“They fell upon an ungenial climate, where there were nine months of winter and three months of cold weather, and that called out the best energies of the men, and of the women too, to get a mere subsistence out of the soil, with such a climate. In their efforts to do that they cultivated industry and frugality at the same time — which is the real foundation of the greatness of the Pilgrims.’’

— Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), U.S. president and Civil War general, in a speech at the Dec. 22, 1880 New England Society dinner.