Merced County Biographies

FRED K. GROVES

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 
        Among the best known and most highly esteemed citizens of Merced, Fred 
K. Groves holds a position of prominence and influence. A man of superior talent 
and business ability, he has been a dominant power in advancing the agricultural 
interests of this section of Merced County, and by intelligent effort and wise 
thrift has come to independence. Mr. Groves first came to Merced County to look 
after the interests of his clients and found here such a promising outlook that 
he settled here permanently. A son of F. K. and Mary E. (Hull) Groves, he was 
born at Brookfield, Ohio, June 17, 1878. The mother was a granddaughter of Isaac 
Hull, commander of the Constitution, "Old Ironsides," in the War of 1812. The 
father, F. K. Groves, was engaged in the mercantile business in Ohio until 1886, 
when the family removed to western Kansas and there he engaged in the real 
estate business until 1901, when the family came to California. The father, who 
retired to Pasadena, Cal., passed on March 1, 1924, aged eighty-three years; the 
mother passed away in 1900.
        Fred K. Groves attended the public schools in Kansas, then entered Knox 
College at Galesburg, Ill., from which he was graduated in 1901. Soon after 
finishing his college course the family came West to California and located at 
San Francisco, where Mr. Groves found employment with the Examiner, remaining 
with this newspaper only a short time; he then became connected with the 
International Commercial Agency and for seven years sold law books in the 
northwest. He resigned his position and removed to Los Angeles, and with his 
father engaged in the real estate business, specializing on farm lands. In the 
course of their business transactions they sold considerable land in Merced 
County to their clients, and also invested their own money in this section. In 
1916, Mr. Groves removed to Merced to look after their property and was on one 
of their ranches at Snelling for a time. On account of having had military 
training at Knox College and considerable work in athletics, he enlisted for 
service as athletic director during the World War and went overseas with the 
First Division; he drove a truck over 10,000 miles and his service extended over 
a period of about ten months. Returning to his home in Merced he again resumed 
his real estate business, which affords him a comfortable competence.
        The marriage of Mr. Groves united him with Miss Sibyl Josephine 
Morrison, of Minnesota, and they are the parents of one son, Fred K., Jr. Mr. 
Groves was the first president of the local real estate board and is now a 
director of the State Real Estate Association. He is independent in his 
political views. Fraternally, he belongs to the Elks. He is a member of the Phi 
Delta Theta Fraternity, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Merced Rotary Club.
 
History of Merced County, California � Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 852-853