Grant, in the real estate agency business.

I spent that winter at St.Louis myself, but did not take my family into town until the spring.
Our business might have become prosperous if I had been able to wait for it to grow.

As it was, there was no more than one person could attend to, and not enough to support two families.

While a citizen of St.
Louis and engaged in the real estate agency business, I was a candidate for the office of county engineer, an office of respectability and emolument which would have been very acceptable to me at that time.

The incumbent was appointed by the county court, which consisted of five members.