William Marion Groover Sr. (1779 - abt. 1854)

Born 30 Dec 1779 in Effingham County, Georgia, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Millen) Groover — married 24 Dec 1807 in Bulloch, Georgia, United States

Descendants

Died about Apr 1854 at about age 74 in Brooklet, Bulloch County, Georgia, United States

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Biography

Descendant of Peter Gruber and Maria Kraher arrived 12 Mar 1734, aboard the 1st Salzburg Transport Purysburg.

Descendant of Ruprecht Kalcher, and Margaretha (Gunther) Kalcher arrived 28 Dec 1734 aboard the 2nd Salzburg Transport "Prince of Wales".

Reverend (or "Brother") William was the son of John Groover (a.k.a. "Johannes Gruber") and Mary Magdalene Kalcher, both Salzburger descendants from Ebenezer, GA. His father was killed by Torries in their home in Cowpens, GA in 1780 when he was just 2 years old and his family moved to where he was raised and got the Calling from the Lord to Preach the Gospel.

The Salzburgers' Last Breath

Though we can confirm that John was a soldier in the American Revolution, we still need to see his land and how it was dispensed. Family Records say his mother, Mary (Kalcher) Gruber married Carl Flerl (Floerl)^[1][2] Mary was married 3 times There is some reason to believe that either the Groovers had already moved away if not planned to move away from St. Matthews Parish before Johannes' death. Ebenezer Church's records report that John was in Ogeechee when "his wife Mary Magdalene", gave birth to Joshua in Aug. of 1772, and baptized Oct. 25, 1772. Their sponsors were Samuel Krauss and his wife and John Lastinger. William Marion's oldest brother, John, married a Lastinger after the war. The lack of involvement in the church there means they might have already had another active domicile in Ogeechee Georgia which is where they would have found spiritual sustenance when not near Old Ebenezer. (See also John Morell's biography).

This would be why his mother Mary could so easily transition her family away from Cowpens to Bulloch County, near Black Creek.

Johannes Gruber's Estate

There are 20 years between the time Mary left Effingham in 1782 and 1802 when she deeded or mortgaged their family's property (perhaps from Johannes Gruber's estate) to William Denmark. The family mentioned are her children, John Gruver, Solomon Groover, David Gruver, Henry Wise, William Gruver, & Charles Gruver to William Denmark. (Henry Wise is married to Elizabeth, the youngest child) ^[3]

Br William was a Preacher Man

According to the history of the Primitive Baptist Church, Br. William was one of those who organized the Canoochee Primitive Baptist Association in 1829, was the preacher of Lower Lotts Creek Primitive Baptist Church by 1831, and was preaching in 1840 at Deloach's Primitive Baptist Church near the Canoochee River in Bulloch County. Elder William was the preacher for Upper Black Creek Church from 1841-1843 where he is buried ^[4]. [7]. These are the last records we see from Old Ebenezer Church from this family.

Family

Br. William married Sarah Millen of Bulloch/Effingham County around 1810. Their children were:^[5]

1. John E. Groover Sr. 1811-1855 married Sarah Hunter Bowen

2. Edward or Edmond 1815-1867 (approx death) married Sarah Brown, Charity Lambert

3. Harriett 1818 never married, but became part of William's household ^[6]

4. William Marion Jr. 1820-1888 married Mary Elizabeth Lee

5. Hester or Esther 1822 married John Daniel McElveen Sr.

6. Sarah A. 1825 married Robert W. Roberts

7. Charles Avner 1829-1864 married Mary Ann Rushing

Will and Probate

His will was written in 1853 and probated in 1854. William's oldest son, John E., petitioned the court to determine that his siblings: Edward, Harriett and Hester were insane or lunatic. The court determined that Hester's husband could manage her affairs. William Sr. agreed that Edward's money should be handled by his siblings. Harriett may have been the only one truly incompetent although according to the 1860 Census for William Groover) Harriet moved in with his family. He probably handled her finances. (John, 1811-1855, also later brought a lunatic/insane suit against his mother-in-law, Mrs. Bowen.) ^[7]

Research Notes

Burial: Upper Black Creek Cemetery, Brooklet, Bulloch, Georgia, United States

Brooklet County is bounded on the East by Ogeechee River where his family was moving before the Revolutionary War and before his father Johannes died in Cowspen, Georgia.

There is an email for "Marian Roberts", the Relationship Generator pathing her to Bridger Jones Wise and building the Groover tree from Sarah Millen. To be continued.Moyer-780 13:03, 25 July 2021 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ [1]
2. ↑ FindAGrave collaborates [2].
3. ↑ "Deeds and mortgages, 1796-1912," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4K-KSK9-W?i=147&cat=155333), Mary Gruver, John Gruver, Solomon Groover, David Gruver, Henry Wise, William Gruver, & Charles Gruver to William Denmark, 2 Jan 1802 > microfilm 181,952 > image 148 of 576; citing Clerk of the Superior Court of Bulloch County, Bulloch County Courthouse, Statesboro, GA.
4. ↑ Upper Black Creek Church [3]
5. ↑ FindaGrave[4]
6. ↑ 1850 Census for William Marion [5]
7. ↑ ibid FindAGrave [6]

1. Family Records [8]
2. Canoochee Primitive Baptist Church, Samuel “Fred” Hood papers, Zach S. Henderson Library Special Collections, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA

Acknowledgements

Created on 13 July 2010 through the import of Brewton-Hagan family tree Copy 4 08 .ged.

FindAGrave Bio: by Rhonwyn P.