Hannes Groh

about 1708 -

• Name	Hannes Groh
  Born	about 1708	Switzerland
  Gender	Male
  Notes	The following is from A Biographical History of Early Settlers and their Descendants in Waterloo Township Ezra E. Eby 1895 & 1896 GROH, HANNES, a native of Switzerland, came to America at a very early date. Tradition has it that he belonged to the company of emigrants whom the captain attempted to starve in order to gain possession of the supposed large sum of money held by these parties. The motive that impelled old Hannes, the ancestor of the Groh family of this county, to emigrate to Pennsylvania, was on account of religious persecutions which raged in his native country and which was the chief cause of emigration of so many of the noble-hearted pioneers of Pennsylvania where no cruel persecutions were waged against these devout worshipers of the almighty God. Old Hannes Groh was born about the year 1708, and if traditional report be true, came to America in 1725. He was married to Magdalena, only daughter of old I Wendel Baumann, progenitor of the now numerous family scattered throughout every state of the Union and all the provinces of Canada. All efforts made to ascertain the names of their children together with their descendants proved, to a great extent, fruitless. The names of only three children have been received, viz: II GROH, JOHN, was born in 1753 and died in Pennsylvania, unmarried, aged about 30 years. II GROH, HENRY, was born in 1755. He was married and left a family whose descendants are scattered all over Lancaster, Berks, Montgomery, York, and other counties of Pennsylvania, and in the Western States. II GROH, MICHAEL, the third son of old Hannes and Magdalena (Baumann) Groh, was born in 1757. In 1779 he was married to Elizabeth Witmer. In 1804, he in company with others, came to Canada with the object of making a thorough inspection of the nature of the country. So well was Mr. Groh pleased with the appearance of the country (then all in its primeval state) that he took up a claim between Preston and Hespeler. He cleared about six acres and made it ready for fall wheat. On this clearing he erected a small log cabin into which he purposed moving on his return, with family, from Pennsylvania. In August of the same year he returned to his parental home in Montgomery County. During the first week of September (1804) he, (bidding adieu to his parents, brothers, friends and relatives, and not thinking of this being their last time of meeting here on earth) in company with his wife and family, set out on the journey for their Canadian home. They came as far as Buffalo where they crossed the Niagara River and proceeded on their journey to Mr. Boyerâ??s who resided near the river on the Canadian side, where Mr. Groh, the father of the family, took sick and after a few weeks suffering, died. The wife and two sons, John and Jacob, and one or two daughters, proceeded on their journey to Waterloo while the eldest daughter, Barbara, remained with her father to nurse him during his illness, and after his recovery they were to follow the family, but the mother and family had no sooner arrived at their new home when word came that the father was dead. He died about September 20th, 1804. Their family consisted of seven children, viz: III GROH, ELIZABETH, the eldest daughter of Michael and Elizabeth (Witmer) Groh, was born in 1780. She was married to David Gingerich in 1800 and came to Canada in 1801. See David Gingerichâ??s family. III GROH, ANNA, second daughter of Michael and Elizabeth (Witmer) Groh, was born about the year 1782. She was married to John Seechrist, a farmer, and died in Pennsylvania over seventy years ago, leaving one child, a daughter who was married to Solomon Kortz, a farmer, and resided at Sharpâ??s Corner, Michigan, where she died. III GROH, BARBARA, the third daughter of Michael and Elizabeth (Witmer) Groh, was born May 28, 1784. She was married to John Scheirich who came to Canada in 1805. They resided near Berlin, on the farm now possessed by George Histand. Their family consisted of several children. See John Scheirichâ??s family. III GROH, PETER, was born in July, 1785. He settled near Stevensville, Welland County, Ontario, where he had a family of several children. The names of three are IV Joseph, IV Solomon, and IV Abigail. The two sons reside near Elmer P. O., Sanalac County, Michigan. III GROH, JOHN, the second son of Michael Groh, was born in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, June 19th, 1788, and came to Canada in 1804. He and his brother, Jacob, assisted their mother in clearing up their new home. On December 10th, 1811, he was married to Susannah, daughter of Henry and Anna (Mosser) Wanner. She was born in Pennsylvania, November 29th, 1791, and came to Canada with her parents in 1810. Soon after their marriage they moved on the farm now possessed by their son, Isaac. Here they resided until their deaths. His death took place January 16th, 1871, and she died March 30th, 1888. Their family consists of eleven children, viz: III GROH, JACOB, the third son of Michael and Elizabeth (Witmer) Groh, was born August 12th, 1790. In 1804 he came to Canada with his parents. He was married to Nancy, daughter of Rudolph and Anna (Wanner) Dettweiler. She was born February 17th, 1793, and died March 8th, 1842. He died November 7th, 1845. They resided near Hespeler, Ontario, where they had a family of nine children, viz: The book says seven and lists only six, but it is the information about III GROH, PETER that is important. Peter was married to Abigail Morningstar, daughter of Jacob Morningstar and Sarah Brunner. They resided at Stevensville, Welland County, Ontario. Joseph married Mary Ann Nichols and Solomon married Mary Dennis, daughter of Nelson "Josiah" Dennis and Betsy Zimmerman. Solomon & Mary Groh and Ambrose & Minerva Groh are on the 1880 Census of Moore Township, Sanilac County, Michigan and Joseph & Mary Ann Grow are on the 1880 Census of Elmer Township, Sanilac County, Michigan. Solomon Groh married a second time in 1908, to Anna Jane Neff who was previously married to Abraham H. Sternaman by whom she had nine children. She is listed as being Mennonite and living in Owassa, Michigan. She died in Michigan in 1931 at 100 years of age. I'm still looking for the deaths of Solomon and Mary (Dennis) Grow/Groh.
  Person ID	I049297	Strausstown Roots
  Last Modified	3 Dec 2012

  
  

  Family	Magdalena Bauman,   b. about 1719
  Children	1. John Groh,   b. about 1753   2. Henry Groh,   b. about 1755 + 3. Michael Groh,   b. about 1757, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania ,   d. 20 Sep 1804, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada  (Age ~ 47 years)
  Family ID	F13002	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart