George Grover Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1491-1492 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	GEORGE GROVER, one of the representative citizens and prominent 
merchants of Hartford, Minnehaha county, is a native of the state of 
Michigan, having been born on a farm in Pulaski township, Jackson 
county, on the 3d of June, 1859, and being a son of Allen W. and Jane E. 
(Phipps) Grover, natives of New York state. The father was one of the 
representative farmers of that county and a man of prominence in his 
section. He died in 1902, while the mother is still living at the old 
homestead. The subject was reared to the sturdy and invigorating 
discipline of the homestead farm and was afforded excellent educational 
advantages. After completing the curriculum of the public schools he was 
matriculated in the Michigan State Agricultural College, at Lansing, 
where he completed the prescribed four-years course and was graduated as 
a member of the class of 1881, receiving the degree of Bachelor of 
Science. After leaving college Mr. Grover was for two years a successful 
teacher in the public schools of his native county and he then, in 1882, 
purchased the Concord Enterprise, at Concord, that county, continuing as 
editor and publisher of the same for two years, after which he was there 
engaged in the general merchandise business until 1889, when he removed 
to Janesville, Wisconsin, where he learned the art of telegraphy, at 
which he was there employed for some time, as was he later in Hamilton, 
Minnesota. He was thus employed in the service of the Chicago, St. Paul, 
Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad for nearly a decade, in Minnesota and South 
Dakota, having been station agent and operator at Hartford, this state, 
from 1891 until 1898. He thereafter passed a year in looking for an 
eligible location in the southern states, but became convinced that 
South Dakota offered superior attractions, and in 1899 he returned to 
Hartford, where he entered into partnership with Herman C. Robsahm, 
under the firm name of Robsahm & Grover, and engaged in the general 
merchandise business, with which enterprise he has since been 
successfully identified, having purchased the interests of his partner 
on the 1st of May, 1903, and being now the sole proprietor of the 
business, which is one of the most important of the sort in this 
section, his store being well stocked in its various departments and 
controlling a trade which extends throughout the wide radius of country 
normally tributary to Hartford. Mr. Grover has ever believed in the 
principles of the Democratic party as exemplified in the teachings of 
Jefferson and Jackson, but the heretical tendencies in the party ranks 
in later years have caused him to withdraw his allegiance and he is now 
an out-and-out supporter of the policies of President Roosevelt. 
Fraternally he is identified with Hartford Lodge, U. D., Ancient Free 
and Accepted Masons, at Hartford; and Sioux Falls Lodge, No. 262, 
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, at Sioux Falls, South Dakota. 

	On the 4th of August, 1891, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. 
Grover to Miss Hattie B. Smith, daughter of Isaac F. and Mary A. (Earl) 
Smith, of Jackson county, Michigan, and of this union have been born 
three children Allen S., who was born on the 16th of September, 1894; 
Raymond, who was born on the 21st of July, 1899; and Theodore, who was 
born on the 28th day of October, 1903.