father was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. They reared a family of six children—five sons and one daughter—three of whom are still living: Joshua B. and W. H. H. are residents of this county, and John S. resides in Burnett County, Wis. When Joshua B. Grove was but six months old his parents moved to Ohio, and located on a farm in Highland County, where they made their home for a number of years. The mother, who was a devoted member of the Baptist Church, departed this life in that county in 1840, and nine years after her death the father moved with his family to Linn County, Iowa, being among the very first settlers in that locality, and there he received his final summons in 1858. The early educational advantages of our subject were extremely limited, he only attending school about seven months in his life. He remained with his father until he had attained his majority, and when his twenty-first birthday rolled around, allured by the tales of gold, he, in 1852, went to California, and for the following three and one half years he was there occupied in mining and farming and then returned home. For the first year after his return home he was engaged in buying stock for Stephen Naper. October 22, 1856, witnessed his marriage with Miss Elizabeth Green, and immediately after that event the young couple immigrated to Story County, Iowa, settling on a farm of 100 acres, paying at the rate of $4.50 per acre for the same land that is now worth $40 per acre. To the original farm they have since added the balance of 210 acres, and 150 acres of this is under cultivation, and the remainder in pasture, thus making one of the finest farms in the county. Ten children have been born to their marriage—seven sons and three daughters, viz.: Alwilda (wife of E. C. Doolittle, of Story County), John (now a resident of Sumner County, Kas.), Elmer E. (also of Sumner County, Kas.), Effie L. (born May 11, 1863, died November 23, 1867), Charles U. and Jacob W. (residents of Sioux County, Neb.), Willard (living in Story County), and Joseph B., Eva M. and Lee, at home. Both Mr. and Mrs. Grove are worthy members of the United Brethren Church. In his political views the former is a Republican, and has held several local offices of trust and honor, among them being those of township trustee, school director and road supervisor. He is one of the early pioneers of this county, having come here ten years before the railroad was built, and when there was not a house in sight, and he has seen its conversion from a low, wet, overflown, sloughy country to one of the richest farming counties in the State, his farm being well improved with substantial and commodious buildings, and one of the finest residences in the county. Mr. Grove is extensively known throughout the county and is universally honored and respected. As a farmer and business man he is among the first, and his success as such and as a stock-breeder has been the subject of newspaper comment on many occasions.
Mons C. Grove. The present sketch will give a brief outline of the life of him whose name is mentioned. In the cold, far-away clime of Norway, his parents lived and died, and there, for many years, he gave his attention to tilling the ground. Tiring of the country, where, for centuries, his ancestors had dwelt, he emigrated to the broad, free land of America, "the home of the brave." Mr. Grove was still quite young when he located in Kendall County, Ill., and there turned talents to farming successfully. After accumulating a fortune, he moved to Story County, Iowa, being among the original settlers here. In 1859 our subject purchased the farm upon which he now resides, and has proved himself to be a model