Flipside: John F. Groomes and Margaret C. Orr Groomes of Columbiana County, Ohio

Columbiana County Infirmary circa 1900

My maternal great-grandaunt, Margaret "Maggie" C. Orr, daughter of William Morland Orr and Nancy Agnes Cannon Orr, was born in Elkrun Township, Columbiana County, Ohio in 1842. She was only seven years old when her father died. Her mother remarried; however, Maggie's stepfather only lived three years after the wedding. Nancy Agnes Cannon Orr McCormick raised her children after 1853 alone.

Columbiana County built a County Infirmary to house the poor and mentally ill. It was located west of New Lisbon (now Lisbon) in Centre Township. Two hundred acres of land was purchased in 1829. Those living at the home worked on the farm. during the remainder of the 1800's, additional land was purchased and more buildings were constructed.

1870 Ohio Federal Census
Centre Township, Columbiana County, Ohio
June 1, 1870

The portion of the 1870 census report above contains the names of the first listed people working at the Columbiana County Infirmary. Robert Stevenson was the supervisor and his wife, Moriah Stevenson, the matron.

John Groomes, age 33, farm laborer, value of personal property $2,000, born in Ohio

Margaret Orr, age 27, domestic servant, born in Ohio

How long Jim and Maggie worked together at the infirmary is unknown. It does appear that this is where they met.

On November 10, 1870, twenty-eight year old, Maggie Orr married thirty-four year old James F. Groomes in Columbiana County, Ohio. Reverend William Lynch, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, performed the wedding service. James was the son of James Grooms and Nancy Frederick Grooms. James was born in April, 1836 in Ohio. The surname is spelled with and without the letter "e".

The Groomes welcomed their first child, a daughter, Addie Groomes, on October 3, 1871. Addie was probably born in Centre Township, Columbiana County, Ohio.

Two more daughters were born, Myrtha Groomes on January 28, 1873 and Harriet Groomes on April 15, 1875. Both girls were also probably born in Centre Township, Columbiana County, Ohio.

In 1876, James F. Groomes was elected the new supervisor of the Columbiana County Infirmary.

Gallipolis Journal
Gallipolis, Ohio
November 9, 1876
Page 2

This is James F. Groomes, Superintendent of Columbiana County Infirmary. The newspaper reported an incorrect county in the article.

In my notes, I copied an article that appeared in the New Lisbon Journal, Monday, October 30, 1876.

"John Grooms, Superintendent of the County Infirmary, was stabbed there by an inmate named Headly. About two years since, Headly's wife died at Wellsville leaving two children and the father concluding he would be unable to support himself and children went to the Infirmary. He cares for the heating engine. One of the children has since been sent out to work, another is at school. In an argument with Grooms, he stabbed him....not fatally, but charges will be brought."

A fourth daughter, Achsah Groomes, was born on May 11, 1878 in Centre Township, Columbiana County, Ohio.

1880 Ohio Federal Census
Centre Township, Columbiana County
June 5 & 7, 1880

John Groomes, age 44, married, Superintendent County Infirmary, born in Ohio, father born in Maryland, mother born in Pennsylvania.

Margaret Groomes, age 37, wife, married, Mistress of County Infirmary, born in Ohio, both parents born in Ohio.

Addie Groomes, age 9, daughter, at school, born in Ohio, both parents born in Ohio.

Myrtha Groomes, age 7, daughter, at school, born in Ohio, both parents born in Ohio.

Harriet Groomes, age 5, daughter, at school, born in Ohio, both parents born in Ohio.

Achsah Groomes, age 2, daughter, born in Ohio, both parents born in Ohio.

In 1880 there were 86 patients enumerated at the infirmary. Two farm laborers, four servants, one cook, one seamstress and one sawyer. The range of infirmities were epileptic, blind, deaf and dumb, idiotic, insane and disabled.

In 1882, James resigned from the position of superintendent of the Columbiana County Infirmary and returned to farming.

John F. Groomes purchased 133.25 acres of land in the northeast corner of Section 5, Centre Township, Columbiana County, Ohio.

The Groomes last child, a son, Frank Oscar Groomes, was born probably on the Groomes farm, on April 10, 1885 in Centre Township, Columbiana County, Ohio.

On July 14, 1892, twenty year old, Addie Groomes married twenty one year old Harry W. Cope in Columbiana County, Ohio. Harry, son of Lorenzo Dow Cope and Ruth M. Kuffel Cope, was born August 18, 1870 in Columbiana County, Ohio.

Twenty one year old Harriet M. Groomes married twenty six year old David Clarence Burson on April 15, 1896 in Columbiana County, Ohio. David, born on February 20, 1870 in New Garden, Columbiana County, Ohio, was the son of Nelson Burson and Lany Ann Harris Burson.

Margaret "Maggie" C. Groomes, age fifty four, died in 1896, probably on the family farm. She was buried in Mt. Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery, Centre Township, Columbiana County, Ohio.

1900 Ohio Federal Census
Centre Township, Columbiana County
June 4, 1900

John F. Groomes, head, born April 1836, age 64, widower, born in Ohio, father born in Maryland, mother born in Pennsylvania, farmer, can read, write and speak English, owns a farm with mortgage.

Myrtha E. Groomes, daughter, born Jan 1873, age 27, single, born in Ohio, both parents born in Ohio, housekeeper, can read, write and speak English

Frank O. Groomes, son, born April 1885, age 15, single, born in Ohio, both parents born in Ohio, at school, can read, write and speak English

William F. Groomes, brother, born July 1834, age 65, single, born in Ohio, father born in Maryland, mother born in Pennsylvania, farm laborer, an read, write and speak English

Achsah Groomes was enumerated on the 1900 and 1910 Ohio Federal census with the family of William J. and Lorena A. Yates, living at East Rail Road in Salem, Columbiana County, Ohio. Achsah was employed there as a housekeeper.

On January 20, 1905, John F. Groomes died at age sixty nine. He was buried beside his wife, Maggie, at Mt. Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery. He has a Civil War marker beside the gravestone.

The Evening Review
East Liverpool, Ohio
February 4, 1905
Page 1

Additional Information:

John F. Groomes Civil War Information

Very informative biography on
John F. Groomes and Family
Corrections in the margin

Centre Township Map
Showing relationship of Lisbon,
John F. Groomes Farm, the County Infirmary
and Mt. Zion Cemetery (the red circle)

Children of John F. Groomes and Margaret "Maggie" C. Orr Groomes:

Addie Groomes, born on October 1, 1871 in Centre Township, Columbiana County, Ohio, died on April 12, 1925 in Sebring, Mahoning County, Ohio. Married Harry W. Cope on July 14, 1892 in Columbiana County, Ohio. Children: Margaret A. Cope, Earl Eustice Cope, Virginia Ruth Cope, Mayme B. Cope and John Frederick Cope.
Myrtha Groomes, born on January 28, 1873 in Centre Township, Columbiana County, Ohio, died on May 29, 1944 in Salem, Columbiana County, Ohio. Married Edward G. Cox on April 2, 1902 in Columbiana County, Ohio.
Harriet M. Groomes, born on April 15, 1875 in Centre Township, Columbiana County, Ohio, died on December 24, 1928. Married David Clarence Burson on April 15, 1896 in Columbiana County, Ohio. Children: Esther L. Burson, Arthur Nelson Burson, Emery John Burson, Mary M. Burson and Sylvia Lorane Burson.
Achsah Groomes, born May 11, 1878 in Centre Township, Columbiana County, Ohio, died on May 15, 1962 in Salem, Columbiana County, Ohio. Married widower, Mervin George Farmer, on February 11, 1915 in Columbiana County, Ohio.
Frank Oscar Groomes born on April 10, 1885 in Centre Township, Columbiana County, Ohio, died on October 19, 1940 in Columbiana County, Ohio. Married on March 2, 1911 in Columbiana County, Ohio, Ruth Ann Huffnagle. Children: William R. Groomes, Wanda Margaret Groomes, Harold Wayne Groomes. This family group seems to have dropped the "e" in the surname.

Back in 1998, a new cousin, Jean Marie Barcus, contacted me regarding the Orr and Groomes families. I must have posted an inquiry in a genealogy board out on the net and she was responding. I gratefully accepted some Xeroxed old photos of her line. Although Xeroxed photos are not in the ballpark of scanned ones, I have played around with them and then hit them with an old photo app.

Margaret "Maggie" Orr Groomes

Margaret "Maggie" Orr

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