Macoupin County
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Biography - JESSE I. GROVE

Jesse I. Grove, who has been engaged in the restaurant business in Carlinville for several years, is a native of Pennsylvania, having been born in Philadelphia on the 18th of September, 1854. His parents were Jesse E. and Susan (Muss) Grove, who were natives of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. The father was engaged in the commission business in Philadelphia for many years, but in the early ’60s he came to Carlinville. Here he bought and sold live stock until 1890, when he removed to a farm in Bird township owned by his brother, H. H. Grove. After cultivating this farm for nine years he disposed of his interests and returned to Carlinville, making his home with his son Jesse I. until his death in 1908, at the age of eighty-two years. His wife, who passed away the year previously was also eighty-two at the time of her demise.

The education of Jesse I. Grove was pursued in the schools of Philadelphia until he was thirteen years of age, when he removed with his parents to Macoupin county. Upon his arrival here he entered the old seminary, continuing his studies under F. H. Chapman until the new seminary was opened when he became a pupil of that institution, completing his education in the high school. Laying aside his text-books he then began his wage-earning career, his first position being with an implement and seed house. He later withdrew from this house to enter the employment of Jonas H. Grove, who owned and operated a grist mill, with whom he remained for three years. At the expiration of that period he accepted a clerkship in the grocery store of William H. Hoehn, where he remained for eighteen months. He was then married and removed to Hannibal. Missouri, very soon thereafter. Eighteen months later he returned to Carlinville and went into the produce business, continuing to be identified with this line for four or five years. Having been elected constable he disposed of his business interests and for eight years thereafter devoted his undivided attention to his official duties. He subsequently served as special deputy sheriff and later established a general collection agency, withdrawing from this, to engage in the restaurant business, with which he has ever since been identified. His business is located at No. 202 West Main street, where he has an attractive establishment and enjoys an excellent patronage.

Mr. Grove was married on the 18th of October, 1873, to Miss Ella Rusher, a daughter of Jackson and Sarah (Shuey) Rusher, natives of Rockville, Indiana. There the father engaged in farming for many years; afterwards he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Bird township, Macoupin county, that he cultivated until his retirement in 1870. For a year thereafter he resided in Carlinville, but was living at Taylorville, this state, at the time of his death in 1888. The mother survived until 1890. To Mr. and Mrs. Grove have been born five children: Walter, who lives at Gas City, Indiana; Charles A., who is in business with his father; Nellie F., who married Steven Young, of Springfield, Illinois; Earl I., who has just completed four years of service in the United States navy; and Willis R., who was killed on the railroad on the 15th of June, 1911.

Mr. Grove has met with excellent success in his business endeavors and now owns a valuable residence property in Carlinville; he did have an eighty acre farm in this county but has disposed of it. He votes the republican ticket and in religious faith he and his family are Methodist, in accordance with principles of which denomination they strive to guide their lives.


Extracted 15 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 526-527.


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