My Genealogy Hound

JAMES GRANGER, one of the oldest and best known of the many enterprising agriculturists of Middlefield, Hampshire County, Mass., was born in Sidney, Delaware County, N. Y., on November 3, 1822.

His father, Henry Granger, was a native of Connecticut. He removed in middle life to the State of New York, where he spent his last years, engaging in the vocation of a farmer, which he followed with good results. He married Miss Sophia Greisley, who was also born in Connecticut, and their union was blessed by the birth of ten children, seven sons and three daughters; namely, Henry (deceased), Edward, Maria, James, Norman (deceased), Daniel, Reuben (deceased), Eliza, Dennis, and Clara. Their parents were not in affluent circumstances, and therefore the childern received but meagre educational advantages, though a part were self-educated. The father was a Whig. He died April 6, 1836, and his wife in 1875.

James Granger, who was only about fourteen years of age when his father died, was put out during the remainder of his minority with Ezra Smith, a farmer, with whom he came to Middlefield, Mass., in 1842. After being employed for about six years in working out by the month in different places he purchased the farm on which he now resides. It contains one hundred acres of pasturage and of tillable land, which is kept in a good state of cultivation and yields profitable returns. He also engages to a moderate extent in stock growing.

Mr. Granger was married in the fall of 1846 to Miss Lucy Damon, a daughter of John and Armena (Combs) Damon, the former of whom was a native of Middlefield, Mass., and the latter of the town of Chester. Eight children came to brighten their home, as follows: Francis Henry, who married Miss Rebecca Smart, and now resides in Chester, Mass.; Mary Jane, living in Huntington, Mass.; Edward and Edwin, who are twins, the latter of whom married Miss Ellen Dye and resides at Unadilla Forks, N. Y., and the former married Miss Ellen Spooner and settled in Barre, Mass.; Almon, who lived only to the age of nineteen years; Lucy Maria, who died at seventeen years of age; James Edson, who died in his fifteenth year; and George, when but ten years of age. They were all educated in the common schools. Their mother, who was a highly intelligent woman, died on November 6, 1861.

On December 13, 1867, Mr. Granger formed a second marriage with Mrs. Nancy A. Alvord, a woman of superior worth, born June 15, 1828, in West Springfield, Mass. Mr. Granger is a stanch Republican and has always been a faithful supporter of that party. He has served as Road Commissioner for several years, and he and his wife are communicants of the Baptist church.