GROW, William J., b 1868; 1905 Bio, Delta County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/delta/bios/growwj.txt --------------------------------------- Donated September 11, 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- William J. Grow Orphaned by the death of his father when the son was but a few months old, and now totally blind, his eyesight having gradually failed during the last few years, both the beginning and the close of life for William J. Grow, of Delta county, have been shrouded in gloom, yet notwithstanding the double affliction he has preserved a cheerful disposition and met his responsibilities with manliness and courage. He was born in Pennsylvania on December 12, 1849, the son of William and Frederica (Grow) Grow, who were born in Germany and emigrated to this country soon after their marriage, settling in Pennsylvania. The mother married a second husband and passed the rest of her days in Pennsylvania, dying there on June 24, 1903. When he was eight years old William went to Allegheny, in his native state, and secured employment in a butcher's shop where he worked for a year. After that he found employment in private families until he reached the age of thirteen, since which time he has done a man's work in whatever engaged his energies. In 1864, when he was about fifteen, he enlisted in the Union army as a member of Company H, One Hundred and Ninety-third Pennsylvania Infantry, and he remained in that company until the close of the Civil war. Two months of his term were passed in the hospital on account of sickness, but he suffered no other casualty in the service, never being in even a skirmish. After his discharge he returned to Pennsylvania and at the close of a year's work in the oil fields moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, and a year later went to Pittsburg, where he was variously employed until 1869. He then came to Colorado and took up his residence at Nevadaville, Gilpin county. In 1874 he went to San Juan county and conducted a meat market until 1887, most of the time at Silverton and one year at Durango. In the fall of 1885 he bought his present home and established his family there, then returned to his meat business which he carried on two years longer, then sold it and settled on the ranch to which he has since devoted all his time. It originally comprised one hundred and sixty acres, but he has sold all except twenty-two. Of this four acres are in fruit and the rest in alfalfa and other farm products. In 1889 his eyes began to fail and he gradually went blind. Since then his sons have carried on the work of the farm. He was married on October 20, 1878, to Miss Margaret Donovan, who was born in Missouri on December 3, 1859, and is the daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Molampy) Donovan, Irish by nativity and emigrants to America early in their married life. The mother died on a ranch near Mr. Grow's in January, 1897, which the father has since sold. They came to Colorado in 1863 and the father mined in the vicinity of Denver until 1885, when he accompanied the Grows to the valley in which they live. He now makes his home with his daughter and her husband. They have seven children, William T., Margaret, John E., Robert C., Frederick T., Edward J. and Thomas P., all living at home. Mr. Grow is a member of the Masonic order and the Grand Army of the Republic. He is a Democrat in political faith, but while giving his party loyal and earnest support, has never been desirous of public office, being content to perform his part in the promotion of his county's interests from the honorable post of private citizenship. =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the COGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.