A. O. Granger

Arthur Otis Granger
Born	Template:Birth date Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Died	July 30, 1914(1914-07-30) (aged 68) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Industrialist, mining engineer, railroad executive, military officer
Years active	1862–1909
Known for	General manager of United Gas Improvement Company; president of several fuel and gas lighting companies; founder of Etowah Iron Company; secretary to General William Tecumseh Sherman during the Civil War

Arthur Otis Granger (February 14, 1846 – July 30, 1914) was a prominent American industrialist and military figure. He specialized in the production and installation of gasworks in Philadelphia, held the position of general manager at the United Gas Improvement Company, and led several fuel and gas lighting enterprises across the United States and Canada as president. Subsequently, Granger pursued careers as a mining engineer and railroad executive, achieving millionaire status by 1889. He established the Etowah Iron Company in Bartow County, maintained mining ventures in South America, and collaborated with Joseph M. Gazzam.

During the American Civil War, Granger enlisted as a private within the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment and served as secretary to General William Tecumseh Sherman. He took part in the March to the Sea campaign and was responsible for preparing General Joseph E. Johnston's surrender documents in 1865. An avid amateur astronomer, Granger's residence featured the largest observatory and telescope in the southeastern United States. He held lifelong memberships with the Franklin Institute, the American Institute of Mining Engineers, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Royal Society of Arts.

Early life and military career

Arthur Otis Granger entered the world on February 14, 1846, in Providence, Rhode Island, born to Sarah Rowan and Reverend Arthur Granger, who passed away prior to his birth. By 1858, he was employed as a cashier at a dry goods establishment in Philadelphia.

At sixteen years old, on September 8, 1862, Granger joined the Union Army as a private in the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment during the Civil War. He engaged in combat at the Battle of Stones River under General William Rosecrans. After contracting typhoid fever, he was confined for six weeks at a hospital in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Due to his proficient penmanship, he was appointed chief clerk at that hospital for one year under General Washington Lafayette Elliott.

Following his convalescence, Granger reported to General William Tecumseh Sherman and participated in Sherman's March to the Sea beginning November 16, 1864. During this period, he served as Sherman’s private secretary. Granger referred to his duties as those of a "confidential clerk" and "private orderly" until his discharge in July 1865. He was responsible for drafting General Joseph E. Johnston's surrender documents on April 26, 1865, keeping both the inkstand and pen as keepsakes.

Industry and business career

Following the conclusion of the war, Granger transitioned into entrepreneurship and mining engineering. By 1886, he had accumulated roughly ten years of experience in the manufacture of gasworks. His enterprise, A. O. Granger & Company based in Philadelphia, became a branch of the United Gas Improvement Company (UGI) by 1883, responsible for installing Lowe's carburetted water gas apparatus. Subsequently, by 1886, he held the positions of general manager and president at UGI.

In 1886, Granger held the presidency of the Coney Island Fuel, Gas and Light Company, as well as leadership roles at the Welsbach Light Company and the Chautauqua Lake Railroad Company by 1888. Additionally, in 1889 he acted as a trustee for the construction of a Presbyterian headquarters in Chautauqua, New York. Earlier in his career, he operated a mercantile establishment in Helena, Montana, and was recognized as a millionaire by 1889.

Drawing on his Civil War connections to Cartersville, Georgia, Granger established the Etowah Iron Company in 1888 within Bartow County and possessed 17,000 acres dedicated to iron ore mining there. By 1889, his mining ventures extended into South America, and he secured a patent related to the production of silicofluoride of lead. In partnership with Senator Joseph M. Gazzam, he managed the Dobbins mine in 1891, constructing a railroad to the Etowah River alongside a manganese processing plant. The Etowah Iron Company was rebranded as Blue Ridge Mining Company in 1900.

During 1893, Granger oversaw operations for firms located in Montreal and Halifax but encountered suspension from his role as general manager at Auer Incandescent Light Company in Montreal amid accusations of falsifying power of attorney on customs paperwork for imported materials. Later that year, he was reinstated as manager, initiated legal action for libel against opposing shareholders, and faced charges of criminal conspiracy. Around 1902 to 1909, he served as president of Auer Co.

Health concerns prompted Granger's retirement circa 1909. At that time, he presided over the American Gold Dredging Company, the Caribbean Company, and the Marles Carved Molding Company.

Personal life

On August 15, 1870, Granger married Caroline Dickson Gregory; their residences included Philadelphia, Montreal, and Quebec. Together they had six children: five boys and one girl. Their eldest son Henry acted as a U.S. consular agent in Colombia where he engaged in mining and agricultural enterprises. The second son, William, was a businessman based in Montreal who served as general manager and secretary of Auer Incandescent Light Manufacturing Company and later held presidencies at Montreal AAA, Quebec Amateur Hockey Association, and Canadian Amateur Hockey Association.

In 1890, the family relocated to Cartersville, Georgia, acquiring property atop the hill where Granger had camped during his Civil War service. Their residence became known as Granger Hill; they actively participated in social and cultural activities within Cartersville and Atlanta. Caroline played a foundational role and served as president of the Georgia Federation of Women's Clubs. Inspired by his experiences at Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute and an amateur interest in astronomy, Granger expanded their home into a twenty-eight-room mansion named "Overlook," which housed the largest observatory and telescope in the southeastern United States.

Granger passed away on July 30, 1914, in Philadelphia after a brief illness following travel to New York City. The cause of death was diabetes complicated by cardiac fibrosis. He was laid to rest at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia.

Honors and legacy

Granger held life memberships with several prestigious organizations, including the Franklin Institute, the American Institute of Mining Engineers, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Royal Society of Arts.

Following his passing, his widow created a scholarship fund bearing his name at the Tallulah Falls Industrial School. His telescope, which had once been sold to a traveling circus, was eventually purchased by the University of Texas at Austin. Additionally, his observatory was transferred to Agnes Scott College in Atlanta.