Linda Groves Worden's Grandparents...

Minnie B. Cox Groves

I have a few memories of some of my Grandparents but unfortunately my life has not been blessed with long periods of time in which to know my Grandparents.   

When I was born on December 7, 1944, my family and I lived in the home of one of my Great-Grandmothers.  Her name was Minnie Brithomart Cox Groves. She is pictured in a photo probably taken about the time I was born. 

My parents were married in the yard of that home on June 7, 1941. 

I have a picture showing those who attended that wedding.  The photo shows Pastor Ferguson, his wife, an unnamed person just behind my Great-Grandmother Minnie B. Groves,  my paternal Grandparents, Minnie's son, William, his wife, Amanda Isaacs Groves, my parents James B. Groves, Edna Matson Groves, my step-Grandmother Ella Lind Matson and my aunt Mildred  Groves.  Below those folks are my Dad's brothers, Hubert and Vernon.  I do not know the names of the woman or child.

My parent's first child was my brother, James Steven Groves.  A four generation photo was taken which shows my Great Grandmother Ermine Brithomart Cox Groves who went by the name Minnie B. Groves, my Grandfather William F. Groves, my father James Burton Groves and my brother James Steven Groves.  

My Grandfather was born in Nebraska but only lived a few years there before the family moved back to the Viroqua area of Wisconsin.  In my Grandpa Bills early twenties, he journeyed to Montana to work in the harvest.  There he met my Grandmother, Amanda Sophia Isaacs who was there to become a Homesteader.  They married in 1910 and lived on their Homestead for at least five years.  I have a photo of them on their wedding day.

My father was
born there on October 26, 1913.  

The Homestead was humble but adequate.  

My father had an older brother, Vernon, when he was born and is shown  in this photo with my Dad .

 

 

Another photo shows the Montana  cabin  when my sister Barbara Groves Drew visited Montana with our Father.  He always enjoyed returning to his birthplace.

 

 The family moved back to the Midwest in about 1915 and farmed in the Viroqua area.   I visited the Homestead site outside of Ryegate, MT in 1996 with my father where we had a picture taken in front of the cabin his family lived in during their Montana years.  We were able to open the front door and walk in to see the inside.  The cabin had become a chicken coop after housing families in the first part of the 20th century so the inside showed chicken nesting and roosting areas but it was possible to see how cozy the cabin would have been when my father was born there.

 

After the death of Minnie B Groves' husband, Isaac Newton Groves in 1937, my Grandparents moved to the farm that Isaac and Minnie owned.  My father was still single at that time and had been farming his Grandparent's farm following his graduation from Normal School.  He had become an educated teacher following high school but preferred farming to a school classroom.  As my parents met and married on June 7, 1941, my grandparents decided to move to Chicago where they got jobs that gave them delight and meaningful work until they retired.  

 

 

The road that borders the farm buildings is named for our family.  On another occasion, a photo was taken of that sign which included my brother and our youngest sister.

My brother and I drove around the farm where each of us spent our pre-school years a few years ago and the photo below shows some  of the farm buildings behind us.  It has remained an active dairy farm.

I remember some things about my Great-Grandmother from the years our family lived in her home.  She would often invite my brother and me into her rooms of the home and entertain us with her gift of story telling.  She sat me on top of a flour can on a window sill and my brother on a stool beside her and we were corralled as an attentive audience for her stories.  How I wish I could remember the stories I heard but since I was only three years old at the time, my only memory is of how much I loved listening to her.  She related stories of her years while growing up in Wisconsin and of moving to  Nebraska after she married where her first child, my Grandpa Bill Groves, was born.   Her delivery manner was dramatic and spell binding.   She died at age 89 and I attended her funeral.  I know I was overcome with sadness during that service.  I was eleven years old and had wonderful memories of her.   I have a photo of the funeral program from her funeral.

I did not know my Father's maternal parents but I know that each of them had been born in Norway and came to the United States with their families where they settled in Dane County near Madison, WI.  John Isaacson served from 1862 - 1865 in the Civil War.  

Family Search has this write up about him.

"The Life Summary of John Isaacson"
"John Isaacson was born on 12 March 1840, in Norway as the son of Knud Aslaugson Haadem and Marit Knudsdatter Berg. He married Karen "Carrie" Oliva Olson on 25 December 1865, in  Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They were the parents of at least 7 sons and 5 daughters. He lived in Winnebago, Iowa, United States in 1915. He registered for military service in 1861. He died on 1 November 1919, in Forest City, Winnebago, Iowa, United States, at the age of 79, and was buried in Oakland Cemetery, Forest City, Winnebago, Iowa, United States."

 

I have a photo taken at the time of my paternal Great-Grandparents 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1915 in Forest City, Iowa

Another photo shows their descendants at that 50th Anniversary.  My Grandmother is shown on the far left holding my 2 year old father.  My Grandfather is second from the left in the top row.

A few more photos show my Dad and his birth family around 1940.  My father is the tallest member of the family.

Another photo shows my paternal Grandparents at their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1960.  I am 15 years old.  I am third from the right in the top row.

 

William F. and Amanda Sofia Groves are pictured in 1960 when they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Viroqua, WI.  They were fully retired and lived in Fountain City, WI at this time. My paternal Grandparents lived in Fountain City, WI along the Mississippi River.  This was five miles from my family on the farm we moved to in 1948 just before I had my fourth birthday.

    

My Grandparents moved to Fountain City in the mid 1950's from Chicago.  I loved these Grandparents very much. Grandma helped with mending for our family.  She was loving and welcoming.  She was quiet and patient.  Grandpa was a talker.  My Grandparents had one of the first TV's as those were just beginning to be sold.  Our family would sometimes visit my grandparents so we could watch TV.  That was fun.  We watched Perry Como and sometimes special programs featuring Billy Graham preaching in a stadium.  My Grandparents were very godly, faithful Christians.  

My Grandmother fell and broke a hip when she was nearly 90 years old.  That required them to sell their home and move into a nursing home.  They moved to the Bethel Home in Viroqua, WI for the last years of their lives.  My Grandmother was several years older than my Grandfather.  She died at age 95 and my Grandfather lived to be 96.  I have a copy of the funeral program for my Grandfather.  I was married and unable to attend my Grandmother's funeral but I attended my Grandfather's service.

 

 

I have only a few memories of my maternal Great-Grandmother, Marit Tande Matson.  

Family Search has the following information about her.
“The Life Summary of Marit”
“When Marit Tande Matson was born on 22 March 1869, in Lom, Oppland, Norway, her father, Hans Tande, was 26 and her mother, Anna Sheldon, was 24. She married Mathias Johannes Matson on 7 November 1887, in Webster, Vernon, Wisconsin, United States. They were the parents of at least 11 sons and 5 daughters. She lived in Harmony, Vernon, Wisconsin, United States for about 5 years and Jefferson, Vernon, Wisconsin, United States for about 20 years. She died on 14 May 1952, in Viroqua, Vernon, Wisconsin, United States, at the age of 83, and was buried in Harmony, Vernon, Wisconsin, United States.”        

Marit and Mathias Matson had 16 pregnancies but three of their children died at very young ages.  The names used for those three children were used for subsequent children.  So they were referred to as Little Tina and older Tina as an example for three of the names of the children in the family.   Ludvick, my maternal Grandfather, was the oldest child in his family.  I have a photo from 1916 when there were 10 children in the family.  Ludvick is in the middle back row.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Great-Grandmother attended a bridal shower for my parents and I have a photo of her with my parents from that occasion.  That photo was taken in 1941.  I remember seeing her at Matson family reunions but I don't remember having a conversation with her.  

 

 

A later photo was taken in the same front yard of the farm where my parents lived until November 1, 1948.  It is a four generation picture that includes my mother holding me, her Father Ludvick Henry Matson and Grandmother Marit Tande Matson.

 

My mother was greatly influenced by her Grandmother Mary Matson.  When my mother was 15 years old, she was taken to the home of an aunt and uncle to live for a year.  Alfred and Mabel Tryggestad also had Marit living with them.  My mother shared a room with her Grandmother during that year.  In the night my mother would sometimes awaken and hear her Grandmother praying.  Her Grandmother was praying for all of her children and grandchildren.  These prayers had a great influence on my mother who had lost her mother when she was five years old.  My mother would begin a personal relationship with the Lord a few years later when a friend took her to a church which presented the plan of salvation which my mother believed, received and trusted for all her long lifetime until she passed away at age 90.

Family Search has the obituary of Marit Tande Matson

"Obituary for Mrs. Mary Matson:  Mrs. Mary Matson, oldest daughter of Hans and Anna Tande, was born at Lom, Gulbrandsdalen, Norway on March 22, 1869.  At the age of three, she came with her parents to America, settling in Vernon County, Wisconsin where she spent her entire life.  She was baptized in Norway and confirmed  in June 1884 at the Bad Axe Lutheran church by Rev. J. G. Nelson.

On November 7, 1887 she was married at Westby, Wisconsin, to Mathias Matson who was her devoted companion for 38 years and who preceded her in death in 1925.  To this union fifteen children were born.  Besides her husband, 2 girls and five boys preceded her in death.  She is survived by eight living children, 3 daughters and 5 sons.  They are Anna, Mrs. Albert Walters, Genoa, Mabel, Mrs. Alfred Tryggestad, Viroqua, Evelyn, Mrs. Kenneth Tollefson, Milwaukee, Ludvick of Sparta, John and Emerald of Viroqua, and Lester and Lee of Los Angeles, California, and three sisters, Mrs. Charley Johnson, Mrs. William Schukerowsky and Mrs. Harold Thomas; also 27 grandchildren and 47 great grandchildren and a host of friends.

She has been failing in health for the past few years and on May 14, 1952 she slept away in the faith of her Savior at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Alfred Tryggestad at the age of 83 years, 1 month, and 22 days.  Funeral services were conducted Saturday, May 17, at the Zion church with the
Rev. Peder Nordsletten officiating.  She possessed a kind, sympathetic nature, always thinking of those who were near to her.  Blessed be her memory."

 

My maternal Grandparents Ludvick Henry Matson and Tessie Oliver married March 15, 1911.  Tessie Jane Oliver was born in Harmony, Vernon County WI near Viroqua on September 16, 1886.  She died on January 21, 1925. 
 I have a photo of my maternal Grandparents on their wedding day. 

My maternal Grandfather remarried twice after the death of his first wife who was the mother of his seven children.   Tessie Oliver Matson was 39 years old when she died unexpectedly following a surgery for a thyroid tumor which had been successful.  Her seven children were 8 months to 12 years old when she died.   She was hospitalized in LaCrosse, WI which was beside a railroad track.  In the night a train passed and blew its whistle which startled my Grandmother.  She fell out of bed and was found bleeding on the floor beside the bed.  My mother was five years old so had very few memories of her birth mother.

Tessie and Ludvick Matson  Edna Virginia Matson being held by her mother

A very poor quality picture may be the only picture my mother had that included her being held by her mother when she was very young.  The photo is Ludvick, Tessie, Norman, Albin, Lyle, Doris and Edna Matson.

Ludvick would marry Ella Lind four years later.  I have a photo of them on their wedding day. and a photo of my family as we were attending their 25th wedding anniversary reception.

Ella Lind was 40 years old and had never been married when she married my Grandfather with his six children.  The baby had been adopted by a couple who were childless.  That Mom was a sister to Ella Lind so the families stayed in close communication.

Grandpa Ludvick was known for his love of the steam engine he owned and used during his years of farming.  He kept his steam engine into his retirement and fired it up occasionally for family reunions or other family gatherings.  He is shown sitting on his steam engine in the photo above.

My Grandfather Ludvick was a wonderful craftsman and my father welcomed his help for projects that required extra hands and expertise around our farm.  The Matsons lived in Sparta, WI about 65 miles from our farm.   Grandpa and Ella came to help my Dad build a milk house at our Fountain City farm in the mid 1950's.  Grandpa is probably taking the photo I have so he isn't in the group shot but my Grandparents Bill and Amanda Groves are on the far right in the photo in front of the finished milk house.  They are on either side of me - the one with a camera around my neck.

My Grandfather married Tillie after Ella's death.  Tillie was a delightful lady.  She is the one who taught me how to make lefse.  She was an expert lefse maker and excelled at other culinary tasty treats.  She said it was easy to make lefse.  Just mash potatoes and measure twice as much mashed potatoes as flour into a bowl.  Mix those ingredients together and roll out like pie crust to bake on a lefse grill.  I now have another recipe which adds some ingredients to the potatoes but I still use twice as much mashed potatoes as flour and my lefse is delicious.
I have a photo of my mother with her father and his third wife, Tillie.  

Tillie, Edna and Ludvick

 

 

I have had kind, loving Grandparents.  I wish I could have known them better but that wasn't possible.  I am grateful for their lives and the children they raised that became my parents.