California Biographies 

Source:
History of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties, California
by: C M Gidney - Santa Barbara. Benjamin Brooks - San Luis Obispo. 
Edwin M Sheridan - Ventura
Volumes II - Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, ILL., 1917

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


KENNETH PETER GRANT is one of the oldest settlers of Ventura County, and is now vice president of 
the Pioneer Society of the county and one of the three men still living of the original officers of that 
organization.  It is nearly forty years since he came to Ventura County and few men have had a greater 
range of activities connected with the development of this section than Mr. Grant. 
  
He was born in Glengary, Canada, July 13, 1842, a son of Alexander and Mary (Creits) Grant.  Leaving 
school at the age of fourteen, he became self supporting, and has compressed a remarkable range of 
experience into his career.  For two months after leaving school he worked as a teamster on 
construction for the Grand Trunk Railway Company.  Until the age of nineteen he was then employed 
on farm of his stepfather at Cornwall, Canada.  Crossing the boundary and locating in St. Lawrence 
County, New York, he worked on a farm there two months, and then took up the blacksmiths trade, 
serving his apprenticeship at Massena Center, New York, to the age of twenty-one. 
  
He had in the meantime heard much of the glories of California and a spirit of adventure led him to the 
western coast.  He made the journey by way of the Nicaragua route, and it was said that his was one 
of the first parties of Americans to come to California in that way.  His first location was at Yountville in 
the Napa Valley, where he was employed as a blacksmith for two months, then engaged in the 
blacksmithing business for himself in Walnut Creek, Contra Costa County, and in 1867 he left there and 
came to Ventura County (then Santa Barbara County) California.  The first month was spent in the 
employ of Harrington Robinson, a local blacksmith, and he then became a partner of Tom Williams, 
blacksmith, they opening a shop together and continuing until 1869.  Buying our Mr. Williams stock and 
also the building and business of D. D. McCoy, he set up a blacksmithing business of his own, and not 
long afterward he embarked in the undertaking business.  The first shipment of coffins ever made into 
Ventura County was billed to Mr. Grant, and he gradually developed undertaking as an important 
feature of his enterprise.  He ran the first hearse and embalmed the first body in Ventura County.  A 
number of years ago he also held the office of county coroner and public administrator. 
  
Selling out his blacksmithing and undertaking business in 1890, Mr. Grant took up the real estate 
business, and in 1893 he and a partner bought 500 acres of land.  Not long afterward he obtained his 
individual share of this purchase, consisting of 350 acres, and most of his active work has been in 
connection with the development of that place.  Thirty acres are now planted in apricots, while the 
rest in devoted to general farming purposes.  Originally he had over 100 acres of orchard, but he 
reduced this as circumstances suggested the wisdom of so doing.  Besides this handsome property 
Mr.  Grant owns ninety acres in Ventura, and rents that. 
  
In 1867, on coming to Ventura County, he filed on 160 acres of Government land in the Santa Clara 
Valley, but this afterwards proved to be a part of the famous Tom More ranch. 
  
In 1893 the governor appointed him to fill an unexpired term as supervisor of Ventura County, and at 
the next general election he was chosen for the regular term.  Mr. Grant is a past master of Ventura 
Lodge No. 214, Free and Accepted Masons, is past high priest of Ventura Chapter No. 50, Royal Arch 
Masons, is past eminent commander of Ventura Commandery No. 18, Knights Templar, and is a 
member of Al Malikah Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Los Angeles.  He is a past grand master of the 
Knights of Pythias and was district deputy grand master for seven years.  Mr. and Mrs. Grant in the 
past were both members of the Order of Eastern Star.  Politically he is a republican. 
 
In Ventura December 31, 1870, he married Miss Hattie Perry, who died May 25, 1880.  For his second 
wife he was married in Ventura January 11, 1884, to Miss Tonie Shafer, a native of Germany.  Mr. 
Grant has no children.