| Biography |
Biography of Ebenezer Oliver Grosvenor
The Grosvenor family first settled in the United States in 1650, in
Pomfret, CT. Ebenezer Grosvenor was born on January 26th,
1820, to the parents of Ebenezer and Mary (Livermore)
Grosvenor in Stillwater, NY. His parental grandfather was a
Presbyterian minister and chaplain in the Army of Revolution,
while his maternal grandfather was a solider at the Battle of
Bunker Hill.
Mr. Grosvenor moved first to Albion, MI in 1837 where he was a
clerk in a local store. In either late 1838 or early 1839 he moved to
Monroe, MI where he worked in the construction office of the
Michigan Southern Railroad. In 1840, Mr. Grosvenor moved to
Jonesville, MI where he worked as a clerk in the dry goods store
owned by Henry Delaran and Elisha Champlin, a member of the
Michigan Territorial Legislature and Southern Michigan pioneer.
On February 22, 1844, Mr. Grosvenor married Miss Sarah Ann
Champlin, the daughter of Elisha Champlin. The couple would go
on to have only one child, Harriet, who would later marry Charles
White, a local businessman.
Following Mr. Grosvenor’s marriage in 1844, he would go on to
use his life savings to become a partner in a general store. This
would be the beginning of building his significant business
empire. In 1854, Mr. Grosvenor was a partner in the founding of
what quickly became the Grosvenor Savings Bank, now known
as the Jonesville branch of County National Bank, and was the
president of the bank until his death in 1910. His business
interests also include being a merchant miller, acquiring large
farming interests, and a primary stockholder in a number of other
business and financial interests.
While Mr. Grosvenor was a shrewd businessman, he was also
very active in Republican Party politics. In 1858 and 1862 he was
elected to serve in the Michigan State Senate. With the outbreak
of the Civil War in 1861, he was appointed a Colonel on the staff
of Governor Austin Blair and named President of the Military
Contract Board and was later appointed President of the State
Military Board. In 1864, he was elected Michigan’s Lieutenant-
Governor and was elected State Treasurer in 1866 and 1868. In
1871, he was appointed vice-president of the Board of State
Building Commissioners, which was then tasked to oversee the
building of the new Michigan State Capitol. In 1879, he was
elected to serve as a Regent of the University of Michigan.
Even though Mr. Grosvenor was elected to serve in several state
offices, he was also committed to remain active in local politics.
He served for over thirty years in various positions for both the
Village of Jonesville and Fayette Township. Committed to
education Mr. Grosvenor spent forty-one years as a member of
the Jonesville Board of Education and several years as a
member of the Hillsdale College Board of Trustees.
Ebenezer Oliver Grosvenor died on March 19, 1010 and Sally Ann
Grosvenor died on July 6, 1910.
McCracken, S.B. “Men of Progress: Embracing Biographical
Sketches of Representative Michigan Men.” Evening News
Association: Detroit. 1900
The Grosvenor family first settled in the United States in 1650, in
Pomfret, CT. Ebenezer Grosvenor was born on January 26th,
1820, to the parents of Ebenezer and Mary (Livermore)
Grosvenor in Stillwater, NY. His parental grandfather was a
Presbyterian minister and chaplain in the Army of Revolution,
while his maternal grandfather was a solider at the Battle of
Bunker Hill.
Mr. Grosvenor moved first to Albion, MI in 1837 where he was a
clerk in a local store. In either late 1838 or early 1839 he moved to
Monroe, MI where he worked in the construction office of the
Michigan Southern Railroad. In 1840, Mr. Grosvenor moved to
Jonesville, MI where he worked as a clerk in the dry goods store
owned by Henry Delaran and Elisha Champlin, a member of the
Michigan Territorial Legislature and Southern Michigan pioneer.
On February 22, 1844, Mr. Grosvenor married Miss Sarah Ann
Champlin, the daughter of Elisha Champlin. The couple would go
on to have only one child, Harriet, who would later marry Charles
White, a local businessman.
Following Mr. Grosvenor’s marriage in 1844, he would go on to
use his life savings to become a partner in a general store. This
would be the beginning of building his significant business
empire. In 1854, Mr. Grosvenor was a partner in the founding of
what quickly became the Grosvenor Savings Bank, now known
as the Jonesville branch of County National Bank, and was the
president of the bank until his death in 1910. His business
interests also include being a merchant miller, acquiring large
farming interests, and a primary stockholder in a number of other
business and financial interests.
While Mr. Grosvenor was a shrewd businessman, he was also
very active in Republican Party politics. In 1858 and 1862 he was
elected to serve in the Michigan State Senate. With the outbreak
of the Civil War in 1861, he was appointed a Colonel on the staff
of Governor Austin Blair and named President of the Military
Contract Board and was later appointed President of the State
Military Board. In 1864, he was elected Michigan’s Lieutenant-
Governor and was elected State Treasurer in 1866 and 1868. In
1871, he was appointed vice-president of the Board of State
Building Commissioners, which was then tasked to oversee the
building of the new Michigan State Capitol. In 1879, he was
elected to serve as a Regent of the University of Michigan.
Even though Mr. Grosvenor was elected to serve in several state
offices, he was also committed to remain active in local politics.
He served for over thirty years in various positions for both the
Village of Jonesville and Fayette Township. Committed to
education Mr. Grosvenor spent forty-one years as a member of
the Jonesville Board of Education and several years as a
member of the Hillsdale College Board of Trustees.
Ebenezer Oliver Grosvenor died on March 19, 1010 and Sally Ann
Grosvenor died on July 6, 1910.
McCracken, S.B. “Men of Progress: Embracing Biographical
Sketches of Representative Michigan Men.” Evening News
Association: Detroit. 1900
