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| Notes for Timothy GRUWELL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The life and times of Timothy Gruwell were richly recorded throughout his adult life, yet his childhood remains largely unknown, probably due to the unusual circumstances surrounding his family and the tumultuous times in which they lived. Through this obscurity, however, an interesting childhood emerges. Family history recounts that Timothy was born 4 July 1774 in Kent County, Delaware, into the family of Peter and Sarah Gruwell. Although no birth records from this period have been located to confirm this information, Timothy's parent's names and his birth date are recorded in Quaker records and in a family bible dating from the 1850's (around the time of Timothy's death). Many legends have evolved from the life of Timothy's father, Peter Gruwell, namely that he was a French soldier under command of LaFayette during the American Revolution, or that he was a French gold and silk merchant of minor nobility escaping religious persecution. The most probable circumstance is that Peter was a son of an obscure Delaware farming family. The following letter, the first in a series of correspondance written in 1893 between John Gruwell (Timothy's son) from Alliance, Ohio, and John's nephew Joseph W. Gaskill (Timothy's grandson from his daughter Elizabeth) at West Liberty, Ohio, sheds some light on Timothy's childhood circumstances: Alliance, Ohio 10/23 - '93 J. W. Gaskill Dear Nephew: Thy letter together with the paper relative to family statistics was duly received and a reply at first could not be made as other indispensible duties forbid it. The girl in brushing up misplaced the letter. This morning I made a thorough search and fortunate found the papers. The history of the Grouvelle family in France is extremely obscure; not, I take it, because they were simply an obscure people, but mainly because the form of Government was so precarious a century ago. Peter, my grandfather, left France in the early part of the year 1774 hence, when my father was but an infant (France was then in a fearful turrmoil). The fall of that year the shores of Delaware were visited by a very fatal epidemic of Flux (dysentery), of which Peter Grouvelle died, leaving a widow with three small children, John, Isaac, and Timothy, with but little means of support. When Timothy was yet scarcely two years old, the mother married again, and the three little boys were scattered to three different homes. This was her third marriage - by her first marriage (to Clement) she had a daughter, Elizabeth Clement, who had the special care of her little half brother Timmie, and as she, after the Mother's death which occurred but a few years after her third marriage, went into a Quaker family (with Timothy) by the name of Temple. In time she joined the Quakers and married one of the Temples. In this way, my Father, was thrown among the Quakers, and eventually married Quaker (Alice Pennock of Chester County, Pa.). (Thy mother's name was Elizabeth Clement after our half Aunt Elizabeth.) The three brothers were thus widely separated and knew but little if any of each other. John, placed among the Baptists, became a Baptist preacher. Isaac, I believe, was connected with the Presbyterians. They moved to Kentucky, and Father came to Ohio about the beginning of the present century and they three never met afterwards. I deeply regret my inability to furnish thee a more satisfactory history of our ancestry in America than the foregoing. Father often spoke of his cousin, Phillipe Grouvelle, a fine French Scholar from France who for several years resided in Philadelphia while Father worked there at his trade (Bootmaking). He always spelled the name Grou-velle, accented very strongly on the last syllable, French has no "W". I suppose this brilliant young Frenchman must have been a son of Phillipe Antoine Grouvelle, the distinguished French Statesman, who flourished about 100 years ago. He belonged to the Liberal Party and was Sectry of the Executive Council that condemned Louis XVI to death, and by virtue of the office it devolved upon him to read to him the Death Warrant. He filled many important positions and was at one time a member of the legislative body etc. I am one who believes in the idea - "that blood tells" - that children resemble physically, mentally, and morally, the stock from [which] they spring - the Laws hold in Man as in all other things - I wish thee success in thy work - my own health continues quite good for one of my age. My love and regards for all the family. As evr thy Uncle John P. Gruwell Another letter in this series of correspondance provides further details of Timothy's family circumstances: 1/9 - 94 Dear Nephew, My Fathers parents were Peter and Sarah Gruwell, she had been married before to one Clement, at his death she was left with two children, Ann and Elizabeth. Ann died, was not married, but Elizabeth married Samuel Temple. So thee sees she was half sister not a step sister. I regard thy work in this matter very commendable and it will always be a pleasure to render thee what assistance I can. Love to family Thy Uncle John Despite the speculative facts regarding the connection to the French Grouvelle family, the remainder of the letter is remarkably acccurate even after more than a century had passed. It is recorded in the records of the Holy Trinity Cold Swedes Church of Wilmington, Delaware that Timothy's half sister Elizabeth Clemens did indeed marry Samuel Temple on 9 October 1784. In addition, John and Isaac Gruwell were contemporaries of Timothy and did move from Kent County, Delaware to Kentucky circa 1800. Each were connected with the religions mentioned earlier and remainded faithful throughout their lives. It should be noted that a Peter Growell and his family were living on Plumb Street, South Side in Philadelphia when the 1790 city census was enumerated. This person may be the Phillipe Grouvelle "cousin" which Timothy met during his residence in Philadelphia. There are also references to the Growell family as early as 1748, when a "Warantee" for land in Bucks County, Pennsylvania was registered for Peter Growell on 26 August 1748. Other references include tax amount owed by Jacob, John, and Peter Growell in the Philadelphia area in the late 1770's and early 1780's. Little else is known about Timothy's early years. He was ten years of age when his half sister married and it is highly probable that he went to live with the newlyweds. It is not known when the Temples moved their household but they settled in the vicinity of Philadelphia very soon after their marriage. The 1790 and 1810 Federal census enumerates Samuel Temple and family in neighboring Chester County, Pennsylvania, west of Philadelphia. Their home was just a few miles east of Kennett, in Pennsbury Township where the prominent Mendenhall's had their family estate. The 1790 census lists two young males, presumably Samuel and Elizabeth's sons William and Samuel. Also in the household are two females and three males sixteen years or older, presumably these persons are Samuel and Elizabeth, Samuel's parents, and Timothy who would have been sixteen years of age. Samuel and Elizabeth were members of the Society of Friends and attended the Kennett Monthly Meetings in Kennett Square, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Their five children are all listed in the Quaker records as being born in Chester County. Having reached adulthood during this time, Timothy began making his living as a bootmaker in Philadelphia during the 1790's. This must have been an exciting period for Timothy being in this city, since Philadelphia served as the capital of the United States from 1790 to 1800 and was a bustling American city, providing generous opportunities for work. However important Philadelphia was to American history, it was in Chester County that Timothy met Alice Pennock from Kennett Square. Alice was the descendant of two prestiges families, her namesake being her grandmother Alice Mendenhall. Like the Mendenhall's, the Pennock family was a prominent family in Chester County, residing in "Primitive Hall" on a 1250 acre estate granted to the Pennock family from William Penn. Alice's father William lived there as a child but the same noble fate would not befall Alice. As a young man William fell in love with an Irish immigrant girl by the name of Mary Martin. William's parents highly disapproved of the romance and sent him to England with the hope that he would soon forget Mary. William returned a year later, married her, and removed his family from the Pennsylvania estate to Roanoke County, Virginia in order to escape his still disapproving family. Alice's family were also of the Quaker faith and she periodically attended religious gatherings at Kennett Monthly Meetings while visiting her relatives at "Primitive Hall". Timothy presented himself to the Kennett MM, 15 December 1796 and was received into membership. Alice Pennock had been brought up in Roanoke County, Virginia, near Bedford County, where the Goose Creek meeting was located. Alice made a trip to Pennsylvania in 1799, as indicated by a certificate from the Goose Creek meeting to Kennett MM, dated 2 March 1799. The ancestral home of the Pennocks was in Kennett, and Alice was probably visiting an uncle or other relatives. Timothy Gruwell was attending the meetings at Kennett during the time of Alice's stay. Alice Pennock returned to Virginia the same year, bringing a certificate from the Kennett to the Goose Creek meeting, dated 17 October 1799. On 15 October 1801 Timothy followed, requesting a certificate of removal which he obtained on 12 November from Kennett to the Goose Creek meeting in Virginia. Timothy and Alice were married on 6 January 1803. The Quaker wedding ceremony, which was recorded by the Goose Creek meeting, was attended by Alice's parents, William and Mary Pennock, and by her brothers and sisters, John, Hannah, William, Mary, Phoebe and Jane. No member of the family of Timothy Gruwell attended. Timothy and Alice's first child, daughter Sarah Gruwell, was born on 24 October 1804. On 4 April 1805 Timothy, Alice and their little daughter Sarah obtained a certificate to the South River monthly meeting in Campbell County, Virginia, and lived in that neighborhood for two years. Their second child, daughter Mary Gruwell, was born on 16 December 1805. The records of the South River monthly meeting show that a certificate of removal was issued on 9 May 1807 to Timothy Gruwell, with Alice his wife, and daughters Sarah and Mary. This certificate was directed to the Salem meeting in Ohio, and stated that the family was about to move within the limits of that meeting. On 15 September 1807 Timothy and his family presented their certificate before the Salem monthly meeting in Columbiana County, Ohio. Several Quaker monthly meetings established in Timothy's area of Virginia were not destined to have long histories. The meetings had been established in the high tide of migration from the North and most of its members were but visitors in the land waiting for the signal to move on to the newer lands to the West. This westward trek began in 1801, and in a few swift years the roster of membership was depleted by those who had gone on into "the Northwest Territory". Between 1801 and 1814, a total of 170 family departures from a single monthly meeting caused it to be finally laid down. This pioneer fever must have also affected the Gruwell and Pennock families, for in the early 1800's Timothy and William Pennock applied for land grants in Ohio. A history of the Northwest Territory, as it was called at the time, reveals that in 1785, by the Treaty of Fort McIntosh, between the United States of America and the Wyandot, Delaware, Chippewa, and Ottawa Indian nations, the southeastern three-quarters of what is now the State of Ohio was ceded to the Unites States by the Indians claiming that region. Shortly thereafter the United States government designated the region as the nation's first land state and surveying commenced on the "Seven Ranges". It should be noted that 10,000 Indians did not agree with the treaty their chiefs signed, and 5,000 white squatters did not agree with their government's method of giving title to the land they previously claimed. Nonetheless, Congress directed that Ohio lands be offered for sale under The Land Act of 1796 and be advertised in at least one newspaper in each of the states and territories two months prior to the sale. Public auctions were held for three weeks beginning in the Spring of 1801 at each land office, after which unsold land could be sold at private sales. By 1804 the terms of the land sales allowed for purchases of land in 160 acre units, at $2.00 per acre. At the time of the purchase one quarter cash was tendered with the remainder paid in three annual installments. Timothy Gruwell and his brother-in-law John Pennock must have read the land auction advertisements in the local newspaper for in 1805 they travelled to Steubenville, Ohio to bid on land. A description of the first land sale explains the situation which confronted Timothy at the Land Office: "Crowds appeared in the little town a full two weeks before the opening of the sale. Settlers came in large numbers, hoping to acquire land at the minimum price. They were quickly joined by the prominent citizens of the territory, who expected to pick up valuable tracts at the minimum price and hold them as speculations. On the register's signal, the crier stepped forward, announced the location of the first tract, and prepared to receive bids. The next few weeks saw the first enactment of a drama that would be repeated with many variations throughout the century. Men drifted in and out of the sale room in small groups, constantly seeking information about choice tracts. The land was so vast that no one knew much about it, except the surveyors and those who had access to surveyors' plats. A general atmosphere of strained good will prevailed, in which the only outward object of all citizens was to take as much land with as little return to the government as possible. In the sale room the crier called the numbers of the tracts, and the crowd waited expectantly. Everywhere individuals silently measured the value of the land against the possibility of creating a bidding competition. Silence might give them the tract later at the minimum price. Anxious settlers bid for their land in low, quiet voices and, when speculators bid against them, angrily made known their rights. When men bid for tracts in error or bid against one another for tracts they did not want, the universal advice was forfeit, wait for the resale the next day, and then take them at the minimum." So on 30 December 1805, Timothy Gruwell's bid was accepted and Certificate #1993 was issued for 160 acres in Range 7 Township 20 Section 25 (Marlboro Township). John Penncock purchased land for himself in Range 6 Township 19 Section 24 (Lexington Township) and for his father William in Range 7 Township 20 Section 14 (Marlboro Township), the latter being the eventual site of the town of Marlboro. A total of 29 certificates for land were issued on that particular date, the majority of bidders being from Pennsylvania and Virginia, there being a large migration of Quakers from these states during this period. All of these lands were in what was then Columbiana County, Ohio. Stark County was officially organized from Columbiana in 1808. The first settlers came into Marlboro Township from Columbiana County. Quakers, Abraham Wileman and his son Mahlon, built a log cabin in Section 1 in the fall of 1805. Abraham returned to Columbiana County and Mahlon spent the winter in the cabin. The family rejoined him in the spring. It is recorded that he made frequent trips back for supplies. Mahlon was recorded as the township's first permanent settler. After the Wileman family, the Gruwell's were the second family of settlers in the township. Mahlon Wileman had moved to Section 23 just northwest of Timothy and his father Abraham to Section 24 just northeast. The following is an excerpt from the "History of Stark County": "Timothy Gruwell was the second settler in Marlborough. He reached the township with his family during the spring of 1807, and located on Section 24. He erected a small log cabin, with the assistance of the Wilemans, into which his family was immediately moved. Mahlon Wileman was his nearest neighbor. In the month of August, 1807, the Gruwell family were visited by a little stranger, a daughter, which was named Elizabeth. This was the first birth in the township. Mahlon was sent to Columbiana County for a doctor, who alone could perform the ceremony of introducing the little stranger, who came, without bag or baggage, to the family. Mahlon afterward related that, as he was passing through the dark forests on his horse, the wolves came all around him, and began howling dismally. He could see their sharp noses and fiery eyes from the clumps of bushes, but none were bold enough to attack him" The Gruwell's and the Pennock's were early pioneers in the village of Marlboro and greatly contributed to the taming of what was then a wilderness. The following continues the excerpt from the "History of Stark County": "All the settlers had their experiences with wild animals. It is stated that, on one occassion, Mr. Gruwell, the second settler in the township, while hunting in the woods, came very nearly being devoured by a bear. The circumstances are traditional, and may not be altogether true. He was walking along, so runneth the tradition, with his rifle in his hand and his eyes bent on the ground, when, upon suddenly turning around a few large trees which stood close together, he came within four feet of an enormous bear that had just killed some small game and was eating it. The bear instantly gave a ferocious growl, that chilled the blood of the settler and caused his hair to stand straight up on his head, and, rearing up on its hind legs, it extended its powerful paws to clasp the settler in deadly embrace. But the settler was not anxious for an embrace, for, at the first glimpse of the bear, he leaped back several yards and cocked his rifle. The bear, with angry growls from its bloody mouth, began to make movements as if about to approach the settler, and the latter, taking quick aim, sent a bullet crashing through its head. Without waiting to ascertain the effect of the shot, the settler ran from the spot with all his speed, and, when at a considerable distance, paused to load his rifle, look back, and listen. He could hear nothing, so, after his rifle had been carefully loaded, he returned to the spot, and, when there, found the bear thrashing around upon the ground with a mortal wound. A second shot finished the huge creature." Timothy's father-in-law William Pennock, along with three other farmers, had the center of Section 14 surveyed and plotted as a village in 1827. There were 24 lots, six of which were on land of each of the four proprietors. Open space was left for the town square. According to the Marlboro Christian Church history, "Pennock Town" was the first name given to the village. This name was afterwards changed to Marlborough, in honor of Marlborough, England, the home of some of the ancestors of the Penncocks. A letter was even sent to some of these folks and was addressed "Marlborough near Salem". Here in Marlboro Township, Stark County, Ohio, Timothy would live out the remainder of his days. He was thirty-three years of age when he first settled in Marlboro and his family quickly expanded. A total of thirteen children were born to Timothy and Alice, the eldest in 1804 and the youngest in 1823. The Gruwell children probably attended the one-room school known as Brigglesburg since the Gruwell homestead was at the very center of the school district. The Quaker Church, just north of the Gruwell farm, was built prior to 1820. It was a hewed log building, about 25 by 40 feet, with rude seats and other furniture, and a large chimney and broad fireplace. Here, the Quakers continued to asemble to worship their peculiar way until about 1840, when a new building was built farther east. Both Timothy and Alice were Elders of the Marboro Monthly Meetings and each led the men's and women's services. The Quakers were responsible for promoting the most notable route, and the most clandestine, for travel through the township. That was for the Underground Railroad which provided transport to southern runaway slaves seeking their freedom in Canada. The Gruwell and Wileman families would hide escaping Negroes in their barns. This went on during the 1840's and 1850's. They were brought by other Quakers west from Columbiana County. The family farm prospered under the care of such a large family. Timothy paid taxes of $50.00 based upon the value of his property. On 12 December 1814, Timothy sold 60 acres of his farm to William Cousseus for $150.00. Timothy's eldest son William purchased 160 acres across the road from Timothy from Isaac Bonsall on 4 December 1830, having been married in February of that year. William later sold the tract to Samuel Carr and the intersection of the roads became known as Carr's Corner. Although mainly a family of farmers, some of Timothy's sons were also merchants, physicians, and threshers. As the Gruwell sons and daughters came of age, married, and began families of their own, each established residences in the area. John P. Gruwell built the third house in the village of Marlboro on Lot #19, while Moses bought three acres from his father and set up a threshing business. Timothy Gruwell died (apparently from gall stones) on 31 December 1850 in Marlboro Township, Stark County, Ohio. Timothy was laid to rest in the Quaker cemetery east of Marlboro village, however, no stone remains today which marks his grave. His will dated 19 April 1847 is as follows: "In the name of the benevolant Father of all I Timothy Gruwell of Stark County and state of Ohio do make and publish this my last will and testament "Item 1st I give and devise to my beloved wife in lue of hir Dower the farm on which we now reside situate in said County of Stark containing to about ninety two acres and one half for and during hir natural life in case she survives me and all the stock household goods furnature provisions and other goods and chattles which may be thereon at the time of my Desese during hir natural life or so long as she shall Remain my widow she however selling so much of said goods and chattles as may be sufficient to pay all funeral expenses and my just debts and at the Death of my said wife the Real Estate aforesaid and such part of the said personal property or the proceeds thereof as may then be unconsumed and unexpended I 2nd give and bequeath to my sons namely to the heirs of my son Wm Gruwell John Gruwell Moses Gruwell Isaac Gruwell Aron Gruwell and Timothy Gruwell one hundred Dollars Each and the ballance of my Estate to be equally divided between my sons and Daughters vis Sarah Elliot Mary Macy Elizabeth Gaskill Hannah Standly Allis Hawley Ann Haycock and Charity Embree and the heirs of my son Wm Gruwell deceased John Gruwell Moses Gruwell Isaac Gruwell Aron Gruwell and Timothy Gruwell Item 3rd I do hereby nominate and appoint Moses Gruwell and Benjamin Elliot Executors of this my last will and testament hereby authorising and empowering them to compromise adjust Release and discharge in such manner as they may deem proper the debts and claims due me I do authorise and empower them to sell by private sale or in such manner and upon such terms of Credit to the best Interest for my heirs as they may think proper all my Real Estate and Deeds of purchases to execute acknowledge and deliver in fee simple after the Desese of my beloved wife and I do hereby Revoke all former Wills by me made In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and forty seven the 4th Month the 19th Timothy Gruwell Signed and acknowledged by said Timothy Gruwell as his last will and testament in our presence and signed by us in his presence Wm Dillon James Allman" Subsequent to Timothy's death in the early 1850's, many Quaker families, including the Gruwell's, Pennock's, Heacock's, Gaskill's, Macy's, etc., mass migrated to Cedar County, Iowa in order to found another Quaker settlement. The praire towns of West Branch and Springdale were among the villages formed by the Ohio Quakers. The following is the certificate issued to widow Alice Gruwell: "To Red Cedar Monthly Meeting, Cedar County, Iowa. Dear Friends, Our esteemed friend Allice Grewell having removed to reside within the limits of your meeting, requested our certificate to join her thereto, and on enquiring no obstruction appearing, we recommend her as a member of the Religious Society of Friends, to your christian care and oversight and remain your friends. Signed in and by direction of Marlboro Monthly Meeting of Friends for 2nd month held 2nd of 3rd month 1858. James Enlows, Correspondent William Garriguese & Lydia Bates, Clerks for the Day" Thus ends the life saga of Timothy Gruwell and Marlboro Township.28 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Modified 24 Dec 1997 | Created 24 Mar 1999 by Bill Turner with Reunion for Macintosh |