David George Grant

Biographical Summary #1:

"...Grant, David – (8th Ten) Born July 21, 1816, in Arbroath, Scotland, to Robert and Belle Mills Grant. Apprenticed to a tailor, he became a tailor at age 19 and moved to Edinburgh. He immigrated to America in 1839, stopping first in Kentucky and then moving to Illinois. There, he was baptized. He moved to Nauvoo, about 1840 and practiced his trade as tailor. He married Mary Anne Hyde in 1843. However, his wife died in the hardships of the exodus and was buried in Winter Quarters. Selected for the original company, he helped keep clothing in repair. He was part of the advance company that entered the valley July 22, 1847. He returned east for his two children and brought them west the following year. He married Beulah Chipman Sept. 24, 1848. She died three years later. On March 8, 1852, he married Mary Hunsaker. He did considerable tailoring work for the early pioneers, including Brigham Young, and was ordinarily paid in some kind of merchandise. He was called on a mission in 1852 and traveled to England. He returned April 18, 1856, on the ship Samuel Curling as counselor to Dan Jones with a large company of converts. He crossed the plains as assistant to Captain Edward Bunker in a handcart company. In 1862, he was called to help raise cotton in southern Utah. He returned to his home in Mill Creek, Salt Lake Co., Utah, where he died Dec. 22, 1868, at age 52..."

SOURCE: http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/58061/Biographies-of-the-orig...

Biographical Summary #2:

History - When David was eight years old his father moved the family to West Collinston Mills. At the age of fifteen he entered a tailoring establishment as an apprentice, which trade he took up as his life's vocation. He finished his apprenticeship at the age of nineteen and at that time moved to Edinburgh.

In the year 1839 he left England for America, landing in New Orleans on the 12th day of July. He immediately traveled to Louisville, Kentucky where his brother Robert was already established in business. After three or four months he journeyed to Payson, Adams county, Illinois and the following year David heard and accepted the Latter-day Saint gospel and was baptized by Elder David Evans. He joined the Saints in Nauvoo, Illinois and for the next five or six years lived a life parallel to that of other Saints of the time, working earnestly at his trade, suffering the trials and hardships typical of Nauvoo days.

The first entry in his day book, which has been preserved by his family, is dated Nauvoo, June 9th, 1842, and is an itemized statement of tailoring work done for many of the Saints including the names of Chauncey Higbee, William Higbee, William Clayton and Angus Cahoon. These first entries aggregate $88.27 with the notation below the balance, "Rec'ted for Tithing."

David Grant was married in Nauvoo to Mary Ann Hyde. As a result of the hardships encountered on their journey to Winter Quarters, Mary Ann Hyde Grant passed and was buried there.

Religion was a dominant factor in David Grant's life, and for it he was willing to make many sacrifices. He accepted the assignment to go with the original company over a thousand miles of trackless desert in search of a new home that he might bring his two motherless children to a place of security. Shortly after his arrival in the valley he returned east with Brigham Young and brought them safely to Utah in the fall of 1848.

David then married to Beulah Chipman, a recent convert from Upper Canada. Three years later his wife died leaving three small children. On March 8, 1852 he married Mary Hunsaker.

David Grant was called on a mission to Great Britain returning to America on the ship Samuel Curling, April 18, 1856 with a large company of converts.

In the Day Book left by David Grant there are many interesting items such as a charge made to Brigham Young for the cutting of a buffalo coat, fifty cents; making coat $3.50; and on the same page credit to Brigham Young of $2.00 for four bushels of corn. There appears repeatedly a charge for cutting pants, 25 cents, or cutting a cloak or coat, or simply a vest, fifty or seventy-five cents; which tells the story of thrift, and necessary economy practiced by the Saints, the good housewives apparently making their husbands suits after the tailor had cut them. Daily notations throughout the journal indicate a regular exchange of merchandise for work, and work for work, the receipt of very little cash being recorded. There are credits for day labor, wood, pistols, cabbage, loads of brick, hauling posts, pickets, fence rails, laces, flour and meal, veal and sundry items, a Mr. Blunt being given credit for five dollars for five days' work. On page 35 of the day book is posted "Vest making and trimming, $2.62 1/2; to repairing coat and shoes, .37 1/2 cents and, on page 72, "making a coat for W. Chipman $5.33 1/3; making coat for John Neff, $6.66 2/3.

David Grant is perhaps better known through his inspiring verse, for between stitches and after long hours of confining work, he was given to penning his thoughts which portray his real character—a character of devotion and sincerity. He was fifty-two years of age at the time of his death at Mill Creek, Utah.

SOURCE: Find A Grave Memorial# 22420896. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=22420896