John Grove

Personal and Family Information

John was born in 1755 in Opequon Creek, Frederick VA, the son of Jacob Grove and Margaret Unknown.

He died in 1827 in Back Creek Valley, Frederick VA.

His wife was Mary Sturgill, who he married in ABT 1773. The place has not been found. Their nine known children were Mary Margaret (1779-c1809), Henry (1773-1833), Jacob (1774-1860), Susannah (1783-1809), John William (1787-1863), Samuel Jefferson (1789-1834), Adam (c1773-?), Peter (c1793-?) and Abraham (1795-1859).

Pedigree Chart (3 generations)

Events

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Notes

Note 1

John Grove of Back Creek Valley (from Wilbur Kerns-Genealogy of Grove Family Branches)

John Grove (ca.1755-1827) may have been a son of Jacob and Margaret Grove, although no direct proof has been found at this time.

Circumstantial evidence suggests that this John Grove was a son of Jacob Grove of Opequon Creek. The most difficult task in writing this chapter was untangling the relationships of several contemporaries named John Grove. This John married a woman named Mary (maiden name is not known at this writing) and prior to 1806 they lived in proximity of Jacob Grove who died in 1794.

Most Back Creek Valley families with the Grove surname in the18th and 19th centuries are descendants of this John and Mary Grove.

In 1791, they leased 146 acres, Lot 40 in what was Robert Wormley Carter's Opequon Tract. Many leases were made before 1791, but were not recorded. Probably, John Grove and his family lived in this area prior to 1791, which is confirmed by earlier tax records. According to Grove researcher Mike Conaboy, Lot 40 would be along the Sulfur Springs Road near the entrance of the present-day Frederick County Landfill in Carper's Valley.

The older children of John and Mary married into families living in the vicinity of Carper's Valley, and then followed their parents when they moved to Back Creek Valley.

In 1806, John and Mary Grove purchased 208 acres on Horselick Run, which is an historic name for a tributary of Isaac's Creek. The farm was located approximately two miles north of Cross Junction adjoining the lands of Henry Heironimus and Jacob Allemong, along present day State Route 699 in what is known as Grove Hollow. The southern end of the farm began approximately one-half mile from the intersection of Route 699 and US 522 near where 699 crosses Isaac's Creek, and continued for approximately 1/2 mile. Most of the farm is on the west side of Route 699. After John's death, his heirs signed a land release to his son Abraham Grove (Frederick County DB 55, pages 440-442).

Note 2

The text below the map in the book (not reproduced on the image) is: The map above was created by cartographer Sam Lehman to show that the 12 counties of Old Frederick County contain nine distinct valleys and watersheds that empty independently into the Potomac River. Four counties from Old Augusta County are included. The independent valleys, as defined by their land- water basins from right-to-left are: Shenandoah Valley, Opequon Creek Valley, Back Creek Valley, Sleepy Creek Valley, Great Cacapon Valley, Little Cacapon Valley, South Branch Valley, Pattersons Creek Valley, and New Creek Valley.

There were social, economic and political reasons for the formation of each County and those boundaries are the most important.

Another way to slice the pie is to draw boundaries around valleys or water basins, which happens to be my preferred paradigm when dealing with the earliest settlements. There are nine of these water basins meaning there are nine unconnected rivers that flow through Old Frederick County, and all empty into the Potomac River. From East-to West, the nine water basins (rivers) are:

(1) Shenandoah River flows through Page, Warren, Shenandoah, and Frederick Counties in Virginia, and Jefferson County in WV. (Of course the Shenandoah also passes through Rockingham and Augusta Counties)

(2) Opequon Creek flows through Frederick County in VA and Jefferson and Berkeley Counties, WV.

(3) Back Creek flows through Frederick County and Berkeley County, WV

(4) Sleepy Creek flows through Frederick County and Morgan County, WV.

(5) Great Cacapon River flows through Hardy, Hampshire and Morgan Counties, WV

(6) Little Cacapon River flows through Hampshire County.

(7) South Branch of the Potomac River flows through Grant, Hampshire and Hardy Counties, WV

(8) Patterson's Creek flows through Grant and Mineral Counties WV.

(9) New Creek flows through Mineral County, WV

Settlement in each valley developed distinct cultural characteristics; different approaches to using land, development of roads and mills. Cacapon Valley was primarily English speaking people, whereas Patterson's Creek and the South Branch settlements were formed by a heavy element of Dutch and Germans. The Germans were the best farmers among the immigrants. The Shenandoah and Opequon water basins contained the majority of plantations, whereas New Creek farmers owned small plots of land on hillsides or mountain tops. When roads were developed across mountains to connect the valleys, the Clerk of the Court received petitions from citizens. A court order was issued for a person to lay out the course of the road; another to oversee construction, and neighbors (tithables) who lived within 5-8 miles on either side of the road were to perform free labor.

Note 3

Frederick County, Virginia Marriage Bonds" by Joan D. Hackett, B.A., M.S. , M.L.S. and Rebecca H. Good, C.G.:

Page 54

"26 May 1804 Jacob Gibbins & ?Peggy Groves, daughter of John Groves of this county, the bondsman."