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History of Story County Iowa G Jacob
A. Groseclose submitted by
Dick Barton After
acquiring a comfortable competence in the line of agricultural pursuits Jacob A.
Groseclose is now enjoying the fruits of his early endeavors and is one of the
leading citizens of Union township. He is a son of Thomas Jefferson and
Elizabeth (Wharton) Groseclose, and was born February 5, 1857. His parents were
both natives of Johnson county, Indiana, where they were married in 1852. In the
fall of 1854 they came to Story county, Iowa, locating on the present homestead.
Mr. Groseclose purchased eighty acres of land entirely uncultivated, from Thomas
Lawe, and there built a log cabin. He at once began to improve this land and
later preempted more land adjoining until he had acquired three hundred and
sixty acres. This he accomplished before he was thirty-one years old, at which
time his death occurred. He was survived by his wife and three children: Jacob
A., the subject of this sketch; Mary Elmira, the wife of John Griffith, residing
in Indian Creek township; and Sarah E., who married A. J. Hainline and died in
1884, leaving a family of six children. Mrs. Groseclose is still living and
resides with her son. Jacob
A. Groseclose spent his childhood on the home farm, acquiring his education in
the district schools. He was but two years old when his father died. Apparently
he inherited his father's energetic nature for at the early age of twelve years
he was following the plow and studying the science of agriculture. At the age of
sixteen years he took entire charge of the farm and from that time devoted his
attention to this industry until he had become the possessor of four hundred and
eighty acres of valuable land in Union township. For many years he turned his
attention to cattle feeding but has done little recently along that line. For
the past ten years Mr. Groseclose has not been actively engaged in farming, as
he has rented most of his land. He is a director in the Citizen's state Bank of
Cambridge, Iowa, and is regarded as one of the influential men of his community.
In his
political views Mr. Groseclose is a republican but has never sought any public
favors from his party, preferring to cast his lot with the rank and file.
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