George E. Grant - Oakland

1904 ¹

George Emery Grant (October 28, 1823 – December 3, 1904) was a dairy farmer, businessman, and investor, and the father-in-law of Rev. Charles W. Wendte. The family lived at 1253 - 3rd Avenue (now 1515 - 3rd Avenue after a renumbering) in what was Clinton, then Brooklyn, then Oakland.

Grant was born October 28, 1823, in Lyme, New Hampshire, to Erastus Grant and Abigail Dimick (Grant). He came to San Francisco in February 1854 via the isthmus of Panama. He married Ellen Louise ("Louisa") Daggett (Grant) (May 9, 1833 – December 9, 1910) of Maine on February 23, 1855 in San Francisco, and they had 5 children: Abbie Louise Grant (Wendte), Ida May Grant, Lillie Alice Grant, George Emery Grant, Jr., and Charles Alfred Grant. Ida, Lillie, and Charles all died in childhood.

According to Lives of the Dead, Grant was an investor in the Key System, owned cattle in Cambria, ran a dairy business, and was an investor in the Union Savings Bank of Oakland. ² He was a trustee of the First Unitarian Church, and a member of the Mountain View Cemetery Association. ¹

In 1895, Grant won a case against the city of Oakland. The city contended that some of his land was a public square, but they were unable to find the map they said showed the land dedicated to the city from the Patten brothers and Moses Chase, and lost the case. ³

It's unknown when the land where the family home stood was sold, but in 1926, the First Swedish Baptist Church was built on the site.

1903 Sanborn excerpt

Death and Burial

Grant had been in "failing health" for 2 years. In 1904, he caught a severe cold, which developed into pneumonia, and he died the morning of December 3. ¹ He is buried in Plot 2 in the Grant family lot, along with the other members of the family. Abbie's husband Rev. C.W. Wendte and George, Jr.'s wife Laura Farrell (Grant) are also buried there.

George Pardee, Joseph Emery and Isaac Requa were pallbearers at his funeral. ²

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