GROFF NEWS ARTICLES

A distant relative has allowed me to share these articles here:

There used to be a newspaper, the Quarryville Sun, that ran a series of articles in the early 1900's on the old families of that area.  Here are some excerpts about our family (parenthesis are my addition):

 

    John (Myers, Jr.) was dead before we knew anything of the affairs in this section, but his sons, Frederick, Benjamin, Isaac and John, and his two daughters, Susan and Fannie, we well remember.  Both of them were married to "State Road" Joseph Groff; Susan first, who was the mother of our friends, John, Joseph and Levy Groff and of Mrs. Henry Phillips, Mrs. Abram Lefevre, Mrs. Amos Groff and Mrs. Cyrus Cremer.  After her death he married aunt Fannie but she never had any children.  (reminiscences of Mr. L. T. Hensel, November 27, 1902)

 

    One we remember best and have many pleasant recollections of was "State Road" Joseph Groff who has been dead over twenty years after having lived to a good old age.  All the time we knew him he lived on and owned the farm now owned by Henry Heidelbaugh and no better nor more productive farm was on the Valley road and there were few kept in better condition.  He was really a model farmer and good business man and his home was one of the most attractive in the neighborhood, always open and we really believe entertained more visitors that any other.  The hospitality of Joe and Susan, his good wife, was known to all and if a neighbor wanted a favor he was always sure to get it there.  He and Dan Rineer were great friends and were great hands at a butchering and we will never forget the days when we would kill four of five big hogs and Joe and Dan Rineer and Joe Groff would arrive at five o'clock in the morning, do everything by hand, be done at six, and such sausage and pudding you don't hear tell of now.  Besides this the meat would be put away and the whole butchering done in a day, and during the day there would be plenty of fun and the bottle frequently passed.  It is a great pity that there are no pictures of scenes of this kind-a picture of a gang around an old fashioned chopping bench with cleavers would be worth having.

    The sons of Joseph Groff we all know are John, Levi and Joseph.  They are among our best citizens and it is clearly to be seen were brought up in a good school as there are no more careful or neater farmers nor do you ever miss it if you visit them in their home.  Neither do you make a mistake if you call on any of the daughters-Kate Phillips, Fannie Groff, Barbara Cramer or Lizzie Lefever-at each place you will be sure to be well entertained.  (reminiscences of Mr. L. T Hensel, February 5, 1903)