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.