GROFF FAMILY


This is a clipping I found and is from the book: History of Lancaster County, PA with Biographical Sketches by Franklin Ellis and Samuel Evans.  Published 1883. (pg. 925)

GROFF FAMILY

"The whole eastern part of this township (Upper Leacock Township) was included in a warrant of land granted to Hans Groff, who afterwards disposed of it to different settlers.  Hans Groff, with one of his brothers, were among the persecuted Christians who fled from Switzerland to Alsace, then a province of France, about the year 1695-96.  He came to Germantown, where he remained for a short time only; afterwards he settled in Pequea Valley, but not being content here, he then settled in Groff's Dale (Graaf Thal), which was named in honor of him, and by which the settlement is known to this day."

"The following is the circumstance which led Mr. Groff to settle in Groff's Dale: "His horses having strayed Pequea, while in pursuit of them in a northern direction from the inhabited parts he discovered a fine spring in a heavily timbered spot, the head of Grove's Run...He nevertheless pursued his horses till he found them, and returned to Pequea. A short time afterwards he disposed of his effects, when he returned to the spring, and about half a mile down, on the north side, he erected a cabin under a large white oak tree, in which he, his wife, and an only child remained during that winter.  In the spring of the next year, having secured by a warrant dated Nov. 22, 1717, a large tract of land, he erected a house near the cabin.  The spot where he erected the house is still pointed out by his descendants.  He had six sons - Peter, David, John, Daniel Marcus, and Samuel, and was known as Graaf der Jaeger (the huntsman)."

"Hans Groff, after serving his day and generation, the public on several occasions, and having divided his land among his sons, died, leaving a large family connection. Perhaps there is no family in the county more numerous, especially in Upper Leacock, more "respectable, and more useful citizens than the Groffs. "

The footnote of this article states " this name is variously spelled Groff, Graaf, Groef, and Graffe."

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

REVISITING JACOB & SUSANNA (BOEHM) RESSLER

Image
In the January 1993 issue of Mennonite Family History Magazine was the below article on the family of Jacob & Susanna Ressler focusing on the line of Samuel Ressler (1804-1876). To be truthful, I am not very familiar with this line as I am descended through the next older boy, Daniel (1802-1901).  However, there are a couple things in the article I would like to correct or add to, so please continue to read below the nice article. 1. The first couple paragraphs is about Johann Heinrich Rossler/Ressler and his immigration.   “He was accompanied on the ship by two other Roesslers: Johann Georg Roessler and Conrad Roessler.”  Per the response to a Nov. 1963 letter of Nina Briedenthall (translated by E. Jaeger) asking about the Roessler roots in Wunsiedel, Germany “I would guess that the 3 brothers Roessler, that came 1750 to America, were descendants of Pastor Christoph Roessler in Kirchenlamits…” I have posted the translated letter in its entirety the blog here:  ( http:
Read more

WELCOME FOLKS

Image
Please Note:  I am not comfortable with putting personal info on here for family members who are still alive, this blog revolves around family members who have passed on. It contains photos, documents, and memories.   The whole point of this blog is to share the info I have collected or been given over the years. If you notice a mistake, please contact me with the correct information. Source: Bing clip art W ELCOME The little town where I live in Indiana has recently (since Thanksgiving 2011) had 4 house fires.  The victims all have lost family photos, documents, and heirlooms.  I'm not stupid enough to think it can't happen to me.  So, I decided to post on here info on my (deceased) family members, so the photos aren't lost and all those documents that I collected over the years as I worked on the family genealogy aren't either. My mother's family has been in Lancaster County, PA since 1717 (other stories and secondhand info says 1710) when they came from
Read more

AFFLERBACH HOUSE IN GERMANY

Image
This is the Afflerbach (Applebach) family home in Womelsdorf, Germany.  The farm has been passed down thru the generations to various family members and is still in the family.  When this photo was taken in May 1978, the resident was Karl Afflerbach.  While I lived in Germany, I visited with he and his wife and ate meals with them.  They proudly showed me the dark, low ceiling rooms that had been the original house back in the 1500's.  In Germany, houses used to be named and this one is the "Kraemershaus". Here is the same house in 1925 (source: Familienbuch Afholderbach-Afflerbach by Karl & Jost Afflerbach, published 1986, page 132):  Below is a medieval drawing or wood cut of Berleburg, which is the county seat of this area.   Two maps from "Familienbuch Afholderbach-Afflerbach" by Karl & Jost Afflerbach.  The one on the left shows the area of West Germany that the Afflerbach family originated in, and the map on the right shows the coun
Read more