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Henry Groff ~~~ Family Heirloom Letter & Family Photograph

Background:  The following is a copy of a letter from Henry R. Groff (1854-1952).  Henry lived to be 98 years old and was married to Henrietta Griffith.  Below is a Groff family Photograph.  With much appreciation and thanks, these items were donated by Marcia Buffet.  She writes:

We have a team of six Groff researchers who are attempting to put together the Groff families of Hamilton, Fulton and Montgomery, counties. The letter was sent to me by one of them (I have written permission to use it). If anyone has any information on any of these families we'd greatly appreciate your help.

Hamilton Co: John 1762, Paul bet.1755- 1773
Fulton Co: Henry abt 1778
Montgomery Co: Christian 1771, Daniel abt 1769

About the people mentioned in the letter:
Overocker Groff (1798-1869) was in the 1820 census of Hope, Hamilton Co. He was married to Abigail Dowen and both are buried in Greenridge Cemetery, Saratoga Springs. 

Nicholas born in Hope (1820-1883) and his wife Sarah are also buried in Saratoga Springs.


This letter was written to Leon K. Groff, Pontiac MI.

December 14, l931


Dear Sir:
In answer to your letter of December 8th in regard to the Groff family. I an the oldest Groff living in this vicinty being 77 yrs. of age. My fathers name was Nicholas Groff who died some 50 yrs. ago. My grandfather's name was Overocker Groff and he was a son of one of the two brothers who came from Holland in the neighborhood of two hundred years ago. One being John and the other I can't remember. Neither could speak English, but both settled in the Mohawk Valley and from them the descendants branched out, some going west and some east. My father had two brothers, Jacob and Frank Groff. There are a lot of Groffs all up and down the Mohawk Valley and they are all descendants of the Groff family. There was a man by the name of Laffiet Groff back in the sixties who peddled gloves in this part of the country and he was from St. Johnsville, or up on that part of the valley and he was a descendant of the other brother who first landed in these parts. You have the right location of where they first settled in Stone Arabia. When I was a boy, there was a bible in our family which came from Holland and I don't believe it is in existance now, but if it is, we could find all we wanted to know. I do know that my great grandfather was one of the two brothers that first landed in this country. My grandfather whose name was Overocker Groff was one of five or seven brothers, the one of one of the first to land. I suppose that a lot of the Groffs now in the valley are descendants from those brother the same as myself.

Henry Groff
Cathrine St.
Saratoga Springs


Family Photograph

Children of Albert and Carrie Carpenter Groff

Front row: Alice (died young) Ruth and Fred the only surviving son, my grandmother Jessie is sitting next to him on the arm of the sette with her arms crossed.

Back row: Maude who married Elmer Loveday (owned Loveday Bakery in Gloversville), Molly who married Eugene Day Scribner (Atty.), Nora, and Myra who married Frank Robbins (her sons were Robert "Bob" Robbins and Frank "Junny" Robbins Jr. who owned Robbins Brothers Plumbing in Gloversville).

Fred Groff inherited Groff Ice Company which was owned by his father Albert Groff and was located on Franklin Street in Gloversville. Albert Groff (1855-1940), married to Carrie Carpenter was the son of Eliphalet (1826-1889) and Martha J. Conklin daughter of Isaac Conklin and Polly Stone. Eliphalet was a lumberman in Hope. Groff Mountain and Groff Creek in that area are named after this family of Groffs. Eliphalet was the son of John P. (1789-1885) who was married to Olive Wooster. Some of the above persons are buried in Willard Cemetery in Hope.

In the 1800 census of Hope there is a John Graff/Groff and a Paul Graff/Groff. John born in 1762 is buried in Williard Cemetery and is believed to be the father of John P. listed above (no documentation). We are currently looking for the spouse of John (1762). We have no other information on Paul except that by the 1810 he had died and his widow "Peggy" is listed as head of household. Any information pertaining to these two Groff men would be greatly appreciated.


Copyright ©1999 Marcia Buffet, Jeanette Shiel
All Rights Reserved.


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