Francis Grinter

This article on Francis Grinter and his family is for family research and genealogy only. It may not be used for commercial purposes or without the permission of the copyright owner Thomas Swiftwater Hahn E-mail: swiftwater@lenapedelawarehistory.net or 3751 Schefflera Drive, Fort Myers FL 33917-2040.

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30 August 2006

THE GRINTER FAMILY

FRANCIS GRINTER - Son of the immigrant John Grinter from England

Francis "Frank" Grinter was born in March 1787 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. He died in 1864 in Logan County, Kentucky. [Need source documentation.] It would be interesting to know why he was given the name Francis. We have no proof of the place of his death or his place of burial, though the latter may have been in the Smith Cemetery located 13 miles north of Russellville, Logan County or in the Grinter Cemetery, located four miles west of Russellville on the north side of US 68, in Logan County. His name does not appear in the listing of burials for either cemetery. Cemetery. (Logan County Genealogical Society, Logan County, Kentucky. Cemeteries, "Smith Cemetery," p. 247 or "Grinter Cemetery," pp. 7-8. Francis married Susannah "Susan" Read on 16 April 1808 in Russellville, Logan County, (Logan County Court House Records) [Other dates of 11 May 1808/21 March 1813 have also been cited. The latter date is probably incorrect as they had two or three children by that date. The court house source needs to be checked.]

SUSANNAH "SUSAN" READ was the daughter of Moses Read and Rachel Porter. She was born on 16 April 1808 in ether Prince Edward County, Virginia or in Logan County, Kentucky. Her parents married about 1775-1783 in Prince Edward County. Susannah died in May 1841 in Butler County, Kentucky, and was buried in the Caney Fork Cemetery in Butler County. Susannah's mother, Rachel Porter, was born about 1752-1760 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. See the entry for Susannah Read and her ancestors in the Read Family History. See the history of her ancestors in the Porter Section of the Read Family History.

So far we have not found where Francis Grinter lived in Logan County or Butler County. We are attempting to find the location through deed research. Francis Grinter was involved in a suit filed on 3 June 1833 in Logan County over the ownership of land. (Logan County Genealogical Society, Abstracts of Wills & Settlements Logan County, Kentucky, 1795-1838. Russellville, Logan County, no date Settlement on 7 January 1815. (Ibid., p. 27) On 2 April 1819, Francis Grinter was a witness in an Indenture case. (Ibid., p. 144) Francis was called "Frank." It is said in family notes that he may have lived on the Delaware Reservation in present Wyandotte County, Kansas from 1845 until 1856, after which he remained in Kentucky the rest of his life, but we have found no evidence of that. He is in the 1850 US Census in Russellville, Logan County, Kentucky. He was also in the 1870 census there.

The children of Francis Grinter and Susannah Read were:
1. Moses Read Grinter was born on 12 March 1809, near Russellville, Logan County, Kentucky. He married about 1838 on the Kansas Delaware Reserve. Kansas Delaware Anna "Annie" Marshall (whom see in Biographies Anna Marshall ). He died on 12 June 1878 and was buried in the Grinter Chapel in Muncie (present Kansas City), Wyandotte County, Kansas. (See Moses Read Grinter and his children above.)
2. Bettie Grinter, born about 1811 (based on 1850 Logan County, Kentucky census), married ca. 5 March 1833 ______ Hardway.
3. Rachel Porter Grinter, born about 1813 in Logan, Kentucky (based on 1850 Logan County Census), married on 5 March 1833 in Logan County, Robert A. Moore.] She died in Butler County, Kentucky. Robert A. Moore was born about 1810-1811, Butler County, Kentucky. He was the son of James L. and Obedience Elam. Their children:
   (1) James Francis Moore, born on 24 August 1836, Logan County, Kentucky, died 22 January 1916, Logan County, married first on 8 February 1870, Mary Forgy and second Margaret Ann Porter. Their son, James Francis Moore, was born on 8 February 1870 in Butler County, Kentucky. He married on 8 February 1870, Margaret _____ .
   (2) Granville M. Moore, born in 1839, Butler County, Kentucky, married Martha Ann Watkins.
   (3) Mary Ellen Moore, born in 1842, Butler County, Kentucky.
   (4) Catherine Jane Moore, born in 1844, Butler County, Kentucky.
   (5) Susan Porter Moore, born on 11 March 1845, Butler County, Kentucky, died on 4 April 1926, Butler County, Kentucky, married James David Watkins.
   (6) Lu Anna Moore was born in on 24 August 1853 in Butler County, Kentucky and died on 24 March 1944 in Logan County, Kentucky
4. Mary Belle "Pollie/"Polly" Grinter was born about 1817 (based on the age 33 in the 1850 Logan County, Kentucky Census) in Logan County, Kentucky and married in Logan County, on 19 September 1836 Wiley or William Watkins. He was born in 1812 in Logan County. They lived on and had eight children born on their farm near Auburn, Logan County.
   (1) Mary B. Watkins was born in 1817 and married in December 1856 in Logan County, Kentucky, Dewitt Turner.
   (2) David Chapman Watkins was born in 1839. He married on 18 November 1875 in Logan County, Kentucky, Sarah Walker.
   (3) Martha Watkins was born in 1837 and married on 6 November 1895 in Logan County, Kentucky, M. P. N. Patterson.
   (4) John W. Watkins was born in 1845 and married on 3 October 1896, in Logan County, Kentucky, Emma Brewer.
5. John Read Grinter was born on 13 August 1823 in Logan County, Kentucky. He died there on 5 February 1897 and was buried at the Smith Cemetery in Logan County. He married on 19 October 1849 at Russellville, Logan County, Sarah Young of Tennessee, daughter of Henry and Debra Young. (Logan County Historical Society Grinter Papers, p. 5) John Read may have gone to the Delaware Reservation in present Wyandotte County, Kansas, but returned to Kentucky if he did. That he went to Kansas is supported by the data in the 1860 US Kansas Territorial Census for Wyandotte County, Wyandotte, Township, which places him there (Dwelling 356, Family rated two dwellings from his brother, William Grinter (Dwelling 357, House 407). He is listed as a farmer at age 35, with real estate valued at $500, personal property valued at $3,000, and born [erroneously] in Ohio--as are Moses and John.
6. Jane Grinter was born in 1825 (based on her age at 25 in the 1850 Logan County Census) in Logan County, Kentucky, married ______ Sharon.
7. James C. Grinter was born on 23 January 1828 [James H. Lawler Family Records say 23 January 1829] at Russellville, Logan County, Kentucky and he died 26 July 1893 at Perry, Jefferson County, Kansas. He married Kansas Delaware Rosanna Marshall (whom see in Biographies. An interior view of their home in Perry, Kansas, is also in that entry.) on 15 February 1850 on the Kansas Delaware Reserve (present Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas. She was the sister of Anna "Annie" Marshall, the wife of Moses Read Grinter. He has not yet been found in the 1860 US Kansas Territorial Census as have his brothers, Moses Read Grinter, John Grinter, and William Grinter. James and Rosanna were buried in the Grinter Chapel Cemetery in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas.

James C. Grinter (History of Kansas)

The following is from Kansas and Kansans, pp.2517-2518:

James C. Grinter, who was one of the first white settlers in Kansas, came to this territory in 1849. For many years he was a resident of Wyandotte {County] and his later years were spent in Jefferson County, near Perry. . . James C. Grinter was born in Logan County, Kentucky, January 3, 1828. His father, Francis Grinter, was born in Virginia, son of a soldier of the Revolutionary War and of Scotch-Irish ancestry [not necessarily]. Francis Grinter was an early settler in Logan County, Kentucky, and a farmer and a slave owner there. In 1854 he also came out to Kansas but only remained a few years, and going back to Kentucky, died in that state in 1864. [We have seen no other proof of his having been in Kansas.] His wife was Susan Reed, a native of Virginia and whose father was a soldier in the Revolution. Francis Grinter and wife had four sons, named John, William H., Moses, and James, and their daughters included Jane, Kate, and Polly. Moses Grinter came West to locate a ferry across the Kansas River on the military road between Fort Leavenworth and Fort Scott, arriving in January 1831. Fr many years he was the only white man in Wyandotte County. He married a woman of the Delaware tribe of Indians.

James C. Grinter attended one of the old log cabin schools of Kentucky, and as a youth became intimately acquainted with Henry Clay and other noted Kentuckians of that day. At the age of seventeen he became salesman for a firm, one of the pioneer traveling men of that day, and went by horseback, representing his firm over a large part of the South, including Tennessee, Missouri and Mississippi. On October 8, 1849, he left Kentucky on horseback, crossing the Mississippi at St. Louis, the Missouri at what later became Kansas City, and took charge of the ferry across the Kansas River about two miles west of the village of Muncie, in Wyandotte County. He had charge of the ferry about five years.

While there he met and married Rosanna Marshall, who was born at Springfield, Missouri. Her father, William Marshall, was a prominent and wealthy trader among the Delaware Indians. He was of English ascent and he married a member of the Delaware. [There is no proof that William Marshal, or his father, Henry Marshall, were English, but then it is likely that he was.] Rosanna Marshal was reared in Kansas and was educated in the historic Shawnee Methodist Mision. After his marriage James Grinter engaged in farming in Wyandotte County taking up a homestead and becoming owner of about five hundred acres nine miles west of Kansas City. He was a pioneer in raising fancy live stock. He was a participant and and witness of many of the daring scenes in early Kansas history. In 1864 he was a member of the Kansas Militia that too part in the battle near Kansas City and drove off General Price.

In November, 1887, he sold his Wyandotte County far, and the following April moved to Perry in Jefferson County, where he engaged in the mercantile business as a member of the firm J. C./ Grinter and Company. He continued as a merchant until failing health caused him to retire. At Perry he erected what was then the finest residence in the village, at a cost of three thousand dollars, then a great sum to put into a house. He also acquired five hundred acres of farm land and gave each of his children a start in life. During the season of 1888 his hare of the corn grown on his ground aggregated nine thousand bushels.

James C. Grinter always remained a democrat in politics and attended many conventions of his party. For twenty years he was a member of his local school board, was an active Methodist, and one of the builders of the church at Perry and for ten years prominent in church circles as class leader, steward, trustee and Sunday school superintendent. While living in Wyandotte County he was the chief contributor of the Grinter's Chapel, named in his honor, and in the same community is located the Grinter Cemetery. For many years a schoolhouse and a post office bore his name. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity.

A brief account should now be given of the children and descendants of this Kansas pioneer. His children were all born in Kansas and were educated in the home community of Wyandotte County. The daughter Julie married Matthew Cook, by who she had several children, and she died as Mrs. Conlin and is buried at Grinter's Chapel in Wyandotte County.

Etta, who was educated in the public schools and Kansas University, has spent her life in Wyandotte and Jefferson counties. She married Frank P. Simmons, from Kentucky, who died at Perry, Kansas. Mrs. Simmons has no children.

Marie Grinter married James F. Timmons, and died at Edwardsville, Kansas, he children being Mrs. Rose Hays, James, M., Mrs. Dorothy Pulling, Sanford, Ida and Catherine.

Sarah F. Grinter, who has always lined in Wyandotte and Jefferson counties, married James David, a farmer, and their children are Mrs. Etta Fowler, Mrs. Clara Maude, Emery and James.

Mollie B. Grinter married James _____, now deceased, and lives at Perry.

James M. Grinter, a farmer in Jefferson County, was born in the old Muncie locality, married Lou Bowling and has two children, William and Josephine.

Elizabeth S. Grinter became the wife of Charles E. Betts. She was educated in local schools and Palmer's Academy in Kansas City. Her husband came from Ohio to Kansas in childhood and for seventeen years was clerk of the District Court of Wyandotte County. He died in February, 1909. Mrs. Betts for two years was employed in the Bureau of Printing and Engraving at Washington. Her daughter, Sybil D., for eight years was an artist employed at the Bureau of Etymology in the Department of Agriculture. Sibyl married James McDonald, of Cape May, New Jersey, but her first husband was Eugene Segman, and by that union her children are: Eugenia Betts, Gloria Margaret, Walter Dandy and Patricia.

Flora G. Grinter married James M. Martin. of Kansas City, Kansas, and now a resident of Excelsior Springs, Missouri, her children being Mrs. Clara Prather, Miss Gertrude and James M.

Lorenzo D. Grinter, the second of the two sons of James C. Grinter, the pioneer, died at Perry, Kansas.

Suzanne Grinter, who graduated from Christian College at Lexington, Missouri and for many years has been a capable voice teacher, married John Schulze, and she is now head of the department of voice in Asbury College at Wiltmore, Kentucky.

The children of the daughter Julia, who married Matthew Cook, are Mrs. Sarah Jamison, Mrs. Etta Watkins, Thomas Cook and James M. Cook, the latter secretary to the chief-of-police of Kansas City, Kansas.

8. Mary Margaret Grinter was born in 1831 in Logan County, Kentucky. She married ca. 1840 in Logan County, Kentucky, ______ Lemon/Lemons.
9. William "Will" Grinter was born about 1825. He married Susan Morrow. They had no children. (Logan County Historical Society, Grinter Papers, p. 5). Lawler Family Records say that he was born 1833 in Logan County, Kentucky, was of the Delaware Indian Reservation, was married about 1840 in Logan County, Kentucky, died in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas, and was buried there in the Grinter Chapel Cemetery.] He was enumerated in the 1860 US Kansas Territorial Census for Wyandotte Township, Wyandotte County on 26 July 1860 at Dwelling 357, Family 407, next to his brother, John Grinter, at Dwelling 356, family 406, and two dwelling from his brother, Moses Read Grinter, at Dwelling 355, family 405. William was listed as a farmer, age 33 [1827], with real estate valued at $200 and personal property valued at $2,000. He was erroneously listed as having been born in Ohio.

Times New Roman 14 point. Laser copy 6 November 2004. Photo check A.TH