GROSE FAMILY.

David R. Grose.

David R. Grose is written about in the 1901 Biographical sketches of Cowley County. He came in March 12, 1871.

[MARCH 12, 1871] PAGE 279.

[TWO PICTURES: MR. AND MRS. DAVID R. GROSE.

ELIZA F., BENJAMIN, REED, AND LIZZIE GROSE]

DAVID R. GROSE journeyed to Cowley in 1871, and effected a location on Silver Creek, in Liberty Township, on March 12 of that year.

Mr. Grose was born in the western part of Virginia (now West Virginia), and had never left his native state until his departure for Kansas. He and his companion went down the Ohio River on a steamboat to Cincinnati, from which point they went by rail to Chanute, Kansas. Mr. Grose was accompanied from West Virginia to Kansas by Newton Smith, and at Chanute they fell in with D. B. McCollum, a sketch of whom may be found on another page of this volume. The party entered Cowley County together, and Mr. Smith at once took up claims on the prairie, the farmer’s claim being located in section 9, township 33, range 5 east, and was still in his possession in 1901.

Mr. Grose returned to West Virginia in May, 1872, and spent about a year among his early haunts. In February 1873 he returned to Cowley County, and in the following May, together with Mr. Smith, he made a trip in a wagon, going through Kansas into Nebraska, crossing the Missouri River into Iowa, traversing the western portion of Iowa to the northwestern corner of the state, where they crossed the Big Sioux River into Dakota; the journey took about four months, as they returned to Cowley County September 1, 1873.

After his marriage, which took place in Cowley County in 1874, Mr. Grose located on his home farm, located in section 23, township 33, range 5 east. This place was preempted by Ellen Mark, and became one of the choice farms of the county under Mr. Grose. He built a fine residence on his first preemption, where the family lived for several years. In 1884 he returned to his present home, and became one of the leading farmers of the county. He owned five quarter sections in sections 23 and 24, a quarter in section 14, two quarters in section 9, and 80 acres in section 26. Altogether, he owned 1,334 acres of good Kansas land.

The claim house on the home farm was built across the creek from the present fine eight-room house, which Mr. Grose made his family residence. From time to time improvements were made, the most important of which was the erection of their handsome dwelling in 1885. The farm with its numerous outbuildings presented the appearance of a small village. Silver Creek, crossing two quarter sections, furnished an abundance of water the year through for the stock on the place. Its banks were lined with timber, from which much valuable lumber was produced in the old days at Rogers’ mill.

In 1901 Mr. Grose was cultivating about 250 acres of his farm, and the remainder of his large property was devoted to stock raising. He kept from 100 to 200 head of cattle, Shorthorns predominating. He dealt quite as largely in other stock, and in swine preferred Berkshire, mixed with Poland-China, being an enthusiast as to his choice in blood. Corn and wheat were the staple products of the farm, and cane, millet, and Kaffir corn were raised to a considerable extent. The farm was thoroughly fenced and had deep wells (20 to 30 feet), affording a fine quality of drinking water. Mr. Grose raised from 50 to 60 bushels of corn to the acre, and a very fine quality of wheat. He had an orchard, and planned to increase it.

The family and personal history of Mr. Grose is as follows.

David R. Gross was born in Nicholas County, in what is now West Virginia, then included as a part of Virginia, March 6, 1848. His parents were S. B. and Eliza V. (Perkins) Grose.

His father, S. B. Grose, was born on Thanksgiving day in 1824 in Nicholas County, West Virginia. His wife was born in Missouri, but early in life moved into West Virginia, where her marriage took place. To them were born 11 children, as follows:

David R.; Octavia, deceased; John, deceased; Rowland, who became a resident of Texas; James, a clergyman, of the Methodist Episcopal church in West Virginia; Mary Ann (Phillips) of West Virginia; Orval B., a miner in the Cripple Creek district; Ben, of Kay County, Oklahoma; Maria (Summers) (Brown), who resided in West Virginia; one, who died at the age of four years; and one, who died at the age of eighteen months.

David Grose spent his boyhood and youth in a state which, up to his 17th year, presented no educational advantages in the form of free schools. He had the privilege, to a limited extent, of the subscription school system. He was married to Anna A. Mark, who was born in 1848, in Washington County, Indiana, near Salem, a daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Crowe) Mark, both natives of Virginia, and of Scotch-Irish descent. Members of the Mark family were engaged in the Irish Rebellion, and the grandfather of Mrs. Grose came to this country, and located in the western part of Virginia, now included in the state of West Virginia. Samuel Mark located in Cowley County, where he died in 1886, aged 76 years. His widow passed away the following year, aged 67. They had seven children: John M., a sketch and portrait of whom appear in this volume, and who is the oldest member of the family; Ellen, who was the first wife of Mr. Grose; Anna A., his present wife; Mary L. (Page), who died in January 1900; David, who lived on one of Mr. Grose’s farms; Robert, who died in 1883, aged 22; and Hugh E. Grose, of Oklahoma.

[NOTE: ELLEN, 1ST WIFE, ANNA A., 2ND WIFE. SORTA GATHER THAT THE SECOND WIFE IS COVERED IN FOLLOWING SKETCH.]

Mrs. Grose went with her people from Indiana to Warren County, Illinois, where she taught school, after having attended Abdingdon Seminary. She journeyed to Kansas in 1870 and taught the first school kept in Cowley County, at Winfield. At a later period she taught several terms in district No. 40. She was an amiable and intelligent lady, and had many friends in the community.

Mr. Grose was a Republican, not active, and never sought an office. Both he and his wife were members of United Brethren church, and attended the Center Point church.