Some research by Sid Jackson, a distant relative through marriage, indicated that Thomas Grant and Sarah , along with James Davis and Christina, were in Maury County years prior to 1816. The earliest record I have found of Thomas Grant was in 1817, wherein he was noted as having witnessed a land transaction in Maury County. Thomas, James and Christina died in Marshall County, TN in 1838, 1840 and 1854, respectively. The latter two are buried in the Marsh-Davis Cemetery west of Lewisburg and noted as Marker #94 to the left.

If Thomas taught his children only one thing, it was to acquire and sell land. Richard G. and James Davis Grant were well known for their land dealings.

Beyond these facts and presumptions, there appears to be little, if any, other historical information.

One note of special interest. I became very interested in the possibilities of new genealogy research through DNA projects. I suggested to the Grant Usergroup that we might want to start one if there was enough interest. I got a fairly good response and convinced one participant to take the lead in selecting a research team and being the administrator of the project. To date, we have 22 participants.

I found an exact match using the 25-marker test, with a genetic distance of 3 when compared to the 37-marker test.  We are definitely related.  We have a 50% probability of being related within 5 generations, but more likely fall into a 90% probability of being related within 16 generations.  This is because the mismatched markers are in the less volatile group and therefore do not mutate as frequently.  Therefore, there is a greater probability that we are related within a couple hundred years, rather than within 100 years.

The other Grant  indicates that his oldest Grant ancestor is probably John Grant, who was born probably before 1755, was a private in the King's American Regiment in the Revolutionary War, and died in 1783 in New York, New York.  His widow Elizabeth (_____) Grant and their children left with the Loyalist fleet for New Brunswick, Canada.  She married as her second husband Henry Cronkhite in the fall of 1784.  John and Elizabeth's son William Grant was born in about 1774, married Ann Maidstone Hillman on Nov 4, 1795, at Woodstock, York County (now Carleton County), New Brunswick, Canada, and died on Mar 26, 1847, at Carleton County, New Brunswick, Canada.  His family has been unable to find much about John Grant.

We have determined that John Grant was 7 generations removed from the other Grant, and Thomas Grant is 5 generations removed from me.  So, there are two generations on my side that need to be identified.

Both of us have been in touch with an Ashley, who is a match at 24 of 25 markers.   Ashley's ancestors were in Lancaster County, Virginia, during the 1700's and England before that, the period we think that the earliest connection might have been made.  We have not been able to find anything that identifies who that common ancestor with John might be.

If you are interested in participating, check out www.FamilyTreeDNA.com/public/Grant

James Davis Grant was born in Maury County, Tennessee (became part of Marshall County in 1836) on January 6, 1818. His parents were Thomas and Sarah Glover Grant. J. D., as he often was called by his friends, married Sarah E. Talley on July 14, 1840. She died on January 4, 1865, in Robertson County, Texas, sixteen days after her 10th child had been born.

Following the death of Sarah, and inventory and appraisement of community property was filed with the Probate Court on August 28, 1866. It included in part the following:

                                       - six tracts of land, 2415 acres - $4,423
                                       - 10 horses - $500
                                       - 80 head of cattle - $320
                                       - 10 head of oxen - $200
                                       - 300 sheep - $750
                                       - 75 hogs - $75
                                       - 7 featherbeds - $210
                                       - 2 US History Books - $8

Subsequently, J. D. remarried, to Sarah's half sister, Tennessee Caroline (Tennie C., as some have suggested) Talley in 1869. Together, they had four additional children. J. D. died June 10, 1892, in an area known as Grant Prairie, where their family farm was situated. They lived in Robertson County, Texas, very near Owensville. Owensville was four miles north of Franklin.

As previously stated, J. D. and Sarah had ten children, one of whom was James Polk Grant, my grandfather.

Sarah E. Talley, who was born on February 19, 1825 in Maury County, Tennessee, was the daughter of Abraham Talley and Mary (Polly) Dunken (or Duncan). The Tally's were married on September 17, 1810. Polly Dunken was born in 1793. Sarah's grandfather, William Duncan, was born in Scotland about 1744. Sarah's grandmother's name is unknown, but believed to have been Patsy West. Detailed history of the Duncan Family can be found in many genealogical libraries in a book titled "William Duncan of Scotland, Chatham County North Carolina , Maury and Marshall Counties in Tennessee, and His Eleven Known Children," compiled by Olive and Joe C. Harris in 1979.    CLICK HERE to view a summary of the information that leads from William Duncan of Scotland to Sarah E. Tally, the first wife of James D. Grant.

After the death of Thomas Grant, in the latter part of 1838 in Marshall County, TN, the remaining members of the family decided to migrate south to where James' brother John with wife Martha Shannon, their two sons David and Jackson, as well as James' oldest sister Mary and husband David R. Looney, were already living in Pontotoc County, Mississippi. Mary later died there in 1857. James Davis Grant and Sarah, his mother Sarah Glover Grant, Early T. Reasonover and his wife Lavinia (sister to James D.) and family, as well as Richard G. Grant with wife Adeline C. Fowler and daughter Malinda Elizabeth , all arrived in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, just prior to the Federal 1840 Census. In 1846, they moved to Harrison County, Mississippi. Apparently, the family heard that Texas, the land of opportunity, had been received statehood into the United States, as they began their migration west to Texas.

Below is a chronology of the places James Davis Grant and some of the family lived and the years they were in the various parts of the country

Maury County, TN 1818-1836
Marshall County, TN 1836-1840
Pontotoc County, MS 1840-1846
Harrison County, MS 1846-1847
Rusk County, TX 1847-1852
Robertson County, TX 1852-1892

It is hard to decipher exactly who move where after that, but notes and letters suggest that in 1847, Richard G. and family moved from Mississippi to the Clarksville area in Red River County, Texas, with mother Sarah. One of James' daughters, Elizabeth and husband Posey P. Weaver, were already living there. Several months later, they moved to Rusk County, Texas to be near her sister, Nancy, and husband William Whitehead. The Reasonovers stayed in Rusk County for several years before moving on to Grayson County near Sherman, Texas. Richard and family then uprooted again and moved to Peugh Branch in Coryell County, Texas in 1850. Later, they decided to move to Ft. Gates in the same county.

Richard was probably the only financially successful sibling of James Davis Grant. Richard moved there with 700 head of cattle and 200 hogs and began selling stock to the military soldiers at Ft. Gates and subsequently set up a trading house near the fort. Later, in 1853, he moved to an area called Stillhouse Creek (an area now within the city limits of Gatesville). Having been so successful and very liberal with his wealth, he donated funds and land to establish a number of important needs of the community, including land for the establishment of Gatesville, the county courthouse, a school, and the First Baptist Church and cemetery. In the years prior to his death in 1858, he had been the County Treasurer and the Postmaster. And, he was an attorney, who handled the estate of James Coryell. Richard was survived by his wife, Adaline, and three children, Malinda, Martha and John.

To digress a bit, John Grant, believed to have been the first born to Thomas and Sarah, may have been named after a relative of Thomas. I have not been able to confirm the possibility, but new DNA findings mentioned below may support the theory. The earliest written record of him was a land transaction wherein he purchased 40 acres of land from William B. Germany and William B. Ginnings in Marshall County, TN in 1837. His marriage to Martha Shannon occurred on January 1, 1838 in Marshall County, TN. Later that year, on October 20, he sold the 40 acres to Robert McAteer. As mentioned above, John, his wife Mary (Martha) and their children moved with the remainder of the family to Mississippi, probably in 1840, when the rest of his family began to migrate. According to the 1850 State Census for Pontotoc, County, MS, John was 45. Mary was 30. Their children were David, Jackson and John S., ages 4,2,and 2, respectively. Shortly after the census was taken, Levinia was born.

While I have not been able to determine the date they left Mississippi, they show up in Mitchel TWP, Poinsett County, Arkansas on the 1860 Census records. By that time, another daughter, Jane, was 2 years old. Daughter Sarah was born in 1861. In the 1870 Census, the records were absent of John, suggesting he probably died sometime after 1861, but before the census was taken. At that time, they were living in Scott TWP, Poinsett County, AR. The oldest child, David was not listed, suggesting that he had either moved on or died. I have not pursued that issue.

The 1850 Census showed James and wife, Sarah, living in Rusk County. He was 32 and she was 25. Elizabeth J., age 8, Sarah Paralee, age 6, and Nancy S., age 5, were listed in the household. All three were listed as having been born in Mississippi. That same year, the 1850 Rusk County Mortality Schedule indicated that Elizabeth J., age 2, died in July of that year of Bilious Fever. Due to the conflict in age, I am not sure it is the same person, though both were born in Mississippi and there were no other Elizabeth J Grant's listed in the 1850 Census.

In 1852, notes indicate that James Davis Grant and family moved to Robertson County, where he spent the rest of his life. At that time, he owned oxen teams and hauled freight between Robertson County and Houston. Later, after he had become a surveyor, he taught his trade to two of his sons, Thomas J. and William Talley.

In 1855, a contract was issued by the Robertson County Commissioners for the construction of a courthouse and a jail at Owensville, Texas. James Grant and Alexander Calvert (a descendant of the family for which the town of Calvert was named) received the contract to build a 141'x181' jail for a sum of $1,349.45. The jail was completed and accepted on October 15, 1855.

Among other things, James D. was Raised as a Master Mason on May 8, 1857 in Pierce Lodge No. 144, which moved to Calvert, Texas in 1869. He Demitted from the Calvert Lodge and became a charter member of the Patrick Lodge No. 359 in 1871 located in Franklin. He became the Treasurer in 1877.

On September 10, 1855, James purchased and received through a transfer document a 640-acre section of land, a part of the H. W. Beeson Tract. This tract was the largest one he purchased. James received from Governor E. M. Pease the Title to the property on December 23, 1868. The delay in receiving the Title appears, based on survey notes and court records, to have been the result of some boundary or ownership disputes for part of the land. I have a copy of the Title. At first, I thought this property was the homestead for the family for many years; however, that turned out to be incorrect. From 1855 until his death in 1892, Robertson County Deed Records show that James Davis had 262 land transactions. The homestead property was 474 acres carved out of the James M. Love Survey and was purchased on March 21, 1874. Following his death, his son James Polk Grant, and family lived on the property. The land was sold on August 20, 1948 to the Lorent family.

During the 14 years that Owensville was the county seat, it became the business, cultural, as well as political, center of the county as a result of the rail line which ran from Waco to Houston through Owensville. The town was also on the stage line which followed the same route across the state. At some point, a few of the state politicians decided to move the county seat to Calvert. James Davis Grant and some of the other city fathers were not pleased with the decision. So, under the cloak of darkness, they secretly went into Calvert, confiscated the county records and returned them to Owensville. The town was a thriving community with two colleges for boys and girls schools. During those days, James Davis had a large general store located where the Oak Grove Grocery currently exist. The family always said that, in the basement of the store, he had a distillery and was known to make a pretty tasty, but stout peach brandy.

In 1860, some of the leading citizens of Robertson County assembled at Owensville to express their concerns for the impending election of Abraham Lincoln. Rumors in the county indicated that Lincoln would free the slaves in the South if he were elected. Out of this meeting came a recommendation that should any of the southern states secede from the Union, Texas should also follow and join the Confederacy. This recommendation was unanimously approved ,and William Hamman, an attorney and orator, was appointed a delegate to the State convention that would be called in the event Lincoln should be elected.

Following Lincoln's election in November 1860, a special session of the State Legislature was called for February 1, 1861 to discuss secession. At this session, Sam Houston made a strong plea to Texans, asking them to remain loyal to the Union. He was ignored and the State Legislature voted to bring the issue before the people of Texas. On February 23, 1861, the majority of the citizens of Texas voted to leave the Union and join the Confederacy. Governor Sam Houston's refusal to swear allegiance to the Confederacy virtually resulted in him being driven from office.

After the vote to secede, officials of Robertson County met in Owensville met to address the issues related to the call for a new government. Instructions given included the need for plans to organize and equip men joining the Confederate Army in the event a war broke out between the South and the North. Among these officials was the county tax assessor-collector, James D. Grant, who had been elected to office in 1860.

One and one-half months later, on April 12, 1861, the Confederate soldiers began firing on the Union Army. The war had started, and many of the men in Robertson County went off to fight the battle to protect the South and the new Confederate government. By that time, James D. had become known as the "Colonel" by all his friends. This was thought to be an honorary title because of his dedicated and unselfish work for the Confederacy. He did assist in recruitment, selection of officers, financing and equipping five Robertson County companies for the Civil War.

In January, 1870, P. W. Hall, senator from Robertson County, sponsored a bill in the Legislature to move the county seat from Owensville to Calvert. In July of the same year, the bill was passed. Subsequently, in August, 1870, James D. Grant, then one of the four Robertson County Commissioners, moved his office and belongings to Calvert.

In 1878, James D. Grant was elected to the Texas Legislature and served two terms, the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Legislature. His term of office ended in 1882, about the time the new State Capital was dedicated. An interesting tidbit is that during J. D.'s first term , he was shown to be from Hearne, Texas, whereas in the second term, he was from Franklin. I have not found any land records to show he owned any land around Hearne. Nor, can I find any records that his family ever moved to there. According to the Sixteenth Legislative Records, one significant action that came from the session was the passage of a bill establishing the University of Texas in Austin. The library in Houston does not have the Seventeenth Sessions records.

A composite photo of the legislators was taken during one or both sessions, however a fire at the Capitol in 1881 destroyed all copies of the photos at least during that period. The Austin History Center happened to have a copy of the picture taken during the 17th Legislative Session. I have obtained a copy of it, which includes James Davis Grant's name below his picture. Only one other picture of James has surfaced and I received a copy of it from a distant relative in West Texas.

Following the death of J D, an inventory and appraisement of the community property was filed with the Probate Court on March 23, 1893. It included, among other items, five tracts of land - 770 acres - valued at $3,220. Patrick Lodge read a memorial to the the passing of J. D. pointing out his deeds and accomplishments to the state and the community to which he lived, as well as his dedication to his family.

The International Railway Company constructed a line from Hearne, Texas, to the Navasota River, bringing about a number of very small settlements along the route. Among those settlements was a village named Morgan and another called Englewood. Between 1872 and 1879, Morgan's population grew to about 200 people. All during the Seventies, many of the people in Robertson County complained of the location of the county seat. Several attempts were made to have the county seat moved from Calvert, but lack of majority support prevented this action. One such vote took place in 1874 when an attempt was made to move the county seat to Englewood. However, in December, 1879, a vote of the people moved it from Calvert to Morgan.

In 1880, the Commissioners of Robertson County learned that there was another Texas town called Morgan. So, the town was renamed Franklin in honor of the landowner on which the settlement was established. Since the original county seat was a settlement called Franklin back in the 1830's, the decision was made to rename the towns, Old Franklin" and "New Franklin." When the small settlement "Old Franklin," died and became a ghost town, the "New" was dropped and "Franklin" became the name identified today.

Franklin was laid out in a rectangle with 88 blocks of lots, two town squares (one on each side of the railroad), and a five-acre cemetery on the south end of town. The streets and avenues were named to honor some of the neighboring towns and settlements, as well as for some of the first and prominent citizens in the community. One such citizen was James Davis Grant.

With the growth and prosperity of Franklin, eventually Owensville became a "ghost town", with only the memories and a crossroad to remind us of it's once thriving heritage.

The following link will take you to a list of land acquisitions and sales by James Davis Grant and his son James Polk Grant mentioned below.  Click here:  Land Purchases and Land Sales.