Ebenezer O. Grosvenor

Ebenezer Oliver Grosvenor, Jr.
Born	Template:Birth date Stillwater, New York, U.S.
Died	March 10, 1910(1910-03-10) (aged 90) Jonesville, Michigan, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Politician, merchant, banker
Years active	1835–1903
Known for	17th Lieutenant Governor of Michigan; State Treasurer of Michigan; Michigan state senator; University of Michigan regent

Ebenezer Oliver Grosvenor, Jr. (January 26, 1820 – March 10, 1910) was a notable political figure from Michigan in the United States.

Early life

Born in Stillwater, New York, Grosvenor received both elementary and academic schooling. Between the ages of fifteen and seventeen, he was employed as a clerk in Chittenango, New York. In 1837, he relocated to Michigan and spent two years working alongside his brother as a clerk in Albion, Michigan. Subsequently, he held clerical positions in the state commissioner’s office located in Monroe, Michigan from 1839 to 1840 and later in Jonesville, Michigan between 1840 and 1844. He was among the founding members of the Odd Fellows lodge established in Jonesville in 1840.

On February 25, 1844, he married Sally Ann Champlin; the couple had four children. After settling back in Michigan, Grosvenor engaged in commerce as a merchant in Jonesville and established the banking firm Grosvenor & Co. in 1854, where he acted as president and manager. He became affiliated with the Freemasons in 1855 and was involved with the Presbyterian Church.

Politics

Initially aligned with the Whig Party, Grosvenor later joined the Republican Party and was elected to the Michigan Senate for the term beginning in 1859. In 1861, he served as president of the military contract board and was appointed a colonel on Governor Austin Blair's staff while overseeing the state military board. He secured re-election to the senate for the period from 1862 to 1864 and contributed as a member of the finance committee.

In 1864, Grosvenor was chosen as Michigan’s 17th lieutenant governor of Michigan, serving under Governor Henry H. Crapo from 1865 until 1867. Following this role, he held the office of State Treasurer of Michigan from 1867 through 1871, spanning Governor Crapo’s second term and Governor Henry P. Baldwin's initial term.

Between 1871 and 1879, Grosvenor presided over the board of state building commissioners. Additionally, he was a member of the University of Michigan's board of regents from 1879 to 1888. His career also included executive positions such as vice president of the Jackson & Fort Wayne railroad company along with directorships in various insurance firms and other enterprises. At age eighty-three, in 1903, he became part of the Michigan Republican Party State Central Committee.

Death and legacy

Grosvenor passed away at ninety years old in Jonesville, Michigan. His home there has been maintained as a museum honoring his legacy.

General references

• Profile, PoliticalGraveyard.com. Accessed March 28, 2024.
• Family Tree Maker’s Genealogy Site