"The following pages contain the little which is known concerning a family of no social importance, and will consequently be of interest only to those connected with it. For such they are written, and to such addressed, without any apology for their publication."
— George William Marshall, "Collections for a Genealogical Account of the family of Comberbach", 1866
My family, the Grangers of Rhy'Din, is an old family with their sticky fingers in many pies, though mostly we deal in cloth and all of its associated industries " growing, dyeing, weaving, shipping, and yes, even selling.
Approximately four hundred years ago, my ancestor, Thaddeus Granger and his wife Beryl, were sheep farmers. They were blessed with four children " three sons, Raleigh, Enoch and Larkin; and a daughter, Myrtle. Each of Thaddeus's children were educated as well as he and Beryl could afford, for Thaddeus had high ambitions and great plans for these children.
Upon Thaddeus's death, Raleigh took over the care and keeping of the family sheep farm, eventually expanding upon the extant estate by adding more land acreages. Eventually, the Granger Estate would produce not only the highest quality of wool Rhy'Din had ever seen, but hemp fibers, cotton, and through a twist of fate and a beautiful stand of mulberry trees, silk.
Enoch learned the art of spinning and weaving, and with his share of the inheritance, bought up acres and acres of riverfront land. Upon this land, he built factories and mills to create cloth from the raw materials sent from Raleigh's farms. This cloth was sold to tailors and sail makers and drapers, further imprinting the name Granger into the collective consciousness of Rhy'Din.
Larkin, taking his share of his father's money, bought up all the land Enoch didn't, and built processing and dyeing plants, along with farms that grew the indigo, woad, and other natural dyes he used in his processes. After Raleigh grew the wool, and Enoch spun it and wove it, Larkin dyed it into the beautiful kaleidoscope of colors that has grown to be associated with Granger textiles.
Not to be outdone by her brothers, Myrtle also got involved with the family business. With her share of the inheritance, she bought up all the carts and wagons and ships she could and used these to transport her brothers' cloth to the tailors and sail makers and drapers in the city. She even somehow managed to take over the business of shipping out those finished clothes and sails and upholsteries to the retail stores that would be the ultimate end of Raleigh's beginning.
Or course, the Granger children married and had children of their own, thus ensuring that the family business, now known as the GrangerGuild Conglomerate, would never go under. Though, with this current crop of Grangers and our aversion to working in the family business or really even having anything to do with it, there always stands the chance that things will go sideways.
Especially if my father, Oliver Hudson Granger II, continues making bad business choices as has been his wont as of late. But that story is for another day.
My family, the Grangers of Rhy'Din, is an old family with their sticky fingers in many pies, though mostly we deal in cloth and all of its associated industries " growing, dyeing, weaving, shipping, and yes, even selling.
Approximately four hundred years ago, my ancestor, Thaddeus Granger and his wife Beryl, were sheep farmers. They were blessed with four children " three sons, Raleigh, Enoch and Larkin; and a daughter, Myrtle. Each of Thaddeus's children were educated as well as he and Beryl could afford, for Thaddeus had high ambitions and great plans for these children.
Upon Thaddeus's death, Raleigh took over the care and keeping of the family sheep farm, eventually expanding upon the extant estate by adding more land acreages. Eventually, the Granger Estate would produce not only the highest quality of wool Rhy'Din had ever seen, but hemp fibers, cotton, and through a twist of fate and a beautiful stand of mulberry trees, silk.
Enoch learned the art of spinning and weaving, and with his share of the inheritance, bought up acres and acres of riverfront land. Upon this land, he built factories and mills to create cloth from the raw materials sent from Raleigh's farms. This cloth was sold to tailors and sail makers and drapers, further imprinting the name Granger into the collective consciousness of Rhy'Din.
Larkin, taking his share of his father's money, bought up all the land Enoch didn't, and built processing and dyeing plants, along with farms that grew the indigo, woad, and other natural dyes he used in his processes. After Raleigh grew the wool, and Enoch spun it and wove it, Larkin dyed it into the beautiful kaleidoscope of colors that has grown to be associated with Granger textiles.
Not to be outdone by her brothers, Myrtle also got involved with the family business. With her share of the inheritance, she bought up all the carts and wagons and ships she could and used these to transport her brothers' cloth to the tailors and sail makers and drapers in the city. She even somehow managed to take over the business of shipping out those finished clothes and sails and upholsteries to the retail stores that would be the ultimate end of Raleigh's beginning.
Or course, the Granger children married and had children of their own, thus ensuring that the family business, now known as the GrangerGuild Conglomerate, would never go under. Though, with this current crop of Grangers and our aversion to working in the family business or really even having anything to do with it, there always stands the chance that things will go sideways.
Especially if my father, Oliver Hudson Granger II, continues making bad business choices as has been his wont as of late. But that story is for another day.