Rutland

GRANGER, William Smith

Encyclopedia Vermont Biography: A Series of Authentic Biographical Sketches 
of the Representative Men of Vermont and Sons of Vermont in Other States. 
Dodge. Burlington: Ullery Publishing Company, 1912, p 204

William Smith GRANGER, insurance, Providence [Providence County], Rhode 
Island, was born 19 September 1834 in Pittsford [Rutland County, Vermont], 
son of Chester and Mary Page (SMITH) GRANGER. He is lineally descended on 
his paternal side from Launcelot GRANGER, the founder of Newbury [Essex 
County], Massachusetts; also William ASPINWALL of the Massachusetts Bay 
Colony; Medad POMEROY, one of the original proprietors of Roxbury [Suffolk 
County, Massachusetts], and the DUDLEYs, HOARs, SEYMOURs, and WELLS; on his 
maternal line from Rev. Peter BUCKLEY, one of the founders of Concord 
[Middlesex County], Massachusetts; Rev. Gersham BUCKLEY, D. D., surgeon in 
the Colonial Army; Rev. Charles CHAUNCEY, second president of Harvard 
University; Captain John and Jonathan PRESCOTT; and Rev. Henry SMITH, the 
first settled clergyman of Weathersfield [Wethersfield, Hartford County], 
Connecticut, 1639.

William Smith GRANGER was educated in Salen [Washington County], New York, 
and Manchester [Bennington County], Vermont, previous to entering Brown 
University, Providence, September 1850. He came to Providence in 1849; 
employed in Augusta [Kennebec County], Maine, two years; returned to 
Pittsford [Rutland County, Vermont], where he remained until 1866. Treasurer 
Cove Foundry & Machine Company, Providence, which was later succeeded by the 
Granger Foundry & Machine Company; was president of this company until it was 
merged with three other corporations in Providence under the name of the 
Textile Finishing and Machinery Company, manufacturers of machines for 
bleaching, dyeing and finishing cotton goods, also for finishing 
surface-coated and letter and ledge papers; invented and introduced a 
calendar roll to supersede a paper roll for finishing papers, which has 
revolutionized the finishing of that class of goods; also invented a calendar 
roll made of a mixture of cotton and corn husks now in use in one hundred and 
fifty print works bleacheries and cotton mills in this country and Europe.

President, Narragansett Mutual Fire Insurance Company since 1904; was 
director in the Second National Bank until it merged with the United National 
Bank, where he served two years, resigning on account of ill health. 
Director of American Wringer Company, Davol Mills, Franklin, Narragansett 
Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and several other corporations. Republican. 
Was one of the founders and is still a member of Otter Creek Lodge No. 70, 
Free & Accepted Masons, of Pittsford; Farmers Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of 
Brandon; member Calvary Commandery No. 13, Knights Templar, of Providence; 
member of Society of Colonial Wars, Sons of American Revolution, Rhode Island 
Historical Society, Rhode Island School of Design; Hope, Squantum, University 
and Economics Clubs of Providence. In 1871 he [William Smith GRANGER ] 
married Caroline Richmond, daughter of the late Colonel J. Talbot and 
Caroline (RICHMOND) PITMAN; they have two daughters, Mary Alice, and Helen 
Richmond. [Not that submitter has assumed Caroline's middle name (like that 
of her daughter Helen) was Richmond, and that she was not Mrs. RICHMOND when 
she married Mr. GRANGER.]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly