Ulysses Simpson Grant - Was That Really His Name?

Many of us know that Grants Pass got its' name in 1865 (Grant's Pass) in admiration of General U.S. Grant's victory at Vicksburg in 1863.  But, did you know he was not born "Ulysses S. Grant?"

Our 18th President, Ulysses S. Grant was born the year that Greece declared its' independence from Turkey.  Many Americans were reading books about the history of Greece, and Grant's grandmother Simpson was no exception.  It was she who chose the name Ulysses, after the Greek hero, for her grandson.

U.S. Grant was christened as Hiram Ulysses Grant.  When preparing to leave for West Point, he had his initials monogrammed on his trunk.  It was then he realized that his initials spelled "H.U.G."  He immediately reversed his names to U.H. Grant.

I wonder how much confidence a General with the initials "H.U.G." would have inspired.

At the same time, Congressman Thomas L. Hamer, who secured Grant's appointment to West Point, could not recall his middle name.  He supposed it was Simpson, knowing that was his mother's maiden name,  and sent in his name as Ulysses Simpson Grant.

Having been working on tracing my own family tree, I can easily see how Congressman Hamer could have made this mistake.  One genealogy tip for finding out a lady's maiden name is to look at the first and middle names of her children, since oftentimes one of them will be given her family name.