Macoupin County
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Biography - WILLIAM T. GRIMMETT

William T. Grimmett, postmaster of Palmyra, Macoupin County, and a highly respected citizen of the town, was born in 1856 in Palmyra township, and belongs to one of the old and honorable families of the county. His parents were John C. and Martha (Huson) Grimmett.

The grandfather of our subject spent his whole life in Eastern Tennessee, where John C. Grimmett was born in 1825. There he married Martha Huson, and in 1850 they came to Illinois, locating on his present farm in section 36, North Palmyra township, where he lived until he entered the army in 1862. He enlisted in Company E, 122d Reg., Illinois Vol. Inf., and saw hard service, participating in these battles: Parker Cross Roads; Town Creek, Alabama; Tupelo, Mississippi; Nashville, Tennessee; Mobile, Alabama; and Paducah, Kentucky. At the battle of Parker Cross Roads, he was wounded in the right shoulder, but he never left his place in the ranks on this account, merely transferring his gun to his left arm, until the wound healed. His next wound, received at Paducah, Kentucky, was again in the right arm and was of too serious a nature for him to endure with his former Spartan fortitude, as it disabled him for two months. This brave soldier was finally mustered out at Mobile, Alabama, in 1865 and received his honorable discharge at Springfield, Illinois. He was twice married, his second wife being Elizabeth Lair, who is also deceased. Six children were born to his first union (of whom our subject is the youngest) and three to his second.

William T. Grimmett obtained his education in the schools of North Palmyra township, and worked on his father's farm until he was of age. In 1877 he married Tabitha Doss, a daughter of Thomas and Kitty (Cherry) Doss. At death these parents left a large estate and Mr. Grimmett bought the interests of the heirs, and resided on the old Doss farm for 19 years. In 1891 Mrs. Grimmett died, the mother of six children, viz: Ralph Thornton, who died in infancy; Thomas Truman, who died aged 18 months; Mary, who died aged three years; Homer Burnet, who died in his 19th year; Eva Catherine, living at home; and Florence Irene, who assists her father in the post office. The death of Homer Burnet Grimmett brought grief to a wide circle of friends. In August, 1898, he followed the example set him by his grandfather, and enlisted for service during the Spanish-American War. The unaccustomed conditions of living with which he had to contend, broke down his health while the troops were encamped at Chattanooga, on their way to the coast, and he soon succumbed. His father hastened to his succor, but found the youth too ill to move, and when he returned to Palmyra, it was with his son's lifeless body, which was laid to rest by the side of his mother. Thus was a bright, promising career cut short.

Mr. Grimmett's second marriage was contracted with Clara Deopheid, who is a daughter of Ernest and Rachel Deopheid, the former of whom is a well known mechanic and an owner of real estate in Palmyra. They have one son, Minton Randolph, who was born September 12, 1901.

Mr. Grimmett has been a lifelong Republican and has taken a lively interest in public matters and in political affairs. He was appointed postmaster of Palmyra on June 1, 1898, a position he still holds to the satisfaction of his fellow citizens. He is a member of the Christian Church, a religious body with which he has been connected ever since his 19th year.


Extracted 2018 May 07 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 234-235.


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This page was last updated 07/01/2022