John Grant

John Grant (aka the younger) probably was born during the mid-eighteenth century. This individual was an Albany resident possibly as early as the late 1770s, almost certainly in 1800, and afterwards.

He is distinct from an older John Grant and probably not the outlier John Grant (1778-after 1825) who raised a family with Mary Cumming. This subject may have been born in America and may have been the son of the elder - or not! However, we are pretty certain that he was of Scottish ancestry.

Coming of age during the era of the American Revolution, we expect to find information on his wartime activities. Afterwards, this individual was accorded a land bounty right in conjunction with the Albany militia regiment.

His wife was identified as "Janet Mc D." Later, he may have married for a second time.

During the 1790s, John Grant was a prominent Presbyterian where at least one child was christened in 1789. He was a founder and an officer of Albany's St. Andrews Society. In 1794, he subscribed to purchase a bible. In 1802, he was among the first trustees of Albany's United Presbyterian Church.

In 1798, his name appeared on a number of jury lists where he was identified differently as a yeoman, a gentleman, and then as a candlemaker and tallow chandler. He also was a member of the Albany Mechanics Society.

In 1779, John Grant's lot (perhaps in the second ward) was assessed most modestly. A decade later, the house and lot and also the store and lot of John Grant were valued on the first ward assessment roll. In 1799, his first ward property in roughly the same location was listed on the city assessment roll.

The first census, in 1790, noted eight people living in his first ward home. A decade later, the city census configured his household in roughly the same location with four young boys and six others including a slightly younger senior woman. In 1810, the census chronicled the aging of his family. After that, his name drops from the community-based record.

Understanding that the Albany resident named John Grant still poses significant outstanding questions, we move on for now!

Sources: The life of John Grant is CAP biography number 8225. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.