Berkeley County, West Virginia          Biography of Roy C. GROVE

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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume II,
pg. 186


ROY C. GROVE, of Martinsburg, Berkeley County, represented this
county as a member of the House of Delegates of the West Virginia
Legislature, to which he was elected in November, 1918, and in which 
he gave effective service during the legislative sessions of 1919 
and 1921, besides having the distinction of being the youngest member 
of the House.  He was assigned to important committees, including 
that on arts and science, of which he was chairman, and on those of 
taxation, finance, railroads, unappropriated lands and enrolled 
bills, besides which he became chairman of the West Virginia and 
Maryland Bridge Commission.  Since 1921 he has been actively 
associated with the Bowers Realty & Insurance Company, one of the
representative business concerns of Martinsburg.

Mr. Grove was born on a farm near Berkeley Springs, in Morgan County, 
this state, on the 18th of May, 1888.  His father, Carson Grove, was 
born in Frederick County, Virginia, a son of Francis M. Grove, who 
likewise was a native of that county, as was his father, Abraham 
Grove.  A well established family tradition is to the effect that
three brothers, Abraham, Adam and John Grove, came from England to
America in the early Colonial days and first settled near Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, and that one of the number was the ancestor of the
Groves of Frederick County, Virginia.  In that county Abraham owned
and operated a farm six miles west of Cross Junction.  Francis M.
Grove, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, removed to Morgan
County and purchased a farm near Berkeley Springs.  He became a
successful general farmer and served eight years as a judge of the
County Court.  He was more than seventy years of age at the time
of his death.  His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Bohrer, was born
on a farm lying along the line of Frederick and Morgan counties, and
was a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Shade) Bohrer, both natives of
Frederick County, Virginia, and members of pioneer families of that
county.

Carson Grove became a progressive and representative farmer and also
a successful dealer in live stock.  In 1901 he removed to 
Martinsburg, where he is still engaged in the buying and shipping of
live stock.  He married Annie S. Gano, who was born near Bloomer,
Frederick County, Virginia, a daughter of Daniel Gano.  Daniel Gano
was born in Gerrardstown District, Berkeley County, where his father,
James Gano, was an early settler.  In the period of the Civil war
James Gano started forth from his home with a four-horse team and
wagon, and no trace of him was ever afterward found by his family,
the supposition being that he was either drowned while crossing a
stream or that he was murdered and his team stolen.  Daniel Gano
purchased the William Grove farm near Boomer, Frederick County, and
on this place he passed the remainder of his life.  The maiden name
of his wife was Betsy Ann Grove, she having been a daughter of
William and Susan (Buzzard) Grove.  Of this union were born the
following name children:  William, Susan, Catherine, Simeon, John,
Maria, James and Annie.  William Gano settled two miles from 
Parkville, Missouri, and became one of the prominent horticulturists
of that state, he having been for twenty years president of the 
Missouri Horticultural Society and the Gano Apple was named in his
honor.

Roy C. Grove, attended public schools in Morgan County and at 
martinsburg, and after a two years' course in the University of
West Virginia he was associated with his father in the buying and
shipping of live stock until 1921, when as before stated, he became
associated with the Powers (Note:  above it said Bowers) Realty & 
Insurance company, but his principal business is real estate and he 
is manager of three orchard companies in Berkeley and Morgan 
counties.  He is an active member of the Kiwanis Club at Martinsburg, 
is affiliated with the Phi Kappa Alpha college fraternity; with 
Martinsburg Lodge No. 778, B.P.O.E.; with Tuscarawas Lodge No. 24, 
I.O.O.F.; and with Martinsburg Council No. 35, Junior Order United 
American Mechanics.

The year 1910 recorded the marriage of Mr. Grove and Miss Adda 
Virginia Geyer, who was born at Martinsburg and who is a daughter of
James P. and Hannah H. Geyer.  Mr. and Mrs. Grove have one child,
Anna Virginia.

Mr. Grove cast his first presidential vote for William Howard Taft,
and has since continued a staunch supporter of the principles of the
republican party.