Ole T. Groe

GROE, SIMMONS, TROE, MELLEM

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 9/13/2005 at 20:51:58

Ole T. Groe, president and manager of the local creamery company and also of the Lake Mills Telephone Company and secretary of the Lake Mills Lumber Company, was born in Worth county, Iowa, on the 12th of May, 1859. His parents, Tostin 0. and Carrie (Mellem) Groe, were natives of Norway but settled in the western part of Worth county, Iowa, when it was still a frontier district. There the father purchased land which lie operated until his death in 1895. He is buried in the Silver Lake cemetery in Worth county, as is his wife, who died in 1897. They were the parents of six children, of whom three died in infancy, and of those surviving our subject is the eldest.

Ole T. Groe passed his boyhood upon the home farm and early began helping with the work, caring for the stock and cultivating the fields. When sixteen years old he left school and for the following five years gave his entire time to assisting his father. When be had attained his majority be bought two hundred acres of good land, which he farmed until 1892, when he took up his residence in Lake Mills. However, be still owns valuable property there, his land holdings in Worth county totaling four hundred and eighty-six acres. Upon his removal to this city he became the partner of G. Nystuen in the ownership of a general store, but after two years and a half disposed of his interest therein. He is now manager and president of the local creamery company, in which capacities he has served continuously since the organization of the concern with the exception of seven years. Since 1908, in which year the Lake Mills Telephone Company was organized, be has been its president and manager, and for fourteen years be has been secretary of the Lake Mills Lumber Company, while for sixteen years he has been a member of its directorate. He is also a director of the Lake Mills Canning Company. His official connection with these prosperous corporations indicates the high estimate placed upon his executive ability by the representative business men of the city.

On June 13, 1881, Mr. Groe was united in marriage to Miss Anna Simmons, a daughter of John and Gertrude (Troe) Simmons, who removed from Norway to Worth county, Iowa, when their daughter Anna was nine years old. Both are deceased and are buried in the Silver Lake cemetery. To Mr. and Mrs. Groe have been born eight children: Thomas, who is a graduate of the Capital City Commercial College and is now assistant cashier of the First National Bank at Northwood, Iowa; Clara J., who died when seven years old and is buried in the Silver Lake cemetery in Worth county; Gina B., who was graduated from the State University of Iowa in 1910 and is now the wife of E. J. Hickox, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Clarence, a resident of Lake Mills, Iowa; Josephine, at home; Alvin O., who died when seven years old and is buried in the Silver Lake cemetery; Roy G., who is attending the Lake Mills high school - and Orin K., who is a student in the graded schools.

Mr. Groe supports the republican party at the polls and while a resident of Worth county was for several years a member of the school board, of which he was for some time secretary, was justice of the peace and for two years held the office of township assessor. He was also city assessor of Lake Mills for two years and for two terms, or six years, served on the school board at Lake Mills and he is a member of the Lake Mills Improvement Association. He holds membership in tile United Lutheran church, which indicates the principles which have governed his conduct. His sound judgment and energy have enabled him to carry to successful completion whatever he has undertaken and he is recognized as a leader in his community.

Source: History of Winnebago and Hancock Counties, Iowa, 1917, Vol. II, page 259.