GRANT CABIN
By HENRY CLYDE SHETRONE
Removal of the cabin in which General
Ulysses S. Grant was
born to its original site at Point
Pleasant, Ohio, celebrated with
fitting ceremonies on October 4, 1936,
is of two-fold significance.
Not only does it constitute a timely
tribute to another of Ohio's
eminent citizens but, since the cabin as
such has been completely
restored and interiorly refurnished,
mostly with actual Grant
items, it perpetuates a typical historic
pioneer home. Every effort
is being made to the end that the
birthplace of the great soldier-
statesman may appear as it did at the
time of his birth, on April 27,
1822, and during his childhood years.
The program celebrating removal and
restoration of the Grant
cabin, held at Grant Memorial, Point
Pleasant, was most im-
pressive. The feature of the occasion
was an inspiring address by
Hon. C. H. W. Ruhe, Pittsburgh,
commander-in-chief of the
G. A. R., who, although approaching
ninety years of age, displayed
a degree of energy and eloquence seldom
attained at any age.
The invocation was pronounced by Rev. R.
E. Budd, of
Batavia, and the chairman of the
meeting, Judge Hugh L. Nichols,
Batavia, was introduced by Hon. M. G.
Heintz, of Cincinnati.
Other addresses were delivered by
Colonel U. S. Grant, III,
Washington, D. C.; former governor Myers
Y. Cooper; Harold
D. Nichols and John Hayden, senator and
representative re-
spectively in the Ohio Legislature; E.
L. Bowsher, Ohio Depart-
ment of Education; Clifford R. Fox, U.
S. Grant Camp, Sons of
Veterans; Colonel W. C. Myers, Spanish
American War Veterans;
John E. Hendrixson, American Legion;
Milton D. Campbell,
American Legion of Ohio; and Henry C.
Shetrone, Ohio Arch-
aeological and Historical Society. Music
was furnished by the
Ohio Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans'
Home Band of Xenia. The
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104 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND
HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
personnel of the local advisory
committee comprised: Fred
Pfeister, Grand Army of the Republic; W.
C. Lambert, Sons of
Union Veterans; Esther Schooler,
Daughters of Union Veterans;
Elizabeth Kersting, Woman's Relief
Corps; Emma Brueggemann,
Ladies of G. A. R., and Alma Dehner,
Women's Auxiliary, Sons
of Union Veterans.
The Grant cabin, a one-story structure
of two rooms and a
"lean-to," for several years
was transported about the country as
a commercial exhibit. Some forty years
ago, through the interces-
sion of Henry T. Chittenden of Columbus,
a friend and admirer
of Grant, the cabin was purchased and
presented to the State
for permanent preservation as a historic
shrine. Since 1896 it has
reposed within a glass enclosure on the
Ohio State Fair grounds,
where it has been seen and revered by
thousands of citizens.
Through the efforts of former Supreme
Court Judge Hugh L.
Nichols, Senator Harold D. Nichols,
Representative John Hayden
and others of the Clermont County
District, legislation and ap-
propriations were secured for the
purpose of returning the his-
toric structure "back home."
The task of removal and restoration was
entrusted to the
Ohio State Archaeological and Historical
Society, and the work
has been in direct charge of Curator H.
R. McPherson and as-
sistant Curator E. C. Zepp, of the Park
Department, aided by
Mr. Charles M. Allison, superintendent
of the Grant Memorial
and members of the local advisory
committee. Six months were
required to complete the undertaking.