Biography

06/24/1796 - 02/19/1896

Private Frederick Groff (D36) Bedford, Fulton and Somerset Counties 1878-1882

Early Life:

Private Frederick Grof, born June 24, 1841, Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland; public school education; Millersville Normal School, (now Millersville University of Pennsylvania) Millersville; private, prisoner of war, Civil War, 1861-1864; engaged, miller, merchant, teacher; appointed school director; elected, justice of the peace, 1870-1878; councilman; chief burgess of Stoystown, Somerset County, 1870-1875; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1878-1882; bookkeeper; married, Catharine Brubaker Grof, children, Alexander, Mary Grace Grof Mountain, Anna Almira Grof; died, February 19, 1896 (age 54 years, 240 days) Meyersdale, Somerset County, Pennsylvania; Interment, Union Cemetery, Meyersdale, Somerset County, Pennsylvania.  

Early Career:

Engaged, miller, merchant, teacher; bookkeeper, Morrel and Schaffenberger, dealers of furniture and music.

Enlisted, three-year service, October 4, 1861, private, Company B, 54th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry; trained Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; guard duty, Baltimore and Ohio rail and telegraph lines, Washington D.C.; partook, ranger and sniper attacks on General Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson’s army, positioned on the Virginia side (West Virginia) of the Potomac River.

Entire, Company B, 54th Regiment was captured a year later October 4, 1862, by Confederate Captain John D. Imboden, sent to Libby Prison, Richmond, Virginia. Confederates threatened to execute Grof and his regiment in retaliation for the Union Army’s execution of Missouri guerillas. Pennsylvania Judge Jeremiah Black finally persuaded captors to desist. The prisoners were exchanged three months later.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Appointed, school director; elected, justice of the peace, 1870-1878; councilman; chief burgess of Stoystown, Somerset County, 1870-1875.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 36th district, Bedford, Fulton and Somerset Counties, 1878-1882; committee assignments, Accounts, Canals and Inland Navigation; Compare Bills and Library.

Cited: 

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members "G"". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1881). Smull, W.P., (Editor) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 674, 680-682, Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 642.

The Somerset Herald (Somerset, Pennsylvania) Wednesday, February 26, 1896, Page 3.

The Fulton Democrat (McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania) Friday, February 28, 1896, Page 3.

Frederick Grof (1841-1896) - Find a Grave Memorial