L. J. Grove was born January 29, 1842, and is a son of Joseph and Elma N. (Jackson) Grove, and a grandson of John and Barbara (Limberger) Grove, the grandfather being a native Virginian. Joseph Grove was born in Licking county, Ohio, December 28, 1806, and remained there until he was a young man of twenty-five years. He then left that state and came to LaSalle county, Illinois, making the trip on horseback. He purchased the farm which is now occupied by our subject and became one of the most successful farmers of this region. In 1838 he was married to Miss Elma N. Jackson, a native of the state of Pennsylvania and a daughter of Jesse Jackson, who came to LaSalle county at an early day. The children born to them were as follows: Jesse, of Rutland township; L. J., our subject; Elmira, wife of George Pitzer, of Rutland township; Samantha, wife of Winkfield L. Appling, of Wichita, Kansas; Mary, wife of H. L. Loring, of this township; Minerva, who died in childhood; Jeremiah, who died in the civil war; David L., who went to South America, and John, who died in Nevada, Story county, Iowa, and left a widow and two children. The hardships and privations endured by those early inhabitants of our state in its wild, uncultivated condition, were enough to make the stoutest heart quail, and they left their impress on Mr. Grove, completely shattering his health and enfeebling his constitution, and eventually, at the age of fifty-two years, his life was the forfeit. The mother reached the age of fifty-seven years, when she too passed through the valley of the shadow of death.
L. J. Grove was educated in LaSalle county, where he grew to manhood. The first school which he attended was held in a log school-house, with the most primitive furnishings. The farm upon which he now resides was purchased by him in 1866, and contains two hundred and forty acres of valuable farm land, while the barn, an immense structure which was put up in 1888, would be noticeable in any locality. The main part of the structure is forty by sixty-four feet, with an "L" thirty-four by forty feet, while the posts used in its construction measure twenty-four feet. In 1894 our subject erected a handsome residence, at a cost of three thousand two hundred dollars, from which a beautiful view of the surrounding country can be seen, and it is conceded that he has one of the most attractive places in LaSalle county.
He was married December 28, 1865, to Miss Malinda Pitzer. daughter of William and Sarah (Kite) Pitzer, early settlers of this county. Five children have resulted from this union. Their only son, William L. Grove, was born on May 25, 1869, and December 12, 1893. he married Rose A., an adopted daughter of F. A. Forbes, of Seneca. Two children have been born to them, - Etta Pearl, who died at the age of two years and nine months, and one son, Lucian, born December 3, 1898. The daughters of Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Grove are Etta, wife of Arthur Long, of Miller township; Cora Mabel and Belle, at home. One child died in infancy. Mr. Grove and family are attendants of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which they are members, and are liberal contributors to its cause. He is a believer in the principles of the Democracy, and gives his support to that party, and is at present a faithful member of the school board. He is a man who commands the respect and confidence of every one, and his kindly nature is ever prompting him to deeds of mercy.
Extracted by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois published in 1900, volume 1, pages 253-255.
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