Franklin & Pickaway Co. History, Madison Twp., Franklin Co:


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Biography of Ezekiel Groom
pg. 442, Franklin & Pickaway Co. History, Madison Twp., Franklin Co:

Ezekiel Groom, born in New Jersey in 1767, and his wife, Rhoda, a native of the same State, born in 1773, removed soon after their marriage in 1790 from New Jersey to Hampshire Co., VA. There they lived until 1804 when they emigrated to Ohio, and took up their abode in the wilderness, on the water of Walnut creek, now Pickaway County. Their location was that now occupied (1880) by Vause Decker of whose father (Luke Decker) Mr. Groom rented. In 1807 they removed to this township, and located in Section 9, near where the bridge crosses the creek. He died there Aug 1, 1836, and his wife Nov 13, 1859. They were both zealous christians and active members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and were among the original members of the Hopewell class. They had a family of 9 children, of whom Thomas, now living in Columbus with his daughter, Mrs. Chamberlain, in his 85th year, and Mrs. Hosea Britton of Hilliard, are the only survivors.

Ezekiel Groom is also mentioned as follows on pg; 394:

Walnut Hill Methodist Church: In 1804 the pioneer circuit rider Rev. James Quinn, was appointed to the Hockhocking circuit. Soon after he made his way from Toby town, near where Royalton now is, which was one of his regular appointments, to the cabin of William Harper, near where Lockbourne now stands, with Ezekiel Groom as his pilot through the wilderness.

pg. 351, Madison Twp., Pickaway Co.:

Luke Decker came to Madison twp. in 1806, from Hampshire Co, VA, now WV. He remained two years, when he returned home, where he married Iva Fox, and brought his bride to begin a home in the western woods. He entered Section 20 when he first came, and was accompanied by Ezekiel Groom and family who soon removed to Franklin County.

pg. 447, Madison Twp., Frankling Co.:

Hopewell Church: There are some incidents, connected with the origin of this old society of an execeedingly interesting character. In 1804, Ezekiel Groom and family, as elsewhere stated, removed from Hampshire Co., VA, to Madison Twp, now Pickaway Co., and settled on Walnut creek, building their cabin where Vause Decker now (1880) lives. After about 3 weeks spent in settling his family and putting in his spring crop, Mr. Groom started out in search of Methodists. About 9 miles distant, a little south of where Bloomfield now stands, in Pickaway County, he found a settler by the name of Bishop, who had been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church in Virginia. The next morning, which was the Sabbath, Groom and Bishop set out for the old village of Toby Town, near the present site of Royalton, Fairfield County, where they had heard there were Methodists living. When near the place, they fell in with two men, who, on inquiry, informed them they were Methodists, and on their way to class meeting. These men were Broad Cole and Jeremiah Williams. Groom and Bishop attended the meeting, after which they returned to their homes.

Mr. Groom, wishing to attend the meetings regularly, and believing there must be a nearer way than that which he and Bishop had traveled, which was 18 miles in extent one way, he and his neighbor, William Bush, set out in search of it. They called at an Indian camp in the neighborhood, and inquired of the Indian, Billy Wyandot, the distance in a direct line through the wilderness to Toby Town. The Indian held up his eight fingers, signifying eight miles. Billy was employed to pilot them through. Groom took his axe, and Bush and the Indian their guns, and started. Groom blazed the way as they went, and cut out a path as they returned, thus providing a short route to meeting.

Soon after this, the well-known pioneer Methodist preacher, Rev. James Quinn, was appointed to the Hockhocking circuit, and made Toby Town one of his regular preaching places. Soon after he came, Mr. Groom conducted the preacher, by way of his new road, from Toby Town to the house of William Harper, near where Lockbourn[e] now is, where he organized the first class on Walnut creek. Mr. Quinn organized, in 1805, at the cabin of Ezekiel Groom, the Hopewell society, which was then and until a church was erected, called the Groom class. The little band was composed of nine persons, as follows: Ezekiel Groom, his wife Rhoda, and their two daughters Mary and Sarah; William Bush and wife, Nancy; and Mrs. Nancy Burton and daughters, Lucy and Betsey. Meetings were held at Mr. Groom's log house -- with the exceptioin of about 2 years, when they were held at Jeremiah White's until the erection of the old Hopewell meeting-house, which was a frame and stood about a quarter of a mile up the creek from the present church, where the old graveyard still is. In 1844, the society built on the Pickaway county line, the house now in use.

My note: this is all taking place at the northern edge of Pickaway Co., the southern edge of Franklin Co. and the western edge of Fairfield Co.

The following was submitted by Gene Harrison. If you can help him to make the connection to the family of Ezekiel Groom, please email him directly at: EHarris1@columbus.rr.com.

Ezekiel Groom was born 1767 Hampshire Virginia and married Rhoda McDonald. He was the son of Moses Groom and Mary Brown. After Moses died Mary came and lived with Ezekiel. Ezekiel and Rhoda had 4 sons and 4 daughters. They are:
William D. b.1790 N.J., d. 1860 Knoxville Iowa. He married Nancy Moore.
Mary Groom b.1791 N.J. d. Madison Twp. Franklin co. buried at Hopewell Gryd.
Moses b.1793 Va. died 1852 Franklin co.
Sarah Sally b. 1795 d. Shelby Oh.
Thomas b. Va. 1796 d. 1881 Franklin Co Oh.
Catherine b. 1797 Va.
Tamsen b..1800 Va.
John Elliott b. Va.1805 d. 1850 Ca.

Ezekiel's father, Moses, was b. in Windsor Middlesex N.J. 1740 d. 1800 Hamshire Va. Ezekiel's mother, Mary Brown, b.1745 N.J. d. Franklin Co.

Moses' father was Peter Groom, b.1695 Monroe N.J., d. Windsor N.J. His wife Elizabeth.

Peter's father also was named Peter, b.1670 in England d. 11/25/1728 Brinswick N.J.

My Groom line is:
My mother Anna Marie Groom,
Grandfather John Grooms, Grandmother Annie Elizabeth Furr,
GGrandparents John Groom and Missoura Annie Sullivan,
GGGrandparents Peter Groom and Louisa O'Harra. They where married 3/10/1846 Franklin Co. I know by census Peter was born about 1818 in Ohio. He could be a son of Moses or Thomas or just a cousin. My grandfather had a cousin Moses, and his brothers where Peter and Joseph. The name Joseph was from their GGrandfather Joseph O'Harra.

I may be connected to Ezekiel Groom. Their son, William, moved to Marion Ia.; John Elliott went to Ca., Thomas and Moses stayed in Franklin Co. My GGgrandfather, Peter Groom, was born around 1822 and my Ggrandfather, John, and grandfather, John, used the names Peter John and Moses in their families. But I have no birth records to prove that Peter was the son of Moses.