James Benton Grant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Benton Grant
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| 3rd Governor of Colorado | |
| In office January 9, 1883 – January 13, 1885 |
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| Lieutenant | William H. Meyer |
| Preceded by | Frederick W. Pitkin |
| Succeeded by | Benjamin H. Eaton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 2, 1848 Russell County, Alabama |
| Died | November 1, 1911 (aged 63) Excelsior Springs, Missouri |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Mary Goodell |
| Relatives | Roswell Eaton Goodell (father-in-law) |
| Signature |  |
James Benton Grant (born January 2, 1848 – died November 1, 1911) was an important person in Colorado's history. He was a smart engineer who worked with mines. He also served as the third Governor of Colorado from 1883 to 1885. He was the first governor from the Democratic Party in Colorado.
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Early Life and Education
James Benton Grant was born in Russell County, Alabama in 1848. When he was young, the American Civil War began. He joined the Confederate Army as a soldier. He was a private in the 20th Alabama Light Artillery regiment.
After the war, he went to college. He studied at what is now Iowa State University for two years. Then he went to Cornell University from 1873 to 1874.
Studying Mining
James Grant was very interested in how to get valuable metals from rocks. This is called metallurgy. To learn more, he moved to Germany. He studied at the Freiberg School of Mines. This school was famous for teaching about mining.
His studies made him a skilled mining engineer. This was a very useful job in places like Colorado. Colorado had many mines with gold and silver.
Becoming Governor of Colorado
After his studies, James Grant moved to Colorado. He became involved in the state's growing mining industry. He was also interested in politics.
In 1883, he was elected as the Governor of Colorado. He was the third person to hold this important job. He served as governor until 1885.
A New Political Leader
James Grant made history as governor. He was the first governor from the Democratic Party in Colorado. Before him, the governors had been from other parties. This was a big change for the state's politics.
He helped lead Colorado during a time when it was growing fast. Mining was a very important part of the state's economy.
Later Life
James Benton Grant passed away on November 1, 1911. He died in Excelsior Springs, Missouri. He is remembered for his work as an engineer and his time as Colorado's governor.
