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WHO WAS - ROBERT GROVE
in Plum Township
Venango County, Pennsylvania
By H. W. Strawbridge FEBRUARY 8, 1958

Robert Grove, a highly revered resident of near Wallaceville, was a son of Peter andFannie Bruce Grove and was born May 5, 1831 in that portion of Center County nowincluded in Clinton County. When he was 3 years old his parents moved to VenangoCounty, locating at Haslet’s Corners, a distance northeast of Cooperstown. The nextyear, 1835 the family moved on the hill west of Wallaceville where Robert grew up. Heand his brothers and sisters attended the old Fairview school.

Robert married Miss Isabelle Foster who was born Nov. 23, 1833. The couple lived on aportion of his father’s farm located a distance south-west of the homestead buildings. Two long lanes extended back to Robert’s buildings. One was a north-south lane, theother east-west. The old wolfkill log house stood on the east-west lane. This lane is notpassable anymore. However the north-south lane still exists and leads back to the presentDonald Ghering buildings which stand a short ways farther back than the former RobertGrove home.

Robert’s log house and barn were situated several rods west or up-hill from thenorth-south lane. His farm of approximately 115 acres was many years later willed to himby his aged father, although Robert was obligated to make four financial bequests to otherheirs. Robert had the most of his farm cleared, there being only around 25 acres ofwoodland. The farm was dry and had good soil. Eventually he built a new frame houseby the lane and beside a spring. He put a picket fence around the yard.

Robert’s farming methods in his earlier years may not have been as good as they otherwisecould have been. He fit his oats ground crudely, but strangely enough, would reap 50bushels to the acre. He was not so successful with his corn crops though.

Stray stock ventured to places then, the same as they do today. The following is onrecord of a stray cow coming to Robert’s place: Stray cow came to the residence of theSubscriber in Plum Twp., Venango County, Pa. toward the middle of the Month of July ared cow large with dropping horns coming close together at point - The owner isrequested to come forward prove property pay charges and take her away. August 1st,1867. Robert Grove.

Robert was known to be a township pathmaster in 1868. He had charge of district No. 6in his area. In other years around that period of time either his father or his brother,James, had that district. James was the grandfather of J.O. Grove of Wallaceville, whowell remembers both his grandfather and great-uncle Robert.

Robert once had a team of unmatched horses. One was a small bay mare and the other alarge black horse. The little bay was spirited and fast, while the big black was slow andlazy. While pulling anything, the bay would always be ahead of the black, doing most ofthe pulling.

Robert and Isabelle had four daughters: Mrs. Nettie Green, Mrs. Hettie WinchesterHilliard, Mrs. Amanda Peebles, and Mrs. Edna Warfel. Two died rather young: Amanda,wife of James Peebles, died in November, 1884, at the age of 23. She left two daughters,Ethel and Pearl. Pearl was reared by her Aunt Hettie, and Ethel was taken in by Robertand Isabelle.

Mrs. Nettie Green died in May, 1889, aged 35. Her distraught husband, Philo Green,then went west and died out there in 1894.

Mrs. Hilliard’s first husband was George Winchester, a merchant. Some time after hisdeath, she married again and lived at Brocton, N.Y.

Mrs. Edna Warfel’s husband was a coal miner and they lived at Expedit, Cambria County.

Robert Grove was a great churchman, having been converted when he was 9 years old. He was a charter member of the Wallaceville Methodist Church when it organized in1851, and he served it faithfully for over 40 years. Isabelle was also a member, but not acharter member. Robert was class leader from about the mid 1860’s until 1889, when hewas succeeded by Benjamin Prather. He was also a trustee for years and is remembered asbeing able to deliver very impressive prayers. He witnessed many baptismal services.

Mrs. Isabelle Grove died on May 23, 1892. She had not been in good health for sometime.

In the spring of 1896 Robert married Mrs. Ellen Strawbridge, widow of John Strawbridge. The Strawbridge family home was a mile east of Diamond where Mrs. Edith Strawbridge,Ellen’s daughter-in-law now lives.

Ellen with her youngest daughter, Blanche, moved into Robert’s home and took over thehousehold duties. The new Mrs. Grove also took her cattle down. They went into quiteheavy farming for their ages. They worked as hard as though they were young people.

Besides Blanche (Sterns), there were seven other children of the second Mrs. Grove: Mrs.Ann Beatty, Mrs. Jane Daniels, W.J. Strawbridge, H.L. Strawbridge, Mrs. Sylvia Alcorn,Mrs. Myrtle Crowley, and Ben Strawbridge. All held great respect for their step-father,Robert.

Robert withdrew his name from the membership of the Wallaceville Church in October,1894. He and his second wife became very active members in the Free Methodist Churchat Diamond. Robert gave several sermons in this church and was remembered as a verygood speaker. He and Ellen would eat their Sunday dinner, cover the table with atablecloth, then go to church at Diamond. They generally got home in time to uncover thetable for supper.

Robert was somewhat short and stocky in stature. He was a good reader and writer. Hewas never one to put himself forward though. He was good hearted, for when visiting thehome of his step-son, Ben Strawbridge, he would bring a sack of candy for the children. Once when Mrs. Edith Strawbridge visited down there, he picked a bouquet of yellowflowers and gave them to her. One of his favorite delicacies was cooked tomatoes.

He loved to hunt and would spend lengthy periods of time in the big woods, generally inForest County, hunting game. Sometimes he would seek work while staying in thewoods. He was also quite a bee man, looking for bee trees when he had theopportunity.

This photograph of Robert is owned by Miss Anna Crowley of Titusville, whose motherwas the late Mrs. Mytle Crowley - one of Robert’s step-daughters.

Robert got along fine with everybody. Only one little troublesome incident is known in hislife, and it is mentioned here solely for the fine example of forgiveness that was theoutcome. Robert and one of his neighbors, who was also a churchman, were at the backof their farms one day, and somehow an argument ensued between them over the linefence. After exchanging a few bitter remarks, the neighbor called Robert a liar,whereupon Robert hit him, knocking the neighbor down. Then both men realized howfoolish they were acting, so they shook hands, agreed not to tell the incident, andcontinued as good friends as ever. And, it was several years before either told this littlescrape to anyone.

It was either in 1901 or ‘02 that Robert suffered a stroke. It is said that while ill, he drankhis coffee nearly scalding hot. The hotter it was, the better he liked it. Two of hisstep-sons, Herman and Ben, planted 10 acres of oats by hand for him that spring. Onesowed the oats, and the other the grass seed.

He recovered fairly well and was able to do some work. Although he could speak hiswords plainly, he couldn’t say what he wanted to. Once while peddling meat in Oil City,he said to a customer that he was peddling hound dogs. He had intended to say meat,but had probably been thinking of hunting. At another time he engaged his neighbor,Lewis Bower, to tear up his garden, being unable to think of the word plow. Remarkably enough though, he could still give a prayer without th least bit of trouble.

Mrs. Ellen Grove died on Dec. 1, 1902. She had diabetes for years. But during her lastbrief illness heart disease and rheumatism developed too. She was buried in the FairviewCemetery with her first husband.

She and Robert had taken apples up to Squire Joe Morse’s cider mill at Chapmanville notlong before her sick spell to have apple jelly made. She died before getting back up to getthe jelly.

Robert lived his last three or four years with his daughter, Mrs. Hilliard, in Brocton, N.Y..He died there on Sunday, Oct. 17, 1909, the indirect cause of his death having beeneventual complications of that stroke suffered years previous.

His body was brought to Wallaceville where services were held on the followingWednesday forenoon in the Methodist Church with Rev. T.W. Douglas of New Castle , aformer Wallaceville pastor, officiating. He was buried with his first wife in the churchcemetery.

No buildings remain on his place anymore. The house was razed around 1934 by LouisRussell of Sunville. The site of the buildings is now in a pasture field owned by MelvinSpangler. Two hemlock trees still stand in the old yard.

Transcribed by Dr. Harry Sharp
NY & FL
patroon@ibm.net

Disclaimer:there may be errors due to transcription ofinformation from both early and late (current contributors) work.