George Watson Groves, who for twenty-seven years has been
successfully carrying on general farming and stock-raising in Shaws
Point township, is a representative of one of Macoupin county’s pioneer
families. His father, Sampson Groves, was a native of Kentucky, whence
he removed to Illinois in 1835, locating in Macoupin county. Here he
learned the carpenter’s trade and upon attaining his majority, he
entered eighty acres of government land. He cleared and cultivated this,
at the same time following his trade, and subsequently was able to
extend his holdings by the purchase of another eighty acres. He was a
most skillful mechanic and many of Carlinville’s finest residences and
public buildings in the early days were constructed by Mr. Groves, who
continued to be actively identified with agricultural pursuits until
1888, when he retired to Carlinville. In 1844 he was united in marriage
to Miss Catharine Armstrong, a native of Virginia, with whom he traveled
life’s journey for fifty-two years. She passed away in Carlinville on
the 21st of March, 1896, but he survived until the 26th of August, 1903.
The life record of George Watson Groves began on his father’s
homestead in Honey Point township on the 15th of February, 1852. There
he was reared and early began his training, under the supervision of his
father, as an agriculturist and stockman. In the acquirement of his
preliminary education he attended the district schools in the vicinity,
the course therein pursued being later supplemented by study at
Blackburn University. On laying aside his textbooks he taught in the
district schools of the county for four years, and then decided to
devote his energies to agricultural pursuits. He rented a farm, the
cultivation of which proved so lucrative that at the expiration of a
year he was able to buy eighty acres of land in Shaws Point township. He
immediately located upon this tract and here he has continuously resided
ever since. At the time of the death of his father Mr. Groves purchased
from some of the other heirs their interest in the old homestead, one
hundred acres of which he now owns. With this purchase he acquired the
original sheep skin patent received from the government by his father
upon entering the land. He also owns seventy-two acres of land in Brushy
Mound, township, making the aggregate of his holdings two hundred and
fifty-two acres, all in a high state of cultivation and finely improved.
Mr. Groves has always met with most excellent success in his vocation
and is interested in various enterprises. He is a director and one of
the officers of the Gillespie Mutual Insurance Co., which duties absorb
a large portion of his time, and he is also treasurer of the drainage
commission of this district.
Mr. Groves was married on the 6th
of February, 1884, to Miss Cora Belle Huddleston, a daughter of Samuel
and Sarah A. (Walton) Huddleston, the father a native of Kentucky and
the mother of Honey Point township, this county. Mr. Huddleston came to
Macoupin county in the early period of its history and entered some
government land. He cleared and improved this, so successfully devoting
his energies to its cultivation, that he was soon able to extend his
holdings. He continued to acquire more land from time to time until he
owned fourteen hundred acres, all valuable property, that he operated
until a few years prior to his demise, when he divided his interests
among his children. His death occurred on the 19th of October, 1887,
while the mother is living at the age of seventy-five and makes her home
in Carlinville. To Mr. and Mrs. Groves have been born three children:
Edith A., who is twenty-six, the wife of Jesse T. Groves, a farmer of
Honey Point township; Viola Georgian who is twenty-one; and Homer W.,
who is nineteen years of age.
Mr. and Mrs. Groves affiliate with
the Christian church, in accordance with which faith they reared their
family, while fraternally he is identified with the Modern Woodmen of
America and the Court of Honor. His political allegiance he awards the
republican party. At the present time he is school trustee and has
served as school director for sixteen years, while he has also been tax
collector of the township. Mr. Groves has ever led an active life and so
intelligently concentrated his energies that he has made a success of
any enterprise with which he has been identified.
Extracted 17 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 569-570.
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