Elijah Groom

Elijah Groom is thought by one researcher (Joe Groom, P.O. Box 9082, Tampa, Florida 33604) to be the same person as Elijah Croom, who served in the State Militia of North Carolina and married in North Carolina in 1776 to Catherine "Caty" Herring, d/o Stephen Herring and Sarah Bright. Joe Groom has documented the family tradition of the name change, and the Herring and Bright names carry forward in the names of Elijah's children, Stephen Herring Groom and Bright Marshall Groom. Elijah and Caty moved to Georgia between 1790 and 1800. "Elijah Croome" was granted 430 acres of land in 1804 in Washington County, GA (Grant Book EEEEE, p. 766). The Washington County, Ga. grantee index (Deed Book H.5, pp. 59, 200) shows grants of 200 acres in 1810, and 100 acres (undated) to heirs of Elijah Groom. The same reference shows 381 acres to Jesse Groom in 1811. The issue of Elijah and Caty Groom/Grooms were:

1. Betsy Grooms, b. ca. 1778
2. Mary Grooms, b. ca. 1780; m. ____ Miller; lived Stewart Co., Ga.
3. Priscilla Grooms, b. ca. 1782; d. 4 June 1873.
4. Council Grooms, b. 1783-1789 in NC; m. 6 December 1812 at Putnam Co., GA,
to Elizabeth Lofton, b. 1790-1795, in SC. Council is in the 1850 Coosa Co., AL census (p. 109), and he d. there in 1856. Council Groom left property in his will to five of his then-living children. To the remaining four (Selina Watson, Bryant B., Francis Council, and Sarah) he left $5.00 only. It is probably not mere coincidence that these four are known in family lore to be those who sympathized with the North in the War Between the States. Council may have died with sizable land holdings, as he owned 3,738 acres in Jan. of 1836, as well as another 4,121 acres in partnership with William A. Campbell. Judging from Census records and the birthplaces of his known children, Council was in Georgia 1813-14; in Tennessee 1816; Todd Co., KY, about 1822-25; and back in Upson Co., GA 1825-35. He moved to Coosa Co., AL, about 1836. Issue:

a. Bryant B. Grooms, b. ca. 1813 in GA.
b. Elizabeth Grooms, b. ca. 1814 in GA, m. James McGuirk (also McGourk).
In
their household in the 1850 Census of Coosa County, Ala., Hatchett Creek District (p. 302) are the following:

          McGourk (McGuirk), Mary      8

                        Martha                  6

                        Amanda                  3

                        Hulin                   1

                        David                   25

                        Clark, Nancy            40

                        William Clark            3

                        Napoleon Clark           2

                        Elizabeth Clark          1 mo.

c. Salina Grooms, b. ca. 1816 in Tennessee, m. George Watson. Listed in 1850 Census of Coosa County, Hatchett Creek District (p. 297) in their household (all born in AL):

Watson, David 13
William 12
Rebecca 10
Martha 8
Katherine 6
George 4
Zilpha 2

d. Catherine Grooms m. -- Clark (Clarke) e. Francis Council Groom, b. ca. 1825 in Todd Co., KY; m. Catherine Elizabeth Adams. Moved to Stewart Co., Ga., about 1847-48, then to Boston (Thomas Co.) Ga. about 1853; then to Mitchell Co., Ga., about 1856; and then to Jefferson Co., Fla. about 1863. Francis Council served in the Union Army during the War Between the States. He died from pneumonia during Union service in the Civil War near Cedar Key, Fla., and is buried at a Military Cemetery on Ceder Key in Florida. Shortly after his death, his widow married Samuel Blue. See below for more on this family. f. Andrew Jackson Grooms, b. Feb. 1826, in Georgia, m. Amanda C. Mooney, b. Oct. 1830; d. Jan. 1882 in Weogufka, AL; in the 1850 Census of Coosa Co., AL (p. 109), Hatchett Dist. Issue: (1) Wright Anderson Groom, b. 10/13/1865, at Rockford, AL, d. 9/16/1948 at Huffman, AL; m. on Jan. 15, 1889, at Weogufka, AL, to Charity Jane Callaway, b. 1/20/1870, at Weogufka; d. 4/30/1954, at Huffman, AL, d/o Josiah Callaway, b. 2/16/1835, and Sarah Jane Collier, b. 6/6/1842, m. on 3/15/1855, at Weogufka, AL. Sarah Jane d. 9/8/1910 at Weogufka. Josiah d. 1/3/1900 at Weogufka. Charity Jane's siblings are Newt, Ida, Nancy, Missouri ("Sissy"), Mary D., William W., Joanna ("Jody"), Bennie L., and John Turpin.

g. Zilpha Grooms, b. 1/29/1829, Upson Co., GA; d. 9/11/1910, in Coosa County, AL; m. Francis Marion Gandy (see Chapter II, Descendants of Brinkley and Leah Nasworthy Gandy, "Family of Max Whiddon Gandy," Melba A. Gandy, comp., Megan Press, 4656 A-1, South 34th Street, Arlington, VA 22206, 1994.) h. Sarah "Sallie" Grooms, b. ca. 1832 in Upson Co., GA i. Mary M. Grooms, b. ca. 1835 in Upson Co., GA, m. -- Posey 5. Wright Groom, b. ca. 1784 in NC. The following person of the same name has been found, and is of the right age to have been a son: Wright Groom, b. ca. 1801-1803; m. 1Melvina --, b. ca. 1809, and 2Martha --. Wright is found in the 1840 Census of Montgomery Co., Ala. (p. 202); is a saddler by trade in the 1850 Montgomery Co. Census, and a Mechanic in 1860. He bought property from Thomas P. Miller in Mobile Co., AL, in April 1846; but is in the 1850 Census of Montgomery Co., Ala., Ward #3, enumerated 14 Dec. 1850 (p. 145), where only he and his wife Melvina are listed in the household. This is quite notable: it is rare to find a couple in their 40s with no children at home. It leads one to several possible conclusions: (1) Wright married late in life; or (2) Wright married before he married Melvina, and his children were living with the first wife; or (3) Melvina had no children after the age of 33 or so. In 1860, Wright Grooms is listed in Montgomery Co. as follows (p. 231, household #872): Wright Grooms 57 M Mechanic 500 (value 5,000 (value Ga. Martha " 55 F of real of personal Ga. Melvina E. 4 F estate) property) Ala. Wright 2 M Ala. Katharine 7 mos. Ala.

Clearly, Wright married Martha between 1850 and 1860. Melvina E. no doubt was Wright's daughter by his wife of the same name, but the mother of the remaining two children is not clear. Considering the age of Martha, it is likely that Melvina died in childbirth with Katharine -- but if so, it didn't take Wright long to grieve and then find a new wife (7 months). Wright Grooms has not been found in the 1870 Census (part of which is illegible). 6. Bright Marshall Groom, b. ca. 1790, d. 21 Aug. 1862; Moved to Williamson Co., TN, where he taught school and enlisted in the Tennessee Militia for service in the War of 1812. Married on 17 Aug. 1813 to Catherine Winders; and is listed as a magistrate in Weakly, TN, in 1850. Moved to Todd Co., KY, then to Texas about 1856-57, and lived at the Mill Creek Settlement. 9. Stephen Herring Groom, b. ca. 1792; d. ca. 1834; m. ca. 1816-17 to Winefred Winders, sister of Catherine Winders, wife of Bright Marshall Groom. Moved from Washington Co., GA, to Todd Co., KY. 10. Zeptha Ann Grooms, b. ca. 1800, d. 9 April 1884; m. ____ Crumbly, lived in Stewart Co., Ga. Joseph A. Groom, Sr. also lists as children of Elijah Groom: Jessie Groom, b. ca. 1793, d. ca. 1799 Wiley Groom, b. ca. 1793, d. ca. 1799. I had found two people with these names that I assumed to be sons of a brother, named Bryant, of Elijah Groom. Bryant is found as follows: Bryant Grooms owned 903 acres of land on 2 Jan. 1835. He is listed alone as head of a household in the 1850 Census of Coosa County, AL (p. 304?), Hatchett Creek District. In the 1860 Census of Montgomery Co. (p. 305), there is a "B. Croom": B. Croom 57 M Planter 75,000/130,000 N.C. Elina 48 F N.C. Ann Hanks(?) 83 F 20,000 N.C. In the 1870 Census of Montgomery Co. (p. 194) is: Croom, Bryant 69 M Farmer 10,000/3,000 S.C. Wright, John 14 M Ala. Jones, Jesse R. 21 M Agent on farm Ala. Those I thought to be this Bryant's sons are found as follows: Jessie Groom. "Jesse Groom" drew land in the 1805 Georgia land lottery. He was shown as a resident of Washington Co., GA. Both Catherine Groom and Wiley Groom also were registered for this lottery but did not win land. "Jesse Groom" also is shown as a grantee of 381 acres of land in Washington County in 1811 (Grant Book H.5, p. 359). Wiley Groom. Washington County, Ga. Deed Book I.5, p. 48, shows Wiley Grooms as a grantee of "8/10" acres in 1812. "Wiley Grooms" drew Land Lot 2, Section 11, in Washington Co., GA, in the 1820 land lottery. He was shown as a resident of Hall County. FRANCIS COUNCIL GROOM Francis Council Groom, b. ca. 1825, m. Catherine Elizabeth Adams, d. in service to the Union Army during the War Between the States; bur. at Broomsage Cemetery near Wacissa, FL. His monument at Rosehill Cemetery near Monticello, FL, reads: Francis Council Groom / about 1825 - about 1865 / Union Army - Cedar Key, Florida. Issue: 1. Elizabeth Ann Groom, b. 28 May 1846, d. 21 June 1923, m. Colen Blue (s/o his wife's mother's second husband), b. 6 March 1842, d. 21 January 1920. Colen is reported to have refused to join the Southern forces in the War Between the States. Issue: Cenia Lagenia; Harrison; David Francis; and at least nine others. 2. James Groom (an "A. James Grooms" m. on 28 Jan. 1883 to Martha F. Thomas.) 3. William "Will" Council Groom, b. 26 June 1850 at Thomas Co., GA, d. 17 Oct. 1922, bur. at Broomsage Cemetery; m. Mary Jane Connell, b. 12 Oct. 1852 at Gadsden Co., FL; d. 14 April 1924, in Tampa, Fla. but buried at Wacissa. She was d/o David Grey Connell and Sarah E. Strickland Connell. Will and Mary Jane moved to Taylor Co., FL, then to Jefferson Co. Issue: a. David Francis Groom m. Sallie E. Stafford. Issue: Claude, age 71 in 1984, lived near Wacissa in Jefferson Co., FL; and Council Bryan Groom, b. 8 Apr. 1901, d. 10 Nov. 1981, m. Darlie Mae --, b. 28 Feb. 1906, d. 19 June 1976. b. William T. "Billy" Groom, lived in Ft. Myers, FL c. Sarah E. Groom m. Will Coggins d. Edwin Houston Groom, b. 25 Feb. 1885 in Jefferson Co., FL; d. 26 April 1974; m. Cenia Lagenia Blue. (See Appendix I, p. 3 for issue.) e. Victoria Ann Groom m. William Boland f. Joseph O. Groom, m. Elizabeth Story, lived in Wacissa, then Tampa. Issue: Joseph A. Groom m. Henrietta Wilson; Dixie W.; Burrell J.; and Mary Jane Groom. g. Joel I. Groom, twin of Joseph O., lived in Tampa and married Mary --, a Greek woman. 4. John Miles Groom, b. ca. 1852 near Wacissa, FL, m. on 24 January 1881 at Coosa Co., AL, to Nancy E. Crew, daughter of G. W. Crew and Elisa Crew. John Miles and Nancy Groom had three daughters and one son. 5. Mary Elizabeth Groom, b. 25 April 1854, at Boston, GA, m. John P. Taylor on 28 Nov. 1875; d. 26 June 1933. 6. Susan Caroline Groom, b. 27 May 1857, at Camilla, Mitchell Co., GA; m. Thomas Lee Carlton on 5 March 1877 at Perry, FL; d. 15 Nov. 1928 at Perry. 7. Joseph S. Groom, b. ca. 1859 in Camilla, GA. 8. Nancy Groom, b. ca. 1861 at Camilla, GA; m. on 23 Jan. 1876 at Taylor Co., FL to Preston N. Woods. 9. Ora Addie Groom, b. ca. 1863 at Camilla, GA. Family of Andrew Jackson Grooms, b. Feb. 1826 The children of Andrew Jackson Grooms and his wife Amanda C. Mooney, are listed below. Much of this information is copied from the World Family Tree, submitter number 4198, #3, in September 1996. 1. Wright Anderson Groom, b. Oct. 13, 1865, at Rockford, AL, d. Sept. 16, 1948, at Huffman, AL; m. on Jan. 15, 1889, at Weogufka, AL, to Charity Jane Callaway, b. 1/20/1870, at Weogufka; d. 4/30/1954, at Huffman, AL, d/o Josiah Callaway, b. 2/16/1835, and Sarah Jane Collier, b. 6/6/1842, m. on 3/15/1855, at Weogufka, AL. Sarah Jane d. 9/8/1910 at Weogufka. Josiah d. 1/3/1900 at Weogufka. Charity Jane's siblings are Newt, Ida, Nancy, Missouri ("Sissy"), Mary D., william W., Joanna ("Jody"), Bennie L., and John Turpin. Issue of Wright and Charity Jane (not in rotation): a. Nora Ethelene Groom, b. June 7, 1890, in Rockford, AL; m. Tom Horton. Two issue: Virgie and Woodrow Horton. b. Eva Leslie Groom, b. Jan. 13, 1893, Perry Co., AL; d. Dec. 1981 in Panama City, Bay Co., FL; m. in 1918 at Henderson, AL, to Henry Hugh Moon, b. Jan. 16, 1886, Perry Co., AL; d. March 27, 1960, at Lynn Haven, Bay Co., FL. Issue: Harold Maurice Moon, Henry Hugh Moon Jr., and Will Eleanor Moon. c. William Ezra Groom, b. Oct. 16, 1893 d. Amos Ward Groom, b. April 12, 1894 e. Bertha Loraine Groom, b. Dec. 10, 1895 f. Unnamed infant g. Rossie E., b. January 4, 1898 h. Codelia Eunice Groom, m. Matt Vinson. Issue: Frances, Thomas M., and Melvin ("Joe"). i. Clara May Groom, m. John Schrader. Issue: Anna Louise, John Jr., and George Schrader. j. Nina Ellen Melissa Groom, m. Hugh B. Morgan k. John Turpin Groom, b. September 1884. EDWIN HOUSTON GROOM Edwin Houston Groom, b. 25 Feb. 1885 in Jefferson Co., FL; d. 26 April 1974, bur. at Broomsage Cemetery near Wacissa, FL; m. his first cousin, Cenia Lagenia Blue. A monument to this Groom family can be found at Rosehill Cemetery, on U.S. 19 north from Monticello, Florida. Tradition holds that Edwin Houston Groom had a store and kept silver dollars in a pot under the floor of the store. While the existence of the pot under the floor has not been confirmed, the silver dollars were distributed to his heirs on his death. Issue: 1. Edwin Franklin Groom, b. 2 March 1908 at Wacissa; d. 1 August 1909. 2. Roy Houston Groom, b. 6 Sept. 1909; m. Ethel L. Smith, b. 15 June 1910. 3. Ralph Sidney Groom, b. 30 Sept. 1912; m. Mildred W. Strickland, b. 30 Sept.1915. 4. Agnes Lagenia Groom, b. 10 Oct. 1914; m. John Oliver Laing, b. 14 Oct. 1912, d. 21 June 1962. 5. Alma Evelyn Groom, b. 22 Jan. 1916, m. Alburnie Augustus Pitts, b. 17 Jan. 1915, d. 1 May 1983. 6. Edna Annette Groom, b. 9 March 1918, m. Thomas Lake Loeb, b. 4 April 1915. 7. Reubin Pershing Groom, b. 4 Oct. 1919, m.Mozelle I. Allen, b. 18 March1920. 8. Cenia Mae Groom, b. 15 Sept. 1921, m. Robert Frederick Wagner, b. 19 April1922. 9. Mary Annelle Groom, b. 24 July 1927, m. Paul Ernest Lott, b. 5 Dec. 1920. The Lotts live on Circle Drive in Tallahasse, Florida, in November 1984. ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF GROOM FAMILY INFORMATION 1. Joseph Groom, Box 9082, Tampa, Florida 33604. 2. Inscriptions on monuments and graves, Rosehill Cemetery, Monticello,Florida. 3. Interviews with Agnes Lagenia [Blue] Laing and Alma Evelyn [Blue] Pitts, Tallahassee, Florida, September 1984. ___________________________ GROOM(S) IN CENSUS SCHEDULES 1850 Mobile, AL (Roll 17) p. 297 F. Wabecker 42 M Shop Keeper Germany Elizabeth " 30 F Germany Catherine Groom 20 F Germany Maria Smith 36 F Germany Elizabeth Austel 12 F New York Catherine Austel 6 F Alabama p. 345 Wm. Bryden 46 M Clerk Scotland Emma " 36 F England Harriot Groom 30 F England Ellen Groom 29 F England 1850 Montgomery Co., AL, Ward #3, enumerated Dec. 14, 1850 (Roll 19) p. 145 Wright Grooms 48 M Saddler 250 Georgia Melvina " 40 F 1850 Coosa Co., AL, Hatchett Creek District, enumerated 14 Nov. 1850 p. 109 Grooms, Councel 64 M Farmer N.C. Elizabeth 58 F S.C. Zilpha 20 F Ga. Sarah 18 F Ga. Mary 14 F Ga. p. 297 George Watson 35 M Farmer Ga. Salina " 34 F Tenn. David 13 M Ala. William 12 M Ala. Rebecca 10 F Ala. Martha 8 F Ala. Katherine 6 F Ala. George 4 M Ala. Zilpha 2 F Ala. 1850 Coosa Co., AL, Hatchett Creek District, enumerated 14 Nov. 1850 p. 302 James McGourk 37 M Farmer 200 Ga. Elizabeth 36 F Ga. (illit.) Mary 8 F Ala. (idiot) Martha 6 F Ala. Amanda 3 F Ala. Hulin 1 M Ala. David 25 M Farmer Ga. Nancy Clark 40 F Ga. William Clark 3 M Ala.