the trade of a machinist in the works of his 
 brothers, S. S. and G. H., in Morrisville, N. Y., which he 
 left for the study of dentistry with Dr. A. M. Holmes of the 
 same place in 1855. Commenced his practice in Havana, 
 Schuyler County, N. Y. in 1859. Enlisted as a musician in 
 1862 and was in the terrible siege of Fort Pulaski, approach- 
 ing from the sea. At_ the close of the war he practiced his 
 profession in Morrisville, till in 1869 he went to Oswego, N. 
 Y., where he entered the firm of Blanchard & Co.. Sash, 
 Blind and Door Makers, as financial manager, and remained 
 witli them till 1879, when he resumed the practice of his pro- 
 fession in the same place. The winter of 1886 and '87 he 
 spent in Algiers, North Africa, with his family in the hope 
 of removing the dreaded Bright's disease, returning in May, 
 1887. At the time of his sudden death in 1887, at the age of 
 fifty-four, he was serving his second term as Deacon in the 
 Congregational Church of Oswego. 
 
 William H. De Lancey ^ (1839). 
 
 Was born in Wales Centre, N. Y., and married Harriet S. 
 Green in 1866; they had four sons and three daughters. 
 
 Mrs. Helen W. "(Grannis) Redfield, of Montpelier, Vt., 
 says, December 28, 1886. "Wm. Heathcote Delancey Gran- 
 nis was a clerg}'man. I copy from "The Churchman" : En- 
 tered into rest, January 8, 1881, at Havana, Cuba, the Rever- 
 and Wm. H. Delancey Grannis, Rector of St. James Church. 
 Goshen, Orange County, N. Y. I think I never knew one so 
 highly spoken of as in this Memoriam." 
 
 Amos « (1828). 
 
 Was born in Attica, N. Y., and married Jane Taylor 
 (1832) in 1850, and had three sons and three daughters; he 
 is reported wealthy. 
 
TJic Gramiis Family i?i America. 21 
 
 He says, January i, 1888 : "Our family came from an 
 ancient Highland Scotch family, members of which emigra- 
 ted to America in the latter part of the Sixteenth or early 
 part of the Seventeenth Century. The earliest record we 
 have is the marriage of Edward Grannis of Hartford, Conn., 
 to Elizabeth Andrews, of Farmington, May 3, 1654. * * 
 One hundred and twenty-one years later, we again find the 
 name of Edward Grannis, a citizen of Hartford who declared 
 for liberty and independence in 1775. This was my grand- 
 fat/icr, who was subsequently killed in battle." 
 
 Edward ' ( 1837). 
 
 Was born in Claremont, N. H., and married Hannah C. 
 Knight (1844) in 1867 ; they had two sons, both of whom 
 died young. 
 
 He enlisted at Guildhall, Vt., September 17, 1862, and 
 was mustered into the Fifteenth Vermont, Co. G., at Brat- 
 tleboro, Vt., October 22, 1862; then went to Washington, 
 D. C, with five regiments of nine month's men from Ver- 
 mont, called the Second Vermont Brigade, and there under 
 General Stannard, in Corey's Division, 22nd Army Corps, he 
 aided in the defence of Washington. "The Brigade was out 
 near Fairfax Court House, and on the picket line, on Bull 
 Run, guarding the railroad, as far down as Beaton Station 
 through the winter and spring of 1863, till the Gettysburg 
 Campaign, when we joined the First Army Corps. The 13th. 
 14th, and i6th Regiments were in the battle ; the 12th and 
 15th were detailed to guard the trains and ambulances of 
 the First Corps, and of course were not in the battle." 
 
 He was discharged at Brattleboro, Vt., August 5, 1863, 
 and receives a pension of $8.00 per month. 
 
 Rev. George H. ' (1850). 
 
 The second son of Horace R. ( 1821 ) was born in Ober- 
 lin, Ohio, and married Agnes C. Conway (1864) in 1888. 
 
22 Tlic Gran /lis Family in America. 
 
 They had two children, Herbert Conwa)' (1889) ^^^^ Lester 
 Bruce (1892) both born in St. Louis, Mo. 
 
 By an oversight his name is not shown in the Chart of 
 1900. 
 
 Edward H. ' (1854). 
 
 Was born in Morrisville, N. Y., and married Gertrude 
 A. Van Vliet {1854) in 1876. They had one daughter, Mar- 
 guerite (1878) and one son. Irving Van Vliet (1882). 
 
 He was Asst. Surgeon in the Third Wisconsin Infantry 
 with rank of Captain for several years, and enlisted in the 
 U. S. Service with his Regiment and went to Porto Rico; was 
 promoted to Surgeon with rank of Major and was mustered 
 out with his Regiment in 1899, ^^^ remained in the service 
 of the State of Wisconsin. 
 
 Wisconsin's Rifle Teani. 
 
 Madison, Wis., January 4, 1901. —The State Rifle Team for igoo, 
 composed of the ten members of the Wisconsin National Guard who 
 made the highest ag^gregate score in the target shooting during the An- 
 nual Encampment of the State troops at Camp Doughiss, is announced 
 in General Order No. 10, just issued by Adjutant General Hoardman. 
 
 Ten are awarded the decoration of "distinguished marksmen.'' 
 
 The revolver presented by General Charles King, for the best score 
 with revolver, possible score 125, was won byCapt. Alva S. Goodier, Co. 
 K., Third Regiment, score 121. 
 
 Major Edward H. Grannis, Surgeon Third Regiment, make the pos- 
 sible score 125, but having won once, was not eligible to win a second 
 time. 
 
 Henr>- J. • (1841). 
 
 Was born in North Liberty, Indiana, and married Abi- 
 gail C. Ilubbell (1842) in 1866, and had three sons and two 
 daughters. He enlisted for three years at Fa\'ette, Iowa, 
 September 15, 1861, in Co. C, Twelfth Iowa Infantry ; was 
 made Sergeant in the compaii)- and detailed as colorbearer 
 of the Regiment, a position that he held during the entire 
 
Dr. E. H. GRANNIS. 
 
The Gnmnis Family in America. 23 
 
 War. He re-enlisted as veteran volunteer, December 24, 
 1863, and was coaitnissioned ist Lieutenant of his company, 
 December 8, 1865, but still acted as colorbearer. Was in 
 the battles of Fort Henry, Fort Donaldson, Shiloh or Pitts- 
 burg Landing, Tupelo, Miss., Nashville, Tenn., (two days), 
 Spanish Fort, and in the operations against Mobile, Ala. At 
 Shiloh, Tenn., he was captured with the whole of his Regi- 
 ment, and held a prisoner at Montgomery', Ala., and Macon, 
 Ga., for six months and eleven days. Besides this, he was 
 in many skirmishes, marches and expeditions and took part 
 in ex'ery movement of the Regiment. Never wounded or 
 otherwise unable for duty, and was mustered out at Daven- 
 port, Iowa, January 30, 1866. Receives no pension or other 
 reward than the empty honor of First Lieutenant's commis- 
 sion. — (Extract from correspondence by S. S. Grannis.) 
 
 Charles O. ' (1842). 
 
 Was born in Cairo, N. Y., and married Harriet Buck in 
 1876. He served in the U. S. army through the slaveholder's 
 rebellion, and died in New York City, February 17, 1880, 
 aged thirty-eight years. 
 
 David N.' (1846). 
 
 Was born in Cairo, N. Y., and married Mary Manahan 
 (1848) in 1876, and had four sons and two daughters. 
 
 He served in the U. S. Navy through the war of the Re- 
 bellion. 
 
24 The Grannis Family in Ajturica. 
 
 James Grannis. ^ 
 
 Was born in North IIa\en, Conn., in 1716, and married 
 Mabel Potter, Januar\- 8, 1739. 
 
 Mr. Sheldon B. Thorpe, of North lla\cn. Conn., gives 
 us the following from the town records: "James Grannis 
 took up a fishing place on Kast river, in 1739." 
 
 Miss Margaret Mclntire Grannis (1878) of Branford, 
 Conn., daughter of Frederic Alonzo (1851) in partial record 
 of her ancestors (see Chart) says: "James died after ampu- 
 tation of leg at Monmouth" (no dates). The writer finds no 
 other James to whom this will apply. — S. S. G., Nov., 1900. 
 
 Eldad ^ (1764). 
 
 Was born in North Ha\en, Conn., and was twice mar- 
 ried. Each wife had only one son. The second wife was 
 Comfort Atwater, of Oxford, Conn. 
 
 Mrs. Rowena Grannis Steele ( 1824) of Merced, Cal., says 
 (Feb. 5, 1888): "Eldad married ver)' young, and had one 
 son which was taken b)- its mother's friends when she died, 
 and his brother Harry never saw him." 
 
 Marshal '> (18 1 5). 
 
 Was born in Waterbury, Conn., and married Lydia E. 
 Grannis (1820) in 1848. She was daughter of Simeon, Jr., 
 (1795). They had three daughters, whose names have not 
 been reported to the writer. 
 
 James M. « (1818). 
 
 Was born in Waterbury, Conn., and married Irene Mil- 
 ton in 1838. Had ohl- daughter, " Henrietta." 
 
 He was born in Shakers Society, and entered the employ 
 of Benedict, Burnharn & Co., brass founders, of Waterbur\', 
 Conn., at the age of fifteen. Learned the trade of mixing 
 and casting metals, and cast first german silver. Remained 
 
The Graniiis Family in A?nerica. 25 
 
 with the firm forty-five years. Chosen Captain of militia in 
 1836. High in Masonic affairs, member of Common Council, 
 alderman, and assistant justice till health failed, and he went 
 to England for two years without benefit ; he died in 1880, 
 at the age of sixty-three years. 
 
 Alonzo ^ (1820). 
 
 Was born in Waterbury, Conn., and married Esther D. 
 Payne of Columbus, Ohio, in 1837. They had four children 
 of whom only Frederic Alonzo (1851) survives. He entered 
 the employ of Benedict & Co., when twelve 3'ears old, and 
 continued with Benedict, Burnham & Co. for fifty-eight 
 years. In 1890 he retired from business ; at thattime he was 
 head of the department of sheet, brass, and silver rolling. 
 For years he was a member of the Waterbury Common 
 Council. (Margaret Mc Grannis, 1,900.) 
 
 Caleb A. 6 (1827). 
 
 Was born at Sidney Plains, N. Y., and married Mary 
 Jane Bronson (1824) in 1848. At the age of fifteen he en- 
 tered the employ of Benedict, Burnham & Co., Waterbury, 
 Conn., and remained with them twenty-four years ; he was 
 a member of the Common Council. In 1866 he removed to 
 Bridgeport, Conn. 
 
 Norman Delos " (1833). 
 
 Son of Simeon, Jr. (1795) was born in Unadilla, N. Y., 
 and married Caroline A. Pond of Waterbury, Conn. He en- 
 tered the employ of Benedict, Burnham & Co., brass-found- 
 ers of Waterbury, Conn., and remained in the casting de- 
 partment for forty years ; he was a member of the Univer- 
 salist Society, and stood high in Masonic affairs. 
 
 George W. ' (1847). 
 Was born in Butler County, Pa., and married Eunice A. 
 Barnes (1847) '" 1872. 
 
26 The Grannis Family m America. 
 
 In June, 1864, he enlisted in Co. E, 193d Reg. Pa. Vol.' 
 under the call for 100,000 one hundred day men, and served 
 four months. Disease contracted during the term of service 
 prevented his re-enlistment. 
 
 For many years he has been a Trustee of the Willa- 
 mette University of Salem, Oregon, and the Board has con- 
 ferred upon him the honorary degree of D. D. 
 
 Since September, 1898, Dr. Grannis has been pastor of 
 the McMinnville M. E. Church. September 12, 1900, he 
 was appointed Endowment Agent of Willamette University. 
 His address is Salem, Oregon. 
 
 Caleb Grannis. ^ 
 
 Was born in North Haven, Conn., in 1718. "The Rev. 
 Isaac Stiles married one Caleb Grannis to Patience Bunnell, 
 Nov. 27, 1745." (North Haven Town Annals). They had 
 one son, Benjamin (1747). 
 
 Benjamin '* (1747). 
 
 Was born in North Haven, Conn., and married Polly 
 Wilcox (no date). They had three sons : Benjamin (1783), 
 Benjamin (1784), and George Benjamin (1796), all of whom 
 died young. 
 
 It would appear that Benjamin (1747) and Benjamin 
 (1757) married sisters. Polly and Mary Wilcox. Upon the 
 death of George B., third son of Polly, Mary adopted the 
 name for her second son (1798) with the evident desire of 
 perpetuating the name of George Benjamin. 
 
 The death of these three children of Benjamin (1747) 
 brings the line of Caleb (1718) to a close. 
 
The Gratmis Family i?i America. 27 
 
 Enos Grannis. '^ 
 
 Was born in North Haven, Conn., in 1720, and married 
 Thankful (1732), daughter of his cousin Russell (1709), of 
 the East Haven family, in 1751. 
 
 George S. (1868) writes November 29, 1898, "My 
 grandfather (Sylvester B., 1820) had a lingering sickness, 
 and just before he died, he wrote out a record of his grand- 
 father's (Enos, 1720) family, as far as he knew. It was this 
 
 way. 
 
 "He had a little Grannis girl, and married the girl he 
 wanted. She did not have a dollar, so his people would 
 have nothing to do with him, and what he put on that paper 
 he did from memory." 
 
 Here was an evident intention on the part of both North 
 and East Haven families, which consisted at the time of no 
 more than eighteen persons, to ostracise, boycott, and shun 
 him and his wife. 
 
 The writer has received two copies of Rev. Stephen 
 Dodd's memoirs from different persons, neither of which 
 mentions the name of Thankful, showing that her name was 
 dropped from the family record. She became a member of 
 the North Haven Congregational Church, lived many years 
 with her son Benjamin (1757) and died at the age of ninety- 
 three years. In the Grove Street Cemetery in New Haven 
 her monument may be seen. Since her age and the date of 
 her death is known, the year of her birth must have been 
 1732, which just fits in between the names of Russell Jr. 
 (1730) and Samuel (1734) in the family of Russell (1709). 
 There was no other family in which she could have been 
 born, but that of William (1706) and in that family there is 
 a Thankful (1730) who married Benjamin Moulthrop. 
 
 Col. Geo. W. Grannis, of San Francisco, Cal., writes 
 June 8, 1891, 'T enclose a Family Tree sent me many years 
 ago by my mother." This tree contains the family and de- 
 
28 The Grafifiis Family i?i America. 
 
 scendants of Enos (1720) down to 1840, and the name of 
 Robert A., born that year, is on one of the twigs. 
 
 The author of this tree is unknown to the writer, but it 
 is evident that he had a good knowledge of the descendants 
 of Enos (1720) for at least one hundred and twenty years. 
 It is singular, however, that neither his name nor that of 
 Thankful's are mentioned. Instead of Enos on the trunk 
 we find North Haven. Circumstances point to Fanny (about 
 1785), daughter and only child of Benjamin (1757) by his 
 first wife, as alongside of her twig is found the only refer- 
 ence to any one outside of the family. "Major John B. 
 Scott. He was in the Artillery service in California." No 
 dates are given on the tree. 
 
 Enos, Jr. * (1754). 
 
 Born in North Haven, Conn., and married Margaret . 
 
 Died aged sixty-nine years. 
 
 \Copy.\ 
 
 Department of Interior, 
 Bureau of Pensions, 
 Washington, D. C, Alarch 18, i8go. 
 
 (Return this letter with your reply.) 
 
 Sir : In accordance with your request you will receive herewith enclos- 
 ed a statement on a separate sheet of so much history of Enos Grannis, 
 a Revolutionary officer from Connecticut, as is contained in his applica- 
 tion for Pension. 
 
 [Signed] Green B. Baum, Commissioner. 
 Mr. Sidney S. Grannis, 
 
 Red Witig, Goodhue Co., Minnesota. 
 
 ENOS GRANNIS. 
 
 He was residing May, 1818, in Westmoreland County^ 
 Pa., aged sixty-four years and upwards. 
 
 In July, 1820, his age was stated to be sixty-five years 
 and upwards. At the latter date his family consisted of his 
 
Tlie Graujiis Fa??iily in America. 29 
 
 wife and three daughters, aged respectively nineteen, eleven 
 and nine years. No names given. 
 
 He died in 1824, and his widow Margaret (who it was 
 stated in a letter had been married to Enos Grannis before 
 1794) died in 1843, but she was not a pensioner so that the 
 date of marriage cannot be furnished. 
 
 Elizabeth Siper, probably living in Armstrong Co., Pa., 
 was alive in 1855. 
 
 Archibald Adams of Lydan, Whiteside Co., 111., stated 
 that he was a son-in-law and at that time four heirs were li\- 
 ing. No names given. He volunteered in 1776 for one year 
 under Capt. David Smith in Col. Samuel Elmore's Batallion 
 of Connecticut troops and was discharged January 7, 1777. 
 
 He stated that he was in Col. Porter's command, and if 
 so it was only temporarily. 
 
 The record is that he enlisted April 18, 1776. The reg- 
 iment was posted at Germat Flats in Herkimer County, 
 N. Y. In August, 1777, he enlisted for the war under Capt. 
 Pendleton as an artificer in Col. Jedutha's (a Massachusetts 
 officer) regiment of Artillery; was appointed Sergeant Sept. 
 13, 1777, and promoted to Lieutenant Nov. 12, 1779, in the 
 same organization. (The command was in the battle of 
 Brandywine, Del., Sept. ii, 1777, at Germantown, Pa., Oct. 
 4, 1777, and at Monmouth, N. J., June 28, 1778, an excessive- 
 ly hot day.) General Green superseded Gen. Gates in the 
 command of the Southern Army in November, 1780, and 
 made a request for Capt. Pendleton's Company to be sent 
 to him and they were the only troops that served south of 
 Virginia during the war. 
 
 Grannis claimed that he was appointed Captain by Gen. 
 Green but there is no evidence that he was commissioned as 
 such; it may be that he was only acting temporarily. He re- 
 mained at the South to the end of the war, then came to 
 Philadelphia Nov. 3, 1783. 
 
 Grannis was at Watertown, Litchfield Co., Conn., when 
 
30 The Grannis Family in America. 
 
 he enlisted in the service. The $i8oo was granted by Concrrcss 
 as commutation or half pay by Act of June 30, 1834, and the 
 date of marriage may be in those papers at the Treasurx- 
 Department where it was paid. 
 
 Benjamin "* ( 1757). 
 
 Was born in North Haven, and was thrice married. His 
 first wife was Mary Wilcox (1765). The dates of the others 
 are not known. 
 
 Robert A. Granniss, Esq., of "Overlook", Morris Plains. 
 N. J. (Vice-President of the Mutual Life Insurance Company 
 of N. Y., 57 Cedar St.), sa\-s August 5, 1890 : 
 
 "Benjamin Granniss died at his residence, George Street. 
 New Haven, Conn., Ma)- 19, 1832, aged seventy-five years, 
 and was buried in the family lot in New Haven Cemetery. 
 
 "It is evident from this that he was born in 1757, but it 
 does not appear what his father's name was and I have no 
 record to show it. [The Family Tree does not show it.] At 
 the time of his death he was a large manufacturer of boots ( 
 and shoes in New Haven, Conn., doing business under the ' 
 firm name of B. Granniss & Sons, with a branch house in New 
 York under the firm name of C B. Granniss and Co., and 
 another in Charleston, S. C, doing business as Granniss, 
 White & Co. My father (George B.) was the head of the 
 Charleston concern. 
 
 "The Panic of 1837 caused the failure of these three \ 
 firms and it took years of mercantile life on the part of my 
 father to recover from the disaster. * * The old house ; 
 in George Street, New Haven, where my grandfather Benja- 
 min lived and died, and where his children were all born, is 
 still standing ( 1899), but in a very shabby and ruinous con- 
 dition. 
 
 "Benjamin Granniss' lot in the Grove Street Cemetery, 
 New Haven, contains his grave and monument with a num- 
 ber of inscrii)tions. 
 
/lyVV-v^ 
 
The Gra?mis Family i)i America. 31 
 
 *'I think Benjamin's mother was named Thankful, i3ut 
 she would not have been born a Grannis unless he had mar- 
 ried a cousin or relative of the same name." 
 
 William E. ^ (1790). 
 
 Was born in North Haven, Conn. There is no account 
 of his wife. They had seven sons, whose names were: Solon 
 A., Robert, Harry, William, John, Newton, Ransom, and 
 Lorin. 
 
 "George W. Grannis was son of either Newton or Solon. 
 He enlisted in Co. C, Twelfth Iowa, September 15, 1861, 
 aged about forty years, and was lost in the battle of Shiloh, 
 his fate unknown." (Henry J. Grannis, April 22, 1888.) 
 
 Palmer ^ (1787). 
 
 Was born in North Haven, Conn., and married Eunice 
 Merriam ( 1791 ) in 1809 ; they had six sons and three daugh- 
 ters. She died in 1830, aged thirty-nine years. His second 
 wife was Rebecca Russell (1804) and the\^ had one son who 
 died young. 
 
 When eight years old he was bound out to a German 
 family in Herkimer Co., New York, for eight years. When 
 his time was up he went to New Haven, Conn., and learned 
 the trade of tanner and shoemaker with his uncle Edward 
 (1752). He made a few trips on a merchant vessel to the 
 West Indies ; worked as a journeyman shoemaker in New 
 York and went to Meriden, Conn., where he started a tan- 
 nery. In 1817 he sold out his business and removed to At- 
 water, Portage Co., Ohio. In 1834 he succeeded in collect- 
 ing a claim of $2,000 pension money due his father Enos, Jr. 
 (1754) for services as Captain in the Revolutionary Army. 
 For his own work and expenses he received ;^i,000 and the 
 remaining $1,000 was divided between eight heirs, $125.00 
 apiece. He received the money in old U. S. Bank bills and 
 
32 TJic Gratmis Family in America. 
 
 paid the heirs from his own hand. He died in Lima, Ind., 
 in 1846, at the age of fifty-nine years. 
 
 George E. « (1845). 
 
 Was born in New Haven, Conn., and married Emma 
 Bond in 1871. They had two sons and four daughters. He 
 enlisted in Co. D., Connecticut Infantry Volunteers, Aug. 
 II, 1862, and was mustered in under Col. Dexter K. Wright, 
 He served in Whipple's Division south of the Potomac, in 
 the defence of Washington, in Virginia, North Carolina, and 
 was in many battles, skirmishes, marches, etc., and finally 
 was mustered out at New Haven, Conn., July 12, 1865, and 
 receives a pension of S6.00 per month. 
 
 Robert A. " (1840). 
 
 The Vice-President of the New York Mutual Life Insur- 
 ance Company of New York City, was born in Brooklyn N. 
 Y., and married Florence Peters (1849) i" 1870. Their 
 children are: Florence Anna (1871), Mary Wadsworth 
 (1873) and Robert Andrews, Jr. (1880), a student in Yale 
 College in 1900. 
 
 He and Col. George W. (1825) of San Francisco, Cal., 
 have contributed liberally to the Record fund. 
 
OLD HOMESTEAD OF THE GRANNISS FAMILY, 
 Granniss Corners, Faxon, 1645. 
 
The Grannis Family in America. 33 
 
 JOSEPH GRANNIS. 2 
 
 Was born in New Haven, Conn., March 12, 1677, and 
 married Hannah Russell, daughter of John Russell, of New 
 Haven, November, 1702. 
 
 One year after marriage he was granted three acres from 
 the estate of Jacob Merriman, in Wallingford, Conn. Here 
 he probably followed the occupation of hi's father (shoe- 
 maker), and the grant of land may have been a bonus to 
 start the business. How long he remained here is unknown 
 but he subsequently returned to East Haven, and located at 
 Faxon (Grannis Corners), where he brought up his large 
 family of six sons and four daughters (all married), which 
 became known as the East Haven family, while that of 
 John ( 1674) on the old homestead was known as the North 
 Haven family. Religiously, he appears to have been an 
 Episcopalian. 
 
 His sons became mariners and followed the sea. The 
 memoirs of Rev. Stephen Dodd (who was installed pastor of 
 the East Haven Congregational Church, December ii, 1818, 
 resigned April 20, 1847, ^^d died in 1856) give a very meager 
 record of the family up to about 1800, published in 1825, 
 probably furnished him by some one of the family. 
 
 Nothing further is learned of Joseph, or his wife Han- 
 nah. Of his four daughters, Sarah married Matthew Moul- 
 throp, 4th. Anna married Asher Moulthrop. Mabel mar- 
 ried Ebenezer Bradley, in 1716. Hannah married Samuel 
 Chedsey, Jr. 
 
 Col. G. W. Granniss (1825), of San Francisco, Cal., says, 
 " My ancestors were mariners for several generations, and I 
 was once a pretty good sailor. * * * I only know that I am 
 a descendant of the East Haven family." 
 
34 The Grannis Fcvnily in America. 
 
 Joseph Grannis, Jr. ^ 
 
 Was probably born in Wallini^ford, Conn., in 1704,3110! 
 married Bathsheba Thompson in 1728. The\' had one- 
 daughter, Desire (date of birth unknown), who died youn*,^. 
 
 He was lost at sea, and his line comes to an earl\- close. 
 A snatch from an old song gives a faint idea of the domes- 
 tic life of the old time sailor. 
 
 "Away Annie darling, away with thy notion 
 
 Dear Annie, a parting must be. 
 I'd sail the seas over, I'd cross the wide ocean, 
 
 I'd sail the seas over — for thee." 
 
 William Grannis. -^ 
 
 Was probably born in Wallingford, Conn., ini706, and 
 married Thankful Allen (no dates). They had Wm. Jr. 
 (1728), who married Sarah Grannis (1733) in 1755, daughter 
 of his uncle Thomas (1711). 
 
 Thankful ( ) who married Benjamin Moulthrop in 
 
 1761, and 
 
 Desire, who married Aaron Page. 
 
 Widow Thankful Grannis married Robert Dawson (no 
 dates). 
 
 William, Jr. ^ (1734). 
 Was born in East Haven, Conn., and married Sarah 
 Grannis (1733), daughter of his uncle Thomas (1711), and 
 had five sons and six daughters, all of whom grew up and 
 married, and his descendants extend into the eighth genera- 
 tion. 
 
 Charles De Witt. • (1840). 
 
 Was born in Fredonia, N. Y., and married first Susan 
 E. Bacon (1842) in 1863. They had one daughter. His 
 second wife was Carrie D. Talman (1855) in 1873 ; they had 
 no children. 
 
TJie Grannis Family in Atnerica. 35 
 
 August 8, 1861 he enlisted in the 44th N. Y. as a private 
 and was mustered into service September 24th as First Ser- 
 geant. On November 10, 1862, he received his commission 
 as 2nd Lieutenant, was made ist Lieutenant February 17. 
 1863, and on August 4, 1863 was made Captain. He was 
 assigned the command of Company B, 44th N. Y. S. V., and 
 held this position until the final muster out October 14, 1864. 
 On June 27th he was taken prisoner at Gaines Mills, Virginia 
 and taken to Richmond. There he was confined in Libby 
 Prison until September 4th, when he was paroled and taken 
 to the parole camp at Alexandria. About the 5th he was 
 exchanged and rejoined his Regiment at Harpers Ferry, Va. 
 He says "I was a member of the Third Brigade, First Divis- 
 ion, Fifth Army Corps, during m}- entire period of service 
 and participated in all battles in which the Arm\' of the Po- 
 tomac was engaged during my term of service, excepting 
 those occurring between the dates of June 27 and October 
 15, 1862. I was very fortunate in escaping all ph\'sical in- 
 juries either by wounds or sickness." He died in Alamo, 
 Mich., January I, 1901, aged sixty-one. 
 
 Marcius S. " (1843). 
 
 Was born in Fredonia, N. Y., and married Carrie E. 
 Gurnee in 1876. His second wife was Rebecca B. Holmes, 
 whom he married in 1883. They had no children. 
 
 He served in the Civil War from August 22, 1862 until 
 August 8, 1864, and was then promoted to 2nd Lieutenant 
 in the 12th U. S. Heavy Artillery (colored). He served in 
 Kentucky from August, 1864 till April 30, 1866, vvhen he was 
 mustered out at Louisville, Ky. He died in Toledo, Ohio, 
 from a fractured skull received in a street car accident. 
 
36 Tlic Graiinis Family in America. 
 
 Russell Grannis. ^ 
 
 His third son, Russell, was born in 1709, and married 
 Lydia Forbes. They had four sons and one daughter. 
 
 Their daughter, Thankful (1732), married Enos Grannis 
 (1720) of the North Haven family (which see) and became 
 a member of the Congregational Church of North Haven. 
 She survived her husband, and died April 27, 1825, at the 
 age of ninety-three years, at the home of her son Benjamin 
 (1757), and was buried in the Grove Street Cemeter}-, in New 
 Haven, where her monument may now be seen. Her name 
 was dropped from her family record, and does not appear 
 in Rev. Stephen Dodd's memoirs of the East Haven family, 
 but her age, and date of death being known, gives the year 
 of birth to have been 1732, as above. There was no other 
 family in which she could have been born, but that of Wil- 
 liam (1706), which has a Thankful (1730), who married Ben- 
 jamin Moulthrop in 1761. 
 
 Nathaniel '" (1754). 
 
 Was born in North Haven, and married Martha Smith 
 in 1777. There is no record of their three sons and five 
 daughters, born in New Haven, but their names. 
 
 Col. G. W. Granniss, of San Francisco, Cal., says, Nov. 
 14, 1887 : "The tombstones of Nathaniel and Russell Grannis, 
 are among the oldest in the Union Cemetery, of Fair 
 Haven, Conn. 
 
 "Nathaniel had no sons to arrive at maturit\'. * * * He 
 and John Rowe owned most of the land on the West side of 
 the Quinnipiac river, and Rowe agreed to give the town a 
 burial ground if Grannis would give a green, or training 
 ground. Accordingly, Grannis deeded a valuable piece of 
 land on the principal thoroughfare (Grand street), and Rowe 
 deeded a piece the same size, but in the interior of a field, 
 with the right of wa)' to it only." 
 
The Gra?inis Family in America. 37 
 
 In the inscription on the tombstone of Nathaniel (1754) 
 in the Cemetery of Fair Haven, Conn., (Rowe's gift), 
 the name ends with one " s," "Grannis." That of Russell 
 (1766), with two, in 1891. 
 
 Russell, 3rd 5 (1766). 
 
 Was born in North Haven, Conn., and married Mary 
 Bradley ( 1765) in 1789. They had six sons and three daugh- 
 ters. The name " Bradley " does not occur in the North 
 Ha\en family, so far as the writer has found. 
 
 Alva " (1794). 
 
 Was born in Fair Haven, Conn., and married Hannah 
 Barnes (1795). They had one son and one daughter. 
 
 Col. G. W. Granniss, of San Francisco, says, October 28, 
 1887, "My father, Alva, was a sea captain. He was in the 
 navy in the war with Great Britain (1812), and at the close 
 was gunner of the General Armstrong (Privateer), which 
 fought the boats of a fleet in the harbor of Fayal (Azores). 
 In the fight, the Americans, ninet)'-four in number, killed and 
 wounded over three hundred of the enemy. For this he re- 
 ceived, with the other survivors, a present by Act of Con- 
 gress. It was not called a pension. 
 
 "When he died, he had retired from the sea with what 
 was considered a competence, but was not permitted to en- 
 joy his well earned rest." 
 
 Henry H. ' (1809). 
 
 Was born in Fair Haven, Conn., and married Lovisa 
 Grannis ( 1807), daughter of Jared Grannis (1750). They 
 had five sons and two daughters. All married except two 
 sons, who died in childhood. 
 
38 The Grannis Family in America. 
 
 Col. George W. "^ (1825). 
 
 \ 
 
 ! 
 
 Was born in New Haven, Conn., and married Jane E. 
 Barnes (1830), in 1849. They had one daughter, Hattie. 
 who married Alex. Center, of Yokohama, Japan. He and 
 Robert A. (1840), contributed liberally to the Record fund. 
 He died of cancer, in San Francisco, Cal., January 26. 1901. 
 
 He says, November 14, 1887. * * * "I have been away 
 from the graves of my sires nearly thirt}'-eight years. My 
 earl\' predilections were maritime, and I was once a pretty 
 good sailor, but learned military, and coming to California, 
 was called into service in the early squatter and Indian 
 troubles. 
 
 "At the commencement of the war for the Union I was 
 attorne)' in fact, and agent for the property of Major-Gen- 
 eral Halleck, in California. I commanded a companx', and 
 finally a regiment. Stanton and Halleck consoled us all by 
 saying that by keeping this coast all right, we did good ser- 
 vice. I was Colonel of Engineers on the staff of the last 
 Republican governor, and am on the retired list as Colonel 
 of Infantry, N. G. C. * * * In 1885, I presented the Fair 
 Haven Cemetery with a stone arch gateway- — wishing to 
 mark the portal where all m}- ancestors entered it for t he- 
 last time. I placed the structure away in the interior, at the 
 entrance of the. Rozve gift. I gave it in the name of Granniss. 
 The Cemetery has been largel)' extended." | 
 
 Again he says, March 12, 1900: My Dear Cousin: * * * ' 
 "After the war I came into possession of all Gen. Halleck's , 
 papers. With the consent of Airs. Halleck I forwarded 
 them to Washington. 
 
 "Several years afterwards in cleaning out the bank \ault 
 I found a bundle of letters, in which was the one of which 
 this is a copy. Secretary of War Gen. Alger learned of my 
 having it, and wrote me for it. He could have ordered it. Be- 
 fore sending it I had this facsimile made." 
 
I 
 
TJic Grannis Family in America. 39 
 
 Near Spotsylvania C. H., Va., 
 
 May II, 1864, 8:30 a. m. 
 Maj. Gen. Halleck, 
 
 Chief of Staff of Army, 
 General : 
 
 We have now ended the sixth day of very heavy fighting — the re- 
 sult to this time is much in our favor, but our losses have been heavy, 
 as well as those of the enemy. We have lost to this time eleven 
 general officers, killed, wounded, or missing, and probably 20,000 
 men. 
 
 I think the loss of the enemy must be greater, we having taken 
 over 4,000 prisoners in battle, while he has taken from us but few, ex- 
 cept stragglers. I am now sending back to Belle Plaine all my wagons 
 for a fresh supply of provisions and ammunition, and propose to fight 
 it out on this line if it takes all summer. The arrival of reinforcements 
 here, will be very encouraging to the men and I hope they will be sent 
 as fast as possible and in as great numbers. My object in having them 
 sent to Belle Plaine was to use them as an escort to our supply train. 
 If it is more convenient to send them out by train, to march from the 
 railroad to Belle Plaine, or Fredericksburg, send them so. 
 
 I am satisfied the enemy is very shaky, and are only kept up to the 
 mark by the greatest exertion on the part of their officers, and by keep- 
 ing them entrenched in every position they take. Up to this time there 
 is no indication of any portion of Lee's army being detached for the de- 
 fence of Richmond. 
 
 Very respectfully. 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 U. S. Grant. 
 
40 The Gra/uiis Family i?i America. 
 
 Thomas Grannis. ^ 
 
 Was born probably in East Haven, Conn., in 171 1. 
 aiul married Mehitabel Thompson ( 1713) no date. They 
 had three sons and five daughters, all married but Thomas 
 and Samuel, who were lost at sea. 
 
 Sarah (1733) married William Grannis, Jr., 1755. Abigail 
 ( ) married Joseph Russell in 1764. Joseph (1735) mar- 
 ried Olive Ludington. Jemima married Isaac Moulthrop in 
 1761. Mehitabel married James Chedsey in 1769. Thomas 
 unmarried. Hannah married Abraham Barnes in 1776. 
 Samuel unmarried. 
 
 Joseph Grannis "^ (1791). 
 
 Was born in North Haven, Conn., and married Loue 
 Ludington (1794), November 26, 1812. 
 
 They had nine sons and four daughters — single births. 
 One died in infancy. Two, unmarried, aged eighteen and 
 twenty-two, were lost in a shipwreck. Nine were married. 
 
 Willard, unmarried, born in East Haven in 1823, was in 
 the Mexican war in 1846, and died in Galveston, Texas, in 
 about 1848. All born within twenty-six years. 
 
 Ebenezer C. " (1817). 
 
 Was born in East Haven, Conn., and married Huldah 
 L. Ludington (1818) in 1837. They had two sons and three 
 daughters, only one married. 
 
 His son, Edward Joseph (1841) was Second Lieutenant 
 of the Macon, Ga. Volunteers, and was mortally wounded 
 while in the Confederate States service, in the battle of Get- 
 tysburg, Fa., July 2, and died July 4, 1863. So says his 
 brother, Horace M., of Orlando, Florida, January 20, 1892. 
 The reply of his father to a letter inquiring of his son's war 
 record, says: " I think the less said about it the better." 
 
 This is the only one the writer has found who was in 
 the Confederate service. 
 
The Gra?inis Family hi America. 41 
 
 Thomas, Jr. ' (1825). 
 
 Was born in East Haven, and married, first, Fanny L. 
 Tyler (1826). They had Thomas Scott (1850), Fanny Del- 
 phina (1852). Married, second, Hannah M.Tyler (1823), 
 and had Harriet F. M. (1855). Married, third, Mary A.John- 
 son (1835), and had H. Minnie and Bertie A. (1869), twins. 
 
 He says, Baltimore, Md., Nov. 9, 1886: "Dear Sir:— I 
 remember when a boy, Rev. Mr. Dodd, an old Congrega- 
 tional clergyman, in charge of the church in New Haven, 
 Conn., published a register, giving the pedigree of all the 
 families in New Haven, from about 1620 to 1820, and I have 
 asked my brother Edwin, of East Haven, to send me a copy, 
 and I would forward it to you." (See his reply.) 
 
 Edwin ' (1828). 
 
 Was born in East Haven, Conn., and married Delia 
 Lindsley (1831). They had no children, and died April 2, 
 1889, and April 21, 1889, aged 61 and 58 respectively. 
 
 He says in regard to the record of the East Haven fam- 
 ily, by Rev. Stephen H. Dodd: Nov. 14, 1886. "I cannot 
 send the book, but send you every item I can glean from it 
 of the Grannis name, from 1644 to 1800." 
 
 Again, January 14, 1887: "The name was spelled more 
 with one "s" with the early settlers, but some families used 
 two. There are large numbers that date from 1700 with one 
 "s." I think they were none of them particular. We do not 
 belong to any aristocratic family, but our boast is, that we are 
 descendants of the good old Puritans." 
 
 A similar copy of Rev. Dodd's Register was sent the 
 writer in 1889, by C. H. Tolles, Esq., Deputy Sheriff of 
 Hartford county, Connecticut, 
 
 Thomas S. « (1850). 
 Was born in Fair Haven, Conn., and married Ella C. 
 Stevens, in Chicago, 111., in 1874. They were divorced in 
 1886. Notable as the only divorce in the great family. 
 
42 T]ie Gnmnis Family in America. 
 
 Stephen Grannis. ^ 
 
 Was born in East Haven, Conn., in 1714, and married 
 Hannah Dawson (1717). They had three sons and three 
 daughters. 
 
 Joel married Sarah Pratt. 
 
 Stephen (1747) married Martha Thompson in 1784. 
 
 Of Jacob there is no record. 
 
 Mabel married Joel Hungerford in 1765. 
 
 Of Lydia there is no record. 
 
 Of Jerusha there is no record. 
 
 All of these were born in East Haven. Their tomb- 
 stones may be seen in Southington, Conn., and the names 
 end with one "s". 
 
 Stephen died in 1786 at the age of seventy-two years, 
 and his wife Hannah in 1797 at the age of eighty years. 
 
 Chester '"> (1785). 
 
 Was born in Southington, Conn., and married first Dini- 
 mir Moore (1791), and second Sarah T. Smith (1786). 
 
 He passed through the different military grades up to 
 General of Brigade. He was of a noble personal appearance, 
 of good conversational powers, and an excellent speaker at 
 public meetings. lie represented the town in the Legisla- 
 ture several terms. Probably no other man has ever lived in 
 the town who has been so well calculated to attract the at- 
 tention and respect of Strangers as General Chester Grannis. 
 (Extract from "A History of Southington", copied by C. ' ^ 
 Tolles, P2sq., Deputy Sheriff of Southington, September 12, 
 1889. The History was issued in 1875.) 
 
 "At Southington, Conn., was a family, a member of 
 which, commanded the State troops as Major General when 
 Lafayette visited the state in 1825". (Col. G. W. Granniss, 
 October 28, 1887.) 
 
The Gra/mis Family in America. 43 
 
 Isaiah M. " (1812). 
 
 Was born in Southington. Conn., and married Louisa 
 Hammick in 1845, ^"^1 had two sons and three daughters. 
 
 Anna Jane (1856) was authoress of "Skipped Stitches", 
 a volume of poems, published in Plainville, Conn., in 1894. 
 She also wrote the Song ''The Old Red Cradle'. 
 
 "Rocking, rocking, gently rocking, 
 
 In time with the tick of the clock on the wall, 
 
 One by one the seconds marking. 
 
 The old Red Cradle rocked us all." 
 
 l^ 
 
44 The Graimis Family hi America. 
 
 Isaac Grannis. "^ 
 
 Was born in East Haven in 1716, and married Kiziah 
 Moulthrop about 1740. They had two sons and four daugh- 
 ters, all of whom married. 
 
 Elizabeth (1741) married Ebenezer Chidsey in 1761. 
 
 Ame (1744) married Stephen Shepard in 1765. 
 
 Dedamea (1748) married Samuel Smith in 1773. 
 
 Isaac, Jr. (1751) married Mary Ludington. 
 
 Jared (1756) married, first, Martha Ludington, and sec- 
 ond, Eunice Munson. 
 
 Larahama married Joseph Moulthrop in 1774. 
 
 Jared 4 (1756). 
 
 Was born in East Haven, Conn., and married Martha 
 Ludington in 1786. They had three children, Isaac, Ame, 
 and Jared. The two sons were lost at sea, while Ame was 
 killed by a falling tree. 
 
 His second wife was Eunice Munson, and the)- had four 
 sons and two daughters, born in East Haven. 
 
 He served as a soldier in the War of the Revolution 
 and was one of those who followed Putnam to the defence 
 of Boston after Lexington and Concord. He participated 
 in the Battle of Bunker Hill, but shortly after left the land 
 service and joined the crew of a Privateer ship. The vessel 
 that he was on captured a prize and he was one of the crew 
 put aboard the captured boat. While attempting to take 
 the prize into New London harbor, they were captured b)- 
 an P^nglish war vessel and all were taken as prisoners to 
 England. There he remained in prison until the close of 
 the war. At one time several of the prisoners (himself in- 
 cluded) attempted to escape, and had dug an underground 
 passage, reaching beyond the walls and to the surface, when 
 they were discovered ; two of their number, howe\"er, did 
 escape and made their way to France. 
 
The Graujiis Family in America. 45 
 
 At one time, he says, King George III. visited and ad- 
 dressed them, promising them liberty if they would enter 
 the service of his Majesty, but they remained loyal and in 
 prison until peace was declared. No news of him reached 
 his friends, and they all (except his mother) had given him 
 up for lost when he returned some time after the war ended. 
 
 Samuel H. ^ (1831). 
 
 Was born in Bramford, Conn., and married Ann Augus- 
 ta Parrott (1837) •" 1854, and they had three sons and three 
 daughters. 
 
 He was commissioned Captain September 25, 1861, to 
 raise Company B, 12th Conn. Vol. Infantry, and was mus- 
 tered into the U. S. Service, November 12, 1861, at New 
 Haven, Conn. 
 
 On March i, 1862, his regiment embarked on the steam- 
 ship "Fulton" at New York for Ship Island in the Gulf of 
 Mexico, Gen. B. F. Butler's base of operations against New 
 Orleans. On April 28, 1862, the fleet having previousl}- si- 
 lenced the forts steamed up the river and anchored off the 
 city, and his regiment went into the deserted Rebel camp 
 " Parapet," about eight miles above the city, where the}' re- 
 mained until October 24, 1862, when his brigade was taken 
 up the Mississippi, and his first battle was at Georgia Land- 
 ing, La., March 27, 1863. Then Bisland, La., April 13, and 
 Port Hudson siege. May 25 to July 9, 1863. Made an assault 
 at midnight, and received a gunshot wound in the thigh. 
 Was in hospital thirty-eight days, and then had surgeon's 
 leave to return home for sixty days. Then joined his com- 
 mand although unfit for field duty. After the opening of 
 the Mississippi river his corps was ordered to Bermuda 
 Hundred, Va., and then to Washington to repel Early's raid 
 on that city whom they had harassed up and down Shenan- 
 doah valley under Gen. Phil. Sheridan till the battle of Win- 
 
46 The Gratmis Family in America. 
 
 Chester, Va., on September 19, 1864. Then at Fishers Hill, 
 on September 22d. His most severe battle was at Cedar 
 Creek, Va., October 19, 1864, when his Company lost thirty- 
 men killed, wounded, and taken prisoners, and one Lieuten- 
 ant killed. This battle was the origin of the poem, "Sheri- 
 dan's Ride". He was also in many marches, skirmishes, 
 etc., some of which were little less than general engage- 
 ments. About the close of 1864 all the officers and men of 
 his Compan\' whose term of service had expired and who 
 had not re-enlisted were eight oflficers and forty men (him- 
 self the senior) ; these were ordered home and mustered 
 out, December 2, 1864, and from this date he received a 
 pension. He afterwards recei\ed a commission from the 
 Governor to return to his Regiment, but declined on account 
 of ill health. 
 
 Andrew J. ^ (1841). 
 
 Was born in East Haven, Conn., and married Honoria 
 E. Irwin (no date of her birth or marriage given). They 
 have Mary Emiline (1872), and Honoria Elizabeth (1874). 
 
 He furnished, March 3, 1888, a pen sketch of the old 
 Granniss Homestead, of the East Haven family at Faxon, 
 (Granniss Corners), Conn. The house was demolished sev- 
 eral years ago, but those who remember the old place sa}' 
 that it is a very good likeness. 
 
 Hon. Charles W. « (1844)- 
 
 Was born in East Haven, and married Anna C. Irwin 
 (1850) in 1874. They have three children, Irwin (1874), 
 Chas. A. (1876), and Lincoln (1882). 
 
 He left school two months before he was si.xteen and 
 enlisted in Co. A., i6th Conn. Infantry, where he served 
 four years and was twice wounded; once in the shoulder at 
 Deep Run, Va.,and again in the hand at Petersburg. Four 
 
Hon. CHAS. W. GRANNISS, 
 
The Grannis Family in America. 47 
 
 days before the surrender of Lee he was made a Sergeant. 
 Because of wounds received in action, he was mustered out 
 and receives a pension. In 1895 and 1899 he was a member 
 of the Legislature, and now ( 1901 ) is Auditor of New Haven 
 County. He owns and resides upon the old homestead of 
 the East Haven family at Faxon, East Haven. 
 
 Henry Palmer, another grandson of Jared, was mortally 
 wounded in the same battle at Petersburg and rests in a 
 soldier's grave in "Old Virginia." 
 
The Coat of Arms. 
 
 There is much uncertainty upon this subject, but there 
 can be no doubt that the "Coat of Arms" was designed for 
 some aristocratic family. The engraving is fine, represent- 
 ing the Helmet with Vizor closed and Lion Rampant, with 
 the Motto, ''Post nubila soir The Crest, representing the 
 Head and Neck of a Greyhound, with a gold collar, has 
 been engraved separately ; no less than three different sizes 
 have come under the notice of the writer. 
 
 ' Laurens A, (1803) says in 1885: "There is a tradition 
 that the Grannis family was Norman French and came to 
 England at the time of the Norman Conquest." 
 
 Another writes about this date : "I send a copy of the 
 "Arms" of the Grannis family which are those originally 
 adopted by the first of the name in Normandy, France. I 
 believe all of the name in this country are descendants of 
 some colonist from England, although the name is of French 
 origin and was originally "Grand Lyss" (Great City). I be- 
 lieve the "Arms" were obtained in Normandy at great 
 trouble and expense. The translation of the motto is "After 
 clouds the sun." The Helmet Closed signifies the rank of 
 
 Squire." 
 
 The "Coat of Arms" is first found in the hands of Geo. 
 B. (1798), who was a merchant for some years in Charleston, 
 S. C, and they would doubtless be received with favor in 
 that aristocratic city, but not so in New Haven. 
 
MMmw 
 
The Gramiis Family i?i America. 49 
 
 Laurens A. (1803) says in 1886 : "We do not belong to 
 any aristocratic family, but our boast is that we are descen- 
 dants of the good old Puritans." 
 
 Horace R. (1821) says in 1887: "I understand "Grand 
 L)'ss" to mean Grand Lilly. The lilly was borne on the 
 shields of the early kings of France and is the insignia of 
 France. When the honor of knighthood was conferred on 
 the family, that name was given instead of the ancient name. 
 The custom of changing the name still prevails ; Disraelli, 
 the Jew, when he was elected to the Peerage, had his name 
 changed by Queen Victoria, to Earl Beaconsfield." 
 
 John (1789) used to say that he descended from "Alius 
 Grandus", a Norman general, who came with Caesar into 
 Gaul, and that was as far back as he cared to trace his 
 ancestry. 
 
 Robert A. (1840), who knows more than any one else 
 about the "Arms", thinks that it would not be advisable to 
 publish them as an authenticated emblem of the family 
 name. 
 
The Double SS. 
 
 I 
 
 The natural division of the family between John (1674) 
 of the North Haven, and Joseph (1677) of the East Haven 
 families, is clearly traced on the Chart. There is another 
 division caused by the addition of the final " s," "Granniss." 
 This has been adopted by quite a large number of both fam- 
 ilies, probably with the idea that it was the original spelling 
 of the name, whereas it was not known until about 1797, at 
 least ISO years after the birth of Edward (1630). Its origin 
 was as follows. Benjamin (1757) and Benjamin (1747). son 
 of Caleb (1718), married sisters Mary and Polly Wilcox. 
 Now by referring to the Chart it will be seen that up to 
 about 1800 all the given names of both sons and daugh- 
 ters were single and mostly Bible names (it seems to have 
 been the main purpose to inflict the most "onairthly" names 
 on the little innocents). Of these two Benjamins, one and 
 probably both engaged in the leather trade, boot and shoe 
 business. They had no way of distinguishing each others 
 property and so Benjamin (1757) adopted the final "s" as is 
 seen in an inscription in his own handwriting in a book en- 
 titled Biirketts Exposition or Commentaries on the Four Gospels, 
 found in his library with these words "Benjamin Granniss, 
 his Book, Bought December, 1797. Price 11 s. (Shillings 
 
 sterling). 
 
 This is the earliest date in which the "ss" is found. It 
 is now found on the monuments of the North Haven family 
 
The Grannis Family in America. 51 
 
 in the Grove Street Cemetery, New Haven, and of the East 
 Haven family in the Fair Haven Union Cemetery. 
 
 We further find that his brother Enos (1754) was a 
 Revolutionary pensioner and the Pension Ofifice as well as 
 his numerous descendants in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, 
 and Kentucky, all end the name with one "s", and further 
 the descendants of all who migrated from Connecticut be- 
 fore 1797 to the West and to Canada, uniformly end the 
 name with one "s". Mr. Sheldon B. Thorpe, Esq., of North 
 Haven, says, July 22, 1891 "I have carefully examined the 
 Ecclesiastical Society Records in my possession beginning 
 1716, and find the name ending in all cases with but one "s". 
 
 "In the Church (Congregational) Records I find begin- 
 ning with 1790 the name spelled likewise with but one "s", 
 but strange to say right in the face of this evidence the 
 Committee of the Congregational Church, who prepared a 
 catalogue of the entire membership of the Church in 1871 
 in every instance added another "s". I see no excuse for 
 taking such liberty to mutilate old records." 
 
 Mary Munson (1717), the wife of John (1714). and 
 Thankful Grannis (1732), wife of Enos (1720), were mem- 
 bers of the North Haven Congregational Church at the same 
 
 time. 
 
 Mary died in Claremont, N. H., at the home of her son 
 Timothy (1750) in 1812 at the age of ninety-five years, and 
 was buried in the West Claremont Cemetery, and the name 
 on her tombstone ends with one "s". 
 
 Thankful died at the home of her son Benjamin (1757), 
 in New Haven, Conn., in 1825, and was buried in the Grove 
 Street Cemetery at the age of ninety-three years. The 
 name on her tombstone ends with "ss". 
 
 The names of their husbands do not appear on their 
 tombstones and w^ have no account of how, when, or where 
 they died, or were buried. 
 
 It seems singular that neither Timothy nor Benjamin 
 
52 The Grannis Family i?i America. 
 
 (probably strangers) give either the names of their 
 fathers or the family names of their mothers on their 
 mother's tombstones. 
 
 Here we call a halt but the great family moves right on 
 for with it there is no such a^ word as 
 
 Finis. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Abigail 9, 1 1 
 
 Ann 9, ii 
 
 1828) Amos 20 
 
 1820) Alonzo 25 
 
 1794) Alva 37 
 
 1856) Anna Jane 43 
 
 1841) Andrew J 46 
 
 1747) Benjamin 26, 50 
 
 1783) Benjamin 26 
 
 1784) Benjamin 26 
 
 1757) Benjamin. 26-28, 30, 36, 50, 51 
 1757) B. Granniss & Sons 30 
 
 1718) Caleb 13, 26, 50 
 
 1850) Charles W 18 
 
 1842) Charles 23 
 
 1827) Caleb A 25 
 
 1840) Charles De Witt 34 
 
 1785) Chester 42 
 
 1844) Charles W 46 
 
 Coat of Arms 48 
 
 David 15 
 
 (1793) David 15, 16 
 
 (1835) David H 16 
 
 (1790) David 17 
 
 (1846) David N 23 
 
 Double "S" 50 
 
 (1630) EDWARD. ..4, 9, 10, 21, 50 
 Elizabeth 9, 15 
 
 1720 
 1752 
 1796 
 
 1837 
 1854 
 1764 
 J711 
 1719 
 
 1754 
 1817 
 1841 
 1828 
 
 1851 
 1822 
 1785 
 1871 
 
 1825 
 
 •791 
 1798 
 1852 
 1824 
 185a 
 
 1847 
 1796 
 
 Enos 13, 27, 28, 36,51 
 
 Edward 15, 21, 31 
 
 Evander 16 
 
 Edward 21 
 
 Edward H 22 
 
 Eldad 24 
 
 Edward 13 
 
 Edward 13 
 
 Enos, Jr 28, 31, 51 
 
 Ebenezer C 40 
 
 Edward, J 40 
 
 Edwin 41 
 
 Frederic A 14, 24, 25 
 
 Frederic W 19 
 
 Fanny 28 
 
 Florence A 32 
 
 Geo. W., Col 
 
 ...5, 10, 27, 32, 33,37.38, 42 
 
 George 15 
 
 George B 17. 30. 49 
 
 George F 18 
 
 George H 20 
 
 George H., Rev 21 
 
 George W., Rev 25 
 
 George B 26 
 
54 
 
 The GranJiis Family in America. 
 
 (1868) G-eorge S 27 
 
 (1821) George \V 31 
 
 (1845) George E 32 
 
 (i7q8) Granniss, White & Co... 30 
 
 Hannah 9 
 
 Hannah 9, 12 
 
 (1844 
 (1889 
 (1841 
 (1711 
 (1790 
 (1809 
 (1839 
 
 Henry S 18 
 
 Herbert C 22 
 
 Henry J 22 
 
 Hannah 13 
 
 Harry 24 
 
 Henry H 37 
 
 Horace M 40 
 
 Irving \'an \" 22 
 
 Isaiah M 43 
 
 Isaac 44 
 
 Isaac, Jr 44 
 
 Joseph 9, 11 
 
 John 9, II, 12, 33, 50 
 
 Joseph 9, 12, 13, 33, 50 
 
 John 13, 14, 15 
 
 James 13, 14, 24 
 
 John 14 
 
 Joseph A 15 
 
 James I\I 24 
 
 Joseph, Jr., 34 
 
 Jared 37 
 
 Joseph 40 
 
 Joseph 40 
 
 Jared 44 
 
 John 49 
 
 Laurens A 18, 49 
 
 Lester B 22 
 
 Lydia E 24 
 
 Lovisa 37 
 
 Mabel 9, 1 1 
 
 1878) Margaret Mclntire. . .14, 24 
 
 1794) Martin 17 
 
 1878) Marguerite 22 
 
 1815) Marshall 24 
 
 1837) Mary (G.) Scott 16 
 
 1873) Mary W 32 
 
 1843) Marcius S 35 
 
 1833) Norman Uelos 25 
 
 1754) Nathaniel 36, 37 
 
 1 787) Palmer 31 
 
 1824) Rowena (G.)Steele 24 
 
 1840) Robert A.. 17, 28, 30, 32, 38, 49 
 
 1709) Russell 27, 36 
 
 1730) Russell, Jr 27 
 
 1880) Robert A., Jr 32 
 
 1766) Russell 37 
 
 1 67 1) Sarah 9, 11 
 
 1748) Simeon 14 
 
 (i8oi)SolonC 14, 15 
 
 1795) Sidney 15, 16 
 
 1785) Samuel J 15 
 
 1 792) Samuel 17 
 
 1827) Sidney M 17 
 
 1812) Samuel R 18 
 
 1839) Samuel H 18 
 
 1820) Sidney S 19, 28 
 
 1795) Simeon, Jr 24, 25 
 
 1820) Sylvester B 27 
 
 1734) Samuel 27 
 
 1733) Sarah 34, 40 
 
 ;. S. & G. H 19 
 
 1 71 4) Stephen 42 
 
 1 747) Stephen 42 
 
 183 1) Samuel H 45 
 
TJie Grannis Family ifi America. 
 
 55 
 
 (1750) Timothy 14, i5' 5^ 
 
 (1772) Timothy, Jr 15 
 
 (1841) Timothy 18 
 
 (1810) Timothy 18 
 
 (1732) Thankful 27, 36 
 
 (1730) Thankful 27, 36 
 
 (1677) Thomas 40 
 
 (171 1) Thomas 34 
 
 (1825) Thomas, Jr 41 
 
 (1850) Thomas S 41 
 
 William 15 
 
 (1826) William CD 18 
 
 (1833) William P 19 
 
 (1839) William H. DeL 20 
 
 (1706) William 27, 34, 36 
 
 (1790) William E 31 
 
 (1734) William, Jr 34, 40 
 
 (1823) Willard 40 
 
o 
 
 ^\ 
 
Genealogy 
 
 -of the— 
 
 Grannis Family in America 
 
 1 630- 1 900 
 
 By Sidney S. Grannis 
 
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