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WHO WAS - Jacob Mitchell Grove
in Plum Township
Venango County, Pennsylvania
By H. W. Strawbridge

Jacob Mitchell Grove was born July 3, 1829, a son of Jacob and Mary Bault GroveMitch, as he was always known, was born abut a mile southwest of Diamond where hisparents had settled in 1815. The old log house sat by a spring near the boundary line of apioneer neighbor, Benjamin august.

Jacob, the father, had traded a horse and saddle for a considerable amount of acreage,according to family tradition. He built the Grove gristmill in 1843, and also built adistiller, both of which he operated until his death in 1851.

Mitch seventh of a family of ten children, grew to maturity and by his father’s will receivedthe home place with 124 acres. He was primarily a farmer.

On Dec. 29, 1859, Mitch united in marriage to Miss Mary Ellen Proper, daughter ofSamuel and Catherine Kightlinger Proper of Diamond. Mary Ellen was born Nov. 12,1838, and was the sixth of a family of ten children. They began housekeeping on his placewhere his mother also lived. By this time a house had been built by either Mitch or hisfather next to the public road beside another spring. More likely it was his father whobuilt it.

This place is presently owned by the Walford Larson family who live in still a later housebuilt by the late Clyde Grove in 1921.

Doctors Animals
Although Mitch never had an education for veterinary work, he did have a natural abilityto doctor animals, and was called upon frequently by area people to doctor their cattle andhorses.

One night around the mid 1860’s, probably a Halloween night, some nephews of Mitchentered the home of his brother, Joseph B. grove, nearby, and carried the organ out andup the hill to the old Texas school, then played it in the night. The Joseph B. Grove familydidn’t their organ missing until the next morning. The nephews did it for the fun of it.

Mitch ridiculed his brother for sleeping so sound that People can go into your house andcarry furniture out and you never even hear them! Then Mitch finished it off by saying:Huh, I’d like to see anybody go into my house and carry things out without my knowingit!

The nephews heard of this statement and decided to prove him wrong. So, a few nightslater they quietly entered Mitch’s house and decided to carry out something heavier thanan organ. They carried out the kitchen stove and deposited it on the yard. Mitch neverknew anything about it until the next morning!

One time Mitch, who was a Republican, went to the Diamond store and walked in saying; :Hurrah for So and So!, who had just been elected, and whose name is now forgotten. Some patron or loafer took offense to the remark and made a dash for Mitch, but Mitchhit him first and knocked him out. Then he helped to bring the man back to his senses.

Mitch had a chance to operate a store for his brother-in-law, John A. Proper, at Tionesta,but he refused this offer because he felt he could not do it and look after his aged mother. His mother died at the old home in May, 1876.

Mitch had an old fashioned pepperbox thresher which was just the thing in its day. Heused it to thresh grain for some of his neighbors too.

In Mill Mishap
On Feb. 22, 1870, Mitch’s brother, Joseph, met with a terrible accident in the gristmillwhen he got caught in a shaft and swung around fast, being battered against a post eachtime he went around. His battered, broken body, still alive and in great pain, was takenacross the road to his home. The only person that he would allow to turn him over washis sister-in-law, Mrs. Mitch Grove. He died that night.

Among the traverse jurors called for duty in Venango County for the fourth Monday ofNovember, 1875, were Mitch Grove, W.H. Cowan and John Richey all of Plum. In thatday practically every male had to serve on jury at one time or another.

Mitch once hired his neighbor, George W. Beers, a carpenter, to build an addition to hisbarn.

Mitch and Mary Ellen had the following three daughters, listed with their birth dates: Alice R. Grove, March 9, 1863; Blache Grove, Jan. 4, 1868; and Lena Belle Grove, dec.28, 1879.

Alice, or Allie, as she was known, lived her last many years in Titusville. She and hersister, Lena, bought the present Shadyside Hotel in 1915. Allie died March 27, 1944.

Blanche died of spinal meningitis at the age of four on June 24, 1872. a neighbor lady hadcalled and first discovered Blanche ailing while sitting in her high-chair. Her illness wasnot of long duration.

Lena presently lives in Titusville and operates the Shadyside Hotel there. The hotel has anumber of guests and has been a well known establishment in Titusville for years. MissGrove has an adopted daughter, Mrs. Jeanette Grove Henry, who also resides inTitusville, but who will immediately take up a teaching position at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Mitch, ever the Good Samaritan, also took his sister, Mrs. Mary Clark, and her daughter,Ella, in his home when Mr. Clark was killed in an accident. They stayed there until Mrs.Clark was remarried to George W. Beers of Chapmanville.

Allie Grove and her cousins - the daughters of Hays and Grandilson Grove, used to walkto Wallaceville to church. However, the parents rode to church. Also, Mitch’s motherattended church with the family at Wallaceville, too.

liked Music
Mitch liked music but he didn’t exactly specialize in it. It is said that he and his nephew,Nelson Grove, drummed on some instruments. Mitch once thought of a tune in themiddle of the night. The next day he and Nelson tried to figure it out on instruments.

Mitch was more successful than the average farmer of his time. Having been an upright,honest man, he was six feet tall in his stocking feet and was a thin man. He had dark hairand a beard.

Around the New Year in 1883, Mitch was appointed steward at the Venango CountyFarm at Sugar Creek. He was there only six months when he died. It seems that he wasailing when he first took the job. His illness first started with indigestion and headaches. During his last many weeks he was very sick. The family had 14 doctors examine the sickman, none of whom could diagnose the exact cause. It was generally thought that he hadkidney trouble. He died at 8:45 a.m., July 3, which was his 54th birthday.

On Thursday, July 5, his funeral cortege left Sugar Creek, passed through Cooperstownand Sunville, and reached Wallaceville where it was met by a large crowd whichassembled into the Methodist Church there for the last service. He was buried beside hislittle daughter, Blanche, in the church cemetery.

Mrs. Grove and her daughters, Allie and Lena, completed his term at the County Farm forthat year. Mitch’s nephew, George Paup, worked for him at the County Home. Paup alsoran the Forest county Home for six years after it was built.

Served as Steward
Many years later Mitch’s nephew, George W. Grove, served as steward at the VenangoCounty Farm.

After Mrs. Mitch Grove completed her husband’s tenure at Sugar Creek, she and herdaughters moved to Titusville where they ever remained. She had sold the Plum farm toDeWayne Proper, who in turn sold it years later to other members of the Grove family.

Mary Ellen Grove was not very tall, but was rather fleshy. She used to make a number ofquilts. After moving to Titusville she rented Mrs. Felton’s boarding house for three yearsthen she bought it. This boarding house stood just two houses west of the ShadysideHotel.

Around 1920 or 21, Mrs. Grove arranged to have the coffins of Mitch and Blanche liftedfrom the Wallaceville Cemetery and reburied at Titusville’s Woodlawn Cemetery.

Mrs. Grove died in Titusville on Friday, Aug. 7, 1925, after a 12 weeks’ illness of valvularheart trouble. She was buried at Woodlawn. She was the last survivor of her brothersand sisters.

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.