James Groover, was born, reared and married in Bulloch County, Georgia. From there he came to southwestern Georgia, making his way thither with teams, bringing with him all of his worldly possessions, including his household goods, his stock and his slaves. He located in that part of Irwin County that was later made into Lowndes County, and has since become a part of Brooks County.

Buying a tract of timber, he erected a rude log house in the wilderness, and later sawed boards to seal the house and floors. For many years thereafter there were no railroads in this section of the country, all of the cotton produced being hauled to the gulf ports fifty miles away, it taking a week to make the round trip. Indians were then numerous, and deer, bear and wild game of all kinds inhabited the deep woods. Clearing quite a tract of land, he was busily employed in cultivating the soil until his death, at a good old age.

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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 20, 2004, 10:25 am

Author: William Harden
p. 838-839

JAMES IRWIN GROOVER, M. D. Spending the best part of his life in the practice of medicine, James I. Groover, M. D., was for forty-five years one of the leading physicians of the Grooversville district, where he won an extended reputation for skill and ability, and built up a large and lucrative patronage. A son of JAMES GROOVER, he was born November 18, 1835, in that part of Thomas county now included within the limits of Brooks county. His grandfather, John Groover, was of Dutch ancestry, and as far as known, was born in Bulloch county, Georgia, which was his home for many years, although his last days were spent in Brooks county.

Born September 6, 1798, in Bulloch county, Georgia, JAMES GROOVER was there reared and married. Subsequently, accompanied by his wife and three children, he came to what is now Brooks county, making the entire journey in a cart drawn by one horse, and bringing with him in the one cart all of his earthly possessions. At the time of his arrival there were but two families in the vicinity, those of Willis King and Henry Melton. The county was in its original wildness, bear, deer, wolves, and game of all kinds sharing the forests with the Indians, who frequently so terrorized the few white settlers that they banded together for protection against their raids. There were no railroads for years after he came to this region, and he, in common with his neighbors, used to haul all of his produce to either Tallahassee or Newport, Florida. The land was for sale in lots of four hundred and eighty acres each, the prices ranging from $5.00 to $50.00 each. He purchased several lots, including lot number 509, on which he built a log house for his first residence. He subsequently whip-sawed lumber to erect a frame house in lot number 505, in what is now the Grooverville district, and continued his agricultural labors, with the assistance of his slaves clearing large tracts of land. In common with his neighbors he lived in a primitive manner, having very little farm machinery, while his wife, whose household conveniences were very limited, used to do all of her cooking by the open fireplace, and in addition to her other duties carded, spun, and wove all of the material from which she fashioned the garments worn by her family. He was a man of influence, his death, which occurred August 11, 1874, removing from his community one of its most valued citizens. He was active in religious work, and both he and his wives were members of the Missionary Baptist church.

James Groover was twice married. He married first, Elizabeth Denmark, who was born October 27, 1803, in Bulloch county, Georgia, and died in 1848, aged forty-five years. He married second, Mrs. Sarah Ann (Hagan) Groover, widow of Malachi Groover. His first wife bore him children as follows: Eliza, Redding J., Wiley W., Charles A., Thomas A., Clayton, Martha, Allen W., James I., Sally Ann, John Burton, Mary Jane, Daniel W., Henry C., Francis M., and Clinton D. By his second marriage he had one son, Fuller.

[...]

From: A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA
BY WILLIAM HARDEN

VOLUME II, ILLUSTRATED
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY, CHICAGO AND NEW YORK, 1913

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.org/ga/thomas/bios/gbs349groover.txt

• Married: 27 Nov 1820 in Bulloch, Georgia

1. Elizabeth GROOVER b: 11 Aug 1821 in Brooks Co., GA
2. Redding James GROOVER b: 11 Dec 1822 in Brooks Co., GA
3. Wiley Washington GROOVER b: 22 Jan 1824 in Brooks Co., GA
4. Charles Abner GROOVER b: 8 Aug 1826 in Brooks Co., GA
5. Thomas Alfred GROOVER b: 27 Mar 1828 in Brooks Co., GA
6. Clayton GROOVER b: 1 Jun 1829 in Brooks Co., GA
7. Martha Elizabeth GROOVER b: 3 Jan 1831 in , Brooks, Georgia
8. Allen W. GROOVER b: 4 Sep 1832 in Hickory Head Dist., Brooks Co., GA
9. James Irwin GROOVER b: 18 Nov 1835 in Brooks Co., GA
10. Sarah Ann GROOVER b: 15 Jun 1837 in , Brooks, Georgia
11. John Burton GROOVER b: 18 Dec 1838 in Brooks Co., GA
12. Mary Jane GROOVER b: 19 Sep 1840 in Piscola Creek, Dixie, Brooks Co., GA
13. Daniel Webster GROOVER b: 24 Jun 1842 in Thomas, Georgia
14. Henry Clay GROOVER b: 4 Mar 1844 in Brooks Co., GA
15. Francis Marion GROOVER b: 25 Apr 1846 in Brooks Co., GA
16. Clinton Denmark GROOVER b: 6 Dec 1847 in Brooks Co., GA
17. Laura J. GROOVER b: 1848 in Grooverville, Brooks, Georgia

• Married: 16 Jun 1859 in , Brooks, Georgia

1. Fuller GROOVER b: ABT 1861 in Brooks Co., GA