Ohio History Journal

Reviews, Notes and Comments          321

setts. He has a national and international reputation

for his contributions to botany and horticulture. From

1888 to 1897 he was editor of Garden and Forest. He

has contributed extensively to publications of the Smith-

sonian Institution and is author of numerous mono-

graphs.

Winthrop Sargent VII is complimented on page 91

of the volume as follows:

Winthrop Sargent, of the seventh generation, the eleventh

of that name, will always be remembered with gratitude by the

descendants of Epes Sargent, for it is largely to his imagination,

industry and generosity that they are indebted for this genealogy

and for the preservation as a family memorial of the house built

in Gloucester by another Winthrop Sargent for his daughter

Judith. Mr. Sargent has printed for private circulation an

account of Paul Dudley Sargent and of the "Early New England

Sargents." Mr. and Mrs. Sargent live at Haverford, Pennsyl-

vania, and in summer at Bass Rocks, Gloucester.

We are under special obligations to Mr. Sargent for

copies of the publications referred to as well as for the

special interest that he has manifested in our work by

becoming a life member of the Ohio State Archaeolog-

ical and Historical Society.

 

SIDELIGHTS ON THE LAST DAYS OF GENERAL

U. S. GRANT

There has recently been added to the library of the

Society a very interesting volume entitled Life of Al-

phonso Taft, by Lewis Alexander Leonard. In one of

the chapters near the conclusion of the work there is an

account of the relation of Judge Taft to General Grant

and his consideration for the distinguished warrior in

his last illness at Mount McGregor. Mr. Charles P.

Taft, son of Judge Taft, "in obedience to the wishes of

Vol. XXXIII--21.

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322     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications his father as well as in accordance with his own de- sires" sent the well known newspaper man, Mr. Frank Gessner to see General Grant when he was confined to Mount McGregor near Saratoga Springs in his last ill- ness and to inquire whether Judge Taft could be of any service. At this time visitors were rarely permitted to see the distinguished patient. When Mr. Gessner made it known, however, that he came with a message from Judge Taft and his son he was at once admitted to the presence of Mrs. Grant. From her he learned that everything possible had already been done to make the General comfortable and facilitate his work in conclud- ing his Memoirs. A little later Mr. Gessner interviewed General Grant, who at once inquired about Judge Taft and "Charlie." He then had a number of questions to ask about his old home town in Clermont County, Ohio. General Grant could not speak but used a pen and paper to carry on his part of the interview. Here is a fac-simile of a portion of what he said:

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Reviews, Notes and Comments           323

The question, "Are any of the Griffiths there yet?"

Mr. Gessner answered in the affirmative. The General

then humorously observes, "The town of Batavia must

now be very much dried up with all the facilities the

people have to get away. I used to take much delight

in visiting there and through Clermont." And then he

added, with a touch of pathos, "But I have made my

last visit."

In this connection the author makes some statements

that will be news to many readers of the QUARTERLY

in regard to the kinship and social relations of the fam-

ilies of General Grant and Jefferson Davis. Here are

two paragraphs:

Some eight years later, Mrs. U. S. Grant and Mrs. Jeffer-

son Davis were living at the old New York Hotel. They were

close friends and had apartments on the same floor. A caller

on Mrs. Davis being told of Mrs. Grant's residence in the house,

related the incident of Mr. Gessner's visit to General Grant at

Mt. McGregor. Mrs. Davis insisted on her friend seeing the

visitor and soon Mrs. Grant appeared. The widow of the grand

old warrior and statesman recounted with interest and pathos

incidents of the last days at Mt. McGregor, and said the General

was much pleased with the visit from Mr. Taft's emissary. He

was always very fond of Judge Taft and all the family.

* * *

It is a fact not generally known that General Grant and

Jefferson Davis were cousins, the relationship coming through

the Simpson family, to which their mothers belonged.

 

 

CELEBRATION OF CENTENARY OF LAFAYETTE'S

VISIT TO AMERICA

The McGuffey Society of Columbus, Ohio, which

has taken the initiative in a number of worthy literary

and historic enterprises, at its annual banquet on the eve-

ning of March 25 adopted a resolution inviting atten-

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