Edward Grant (La Grandeur) was among the early French-Canadian settlers of Somerset township in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, prior to 1860. In 1884 he and his sons, E. W. Grant and Henry A. Grant, purchased a general store in Somerset, Wisconsin, and in June, 1887 the firm Grant and Sons began operation of the first cheese factory in St. Croix County.

This small collection contains the records of Grant and Sons Cheese Factory primarily during the first years of its existence, 1887-1892, with a few entries for later dates. One letterpress copy book contains outgoing correspondence of the company, 1889-1892. Many of the letters relate to a court case in 1890, in which several dissatisfied farmers supplying milk to the factory protested against prices paid for milk and prices of the finished cheese. Other letters and orders concern prices and supplies of fruits, vegetables, soap, agricultural produce, and agricultural implements--products and commodities used probably by the firm in its general store. Although many of the letters were signed merely "Grant & Sons," others in the same handwriting bear the signature of H. A. Grant, one of the sons. Three volumes contain various production records for the cheese factory.