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Archiver > MIBERRIEAREA > 2001-01 > 0979090856


From: Dorothy Paul <>
Subject: [MIBE-AREA] Groat, Pinnell, Stutsman * New Berrien County Biographies Post
Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2001 20:40:56 -0500



>From:
>Subject: New Berrien County Biographies Post
>
>Berrien County Biographies
>A new message, "Groat," was posted by Portrait and Biographical Record...
>on Tue, 09 Jan 2001
>
>Surname: Groat, Pinnell, Stutsman
>
>
>
>---
>NAME: Portrait and Biographical Record...
>EMAIL:
>DATE: Jan 09 2001
>URL: http://
>QRYTEXT: Portrait and Biographical Record..., Biographical Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1893.
>
>Cyrus B. Groat, an energetic general agriculturist located on section 36,
Berrien Township, Berrien County, Mich., now devoting himself exclusively
to farming, was for twenty-four years an able teacher of the county, and, a
man of executive ability, has for eleven consecutive years discharged with
efficiency the duties of Supervisor, and has been Chairman of the important
committees of the Board. Our subject is a life-time resident of his present
locality, and was born in Berrien Township April 6, 1844. His father, a
well-known citizen of Pokagon Township, is a native of Canada. The mother,
Mrs. Lucinda (Pinnell)Groat, is by birth a Virginian. Married in Michigan,
the parents settled upon section 24, Berrien Township, and brought up from
a wild condition into a high state of cultivation a farm, upon which they
lived a number of years. They subsequently removed to Berrien Springs,
again improved hitherto uncultivated acreage, and two years later made
their home in Berrien Tow!
>nship, later moving to Niles Township. From that locaity after eight
years' residence they went to Pokagon, where, upon a homestead situated
upon section 31, they are enjoying the comforts of life, and the father,
retired from active duties, is taking a well-earned rest. The parents are
valued members of he Methodist Episcopal Church, with which they have been
connected ten years, ever active in good work. Prior to joining the
Methodist Episcopal Church, they belonged to the United Brethren Church a
number of years. The father is the oldest settler in the locality, and is a
life-time farmer.
>
>The eldest child living of the family, our subject was reared upon a farm
and educated in the graded schools of Berrien County, since adding to his
early stock of knowledge by close observation and reading. During his
extended term as instructor, he taught successfully two winters at the
Normal School at Berrien Centre. Until he was twenty-two years of age he
remained with his parents, but from that time was away from home. Mr. Groat
traveled eighteen months for Harper Bros., handling their school-books,
throughout Michigan and Indiana. In 1868 our subject was united in marriage
with Miss Elizabeth Stutsman, of Elkhart, Ind., and with his estimable wife
settled upon his present farm. Mr. and Mrs. Groat were the parents of two
children, of who one son survives, Max, now attending school. The homestead
contains one hundred and forty-five acres of valuable land, one hundred and
twenty acres of which are under a high state of productiveness. The farm is
devoted mainly to the cul!
>tivation of grain and the raising of a superior grade of stock. In 1873,
an attractive residence was erected at a cost of $1,500 and the other
improvements are substantial and commodious.
>
>Aside from the care of his farm, Mr. Groat is President of the Pokagon
Butter and Cheese Company, and much of his time and attention is
necessarily given to this enterprise. Fraternally, he is a member of the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Crystal Springs Lodge, Summerville, and
has been through all the chairs. He also affiliates with the ancient Order
of United Workmen, at Niles, and has been a member of the Grange, and was
Secretary of the old Grange. Especially interested in educational
advancement, our subject has, as Township Supreintendent of Schools for
five years, and as a member of the Board of School Examiners of Berrien
county for eight years, materially assisted in the promotion of a high
grade of scholarship and instruction. He was Secretary of the Board for
four years, and during that time, served as County Secreatry of Schools. He
retained his membership until 1892, and while Secretary held Teachers'
Institutes. In the fall of 1892, he was re-elected a memb!
>er of the Board of School Examiners. Mr. Groat is a member of the Board of
Visitors of the college at Benton Harbor. Politically, our subject is a
stalwart Republican, and has represented his constituents as delegate to
various county and State conventions. In 1881, elected Supervisor, he
continued an incumbent of that position until 1893, to the great
satisfaction of his friends and fellow-townsmen. Mr. and Mrs. Groat are
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Morris Chapel, and as Trustee
and Superintendent of the Sunday-school for the past ten years, Mr. Groat
has been especially faithful in religious work. Mrs. Groat has also taught
in the Sunday-school, and both our subject and his wife enjoy he esteem and
confidence of the entire community, among whom they occupy positions of
usefulness and influence. Mr. Groat has now rented his farm, and bought a
home in Niles, where he contemplates moving this fall in order to give his
son the advantage of the High School..
>
>
>This is an automatically-generated notice.
>
><http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Mi/BerrienBios>;
>
>

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