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EARLY SETTLERS OF SANGAMON COUNTY - 1876
By John Carroll Power

These biographies were submitted by a researcher and evidently abstracted from the 1876 History of Sangamon County, IL. Errors could occur, so one should always verify the correctness by obtaining copies of vitals and performing all necessary research to document what is contained herein.



GROVE, HENRY, born Oct. 20, 1784, at Ephrata, Lancaster county, Penn. His father, Jacob Grove, moved to Dauphin county, Penn., nine miles east of Harrisburg, about the year 1800. The ancestors of this family came from Germany and settled at Ephrata, Lancaster county, Penn., about 1725. They spelled their name Graff, and were seventh day Baptists. As early as 1728, there was a church of that order established at the aforesaid place, as the church records still show. There are deeds of land at Ephrata, bought by Abraham Graff, dated 1760. He had five children, and died in Lancaster county in 1788. His son Jacob, born in 1751, wrote his name Groff, and there are many of his descendants still living in Lancaster county, Penn., who adhere to that spelling. He married Nancy Kneisley, of Ephrata, about 1780, They had sixteen children, one of whom was Henry, the subject of this sketch. He spelled his name Grove, and the change to Groves has since been made. Henry Grove was married in Hummelstown, Dauphin county, Penn., June 7, 1808, to Eve Hammaker, who was born Jan. 9, 1791, in that county. They had twelve living children there. He and his family moved to Springfield, Ill., arriving Nov. 1, 1836, and in March, 1837, moved into what is now Williams township. Of their twelve children--

ADAM, born March 16, 1809, in Pennsylvania, was married at Xenia, Ohio, to Sarah A. T. Horn, and came to Springfield, Ill., in 1830, prceeding his father six years. They had seven children, and Mr. G. died at Athens, Ill., in 1851. His widow married John England. See his name. One only of Adam Groves' children reside in Sangamon county, viz--JOHN H., born in 1837, in Springfield, is unmarried, and resides at Williamsville.

JACOB, born in 1811, in Pennsylvania, was married about 1847, in Harrisburg, Penn., to Barbara Phillips. They came to Sangamon county, where they had one living child, LYDIA A. She married Robert McClelland, Jun. See his name. Jacob Groves died about April, 1865, and his widow died in the autumn of 1870.

SUSAN, born July 28, 1815, near Harrisburg, was married Dec., 1838, in Sangamon county, to John W. Constant. See his name.

JOHN, born Feb. 27, 1817, in Dauphin county, Penn., was married Nov. 9, 1865, at Williamsville, to Pauline Keck, who was born in 1843. They have two children, HENRY C. and BARBARA C., and live at Elkhart, Logan county, Ill.

HENRY, born in 1819, in Pennsylvania, married Feb., 1844, to Sarah Fleming, of Scott county, Ill., and died in June, 1844, leaving a widow without children.

ELIZA, born Dec. 27, 1820, in Pennsylvania, was married Dec. 23, 1847, in Sangamon county, to Andrew Lester. Mr. Lester died in 1859, and his widow died in 1866, both in Williamsville.

GEORGE, born Sept. 22, 1822, in Hummelstown, Penn., was married Nov. 26, 1844, in Fancy Creek township, Sangamon county, to Jane Brown, who was born April 29, 1826. They had six living children: JAMES H., born Oct. 8, 1847, was married March, 1871, in Williamsville, to Mary A. Constant, daughter of G. W. Constant. See his name. They have one child, FRANK, and live near Williamsville. JOHN W., born June 13, 1849, was married in Williamsville, Dec. 24, 1875, to Isabel J. Shick. They live in Chicago. GEORGE A., born April 19, 1851, lives in Williamsville, Ill. ISAAC F., MARY E. and EDWIN L. reside with their parents, in Chicago, Ill.

NANCY, born Dec. 25, 1824, in Dauphin county, Penn., was married in Sangamon county, Ill., in 1844, to Shelby Starr. See his name.

SARAH, born Jan. 1, 1828, in Penn., was married in Sangamon county, Aug. 12, 1849, to James Lester. They had ten living children--HENRIETTA, MATTIE, the latter was married, in 1872, to Edward Vanmeter. See his name. BARBARA A., ANDREW J., GEORGE W., CLARA B., LYDIA A., JAMES N., WALTER S. and ELMER G. James Lester and family reside one mile northeast of Williamsville.

ISAAC, born Jan. 25, 1830, at Harrisburg, Penn., was married June 5, 1851, in Sangamon county, to Lucinda Alexander, daughter of Henry Alexander. They had six children, three of whom died young. SUSANNAH, born May 31, 1854, was married Feb., 1872, in Williamsville, to John McClelland. They have two living children, and reside near Williamsville. HENRY A. and ISAAC N. live with their parents, at Chicago, Illinois.

AFFIFDA, born July 28, 1833, in Pennsylvania, was married Oct., 1861, in Sangamon county, to Alanson Albright. They have seven children, SUSAN, GEORGE, CHARLES, CATHARINE, FREDERICK, AARON and MARY, and live near Roseville, Vermilion county, Ill.

RACHEL C., born July 28, 1835, in Pennsylvania, was married in Sangamon county to James H. Taylor. See his name.

Mrs. Eve Groves died Nov. 6, 1862, and Henry Groves died Jan. 7, 1863, both in Sangamon county, Ill., near Williamsville.



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