Jonathan Grout (July 23, 1737 – September 8, 1807) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts. Grout was born in Lunenburg in the

Province of Massachusetts Bay The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a colony in British America which became one of the thirteen original states of the United States. It was chartered on October 7, 1691, by William III and Mary II, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of ...

and served in the

First United States Congress The 1st United States Congress, comprising the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, met from March 4, 1789, to March 4, 1791, during the first two years of George Washington's presidency, first at Federal Hall in ...

. His son, Jonathan Grout Jr., built the first optical telegraph in the United States, connecting Martha's Vineyard and

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

.Martha's Vineyard Times, Ten Minutes to Boston
/ref> A descendant of his was Edward M. Grout (1861–1931), a lawyer and

New York City Comptroller The Office of Comptroller of New York City, a position established in 1801, is the chief financial officer and chief auditor of the city agencies and their performance and spending. The comptroller also reviews all city contracts, handles the s ...

References

1737 births 1807 deaths Members of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts People from Lunenburg, Massachusetts {{Massachusetts-Representative-stub