Say the name Ulysses S. Grant to most people, and they’ll likely mention his role as a U.S. president or as a renowned Civil War general or maybe as a force behind the 15^th Amendment (banning racial discrimination in voting). What probably won’t come to mind is Grant as a farmer. 

When Grant abandoned his early military career in 1854, he returned to White Haven, the suburban St. Louis estate he shared with his wife Julia and their young children. He had decided to try his hand at farming the 80 acres he was given as a wedding present, part of the 850-acre plantation belonging to his father-in-law, Fredrick Dent. In a letter to a fellow soldier that year, he wrote:

“Whoever hears of me in ten years, will hear of a well-to-do Missouri farmer.” 

With the help of enslaved laborers, Grant initially cultivated fruit and vegetable crops only on his 80 acres. He also built a cabin on his land, which he dubbed Hardscrabble. But when Col. Dent moved to the city several years later, Grant took full control of day-to-day farming operations on the entire plantation.   

Grant’s initial forays into farming were filled with optimism. In 1856, he wrote to his father, Jesse R. Grant, with updates on his farm operations, as well as a request for a loan of “about $500.00 for a year at 10 percent [interest].”

As many farmers can relate to, Grant faced numerous obstacles during his farming venture despite his best efforts. Persistent droughts, illness, a failing economy, and unseasonable frosts took their toll on the White Haven harvests, and he began to fear he would no longer be able to support his family. He resorted to selling firewood to help make ends meet. 

Having received no response to his first letter, Grant sent his father an even more desperate plea for money about six weeks later:

It’s believed that Jesse Grant never loaned his son money. By the fall of 1858, Ulysses began making plans to sell off his farming equipment and he eventually moved his family to the city of St. Louis.  

To learn more about Grant’s experiences as a would-be farmer, join Ranger Blake this Sunday April 26 at 1:00 p.m. for Plant Like Grant! Farming at White Haven, a lecture at the park. The program is free but call 314-842-1867 ext. 230 for reservations.