1784-91 The will of Mark Grof was dated 6 Dec 1784 and probated 2 Nov 1791 in Earl Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Wife Anna. Children Mark, Susanna wife of David Martin, Feronica wife of Abraham Huntsperger, Barbara wife of Michael Martin, Margaret wife of Jacob Sumy, Magdalena wife of Christian Meyer, Elizabeth wife of George Hildebrand, Christiana wife of Abraham Metzler, and Mary wife of Michael Wenger. Executor David Martin and Jacob Sumy. [1]
A biosketch reports [2]:
On 26 July, 1738, Hans Groff and his wife Susanna granted 219 acres of land in Earl Township to their son, Mark Groff (E6) for L 20 and "love and affection." It also was part of the 1419 acres patented on 18 November, 1737, and was near the land of Samuel Groff (E4) and Conrade Roodt. [3] The 1758 Earl Township tax list shows Mark Grove owned 250 acres, including a saw mill. The inventory of Marcus Groff (E6) was dated 20 August, 1791 and totaled L 80.12.00. He dated his will 18 May, 1779, and gave the 260 acres on which he lived to his only son, Marcus (E69), for which he was to pay L 1000 to his seven sisters and the husband of the eighth, at the rate of L 50 a year, divided into equal shares. Marcus (E6) provided well for his wife Anna and "my Brother-in-law Christian Huwer" during his lifetime. He added codicils on 10 November, 1783, and 6 December, 1784. The will was proved on 2 November, 1791. Marcus Groff (E69) was also willed his father's smith tools.
Marcus Groff (E69) had six daughters and three sons. Marks Groff (E694) married his cousin, Elizabeth Groff (E2414) and moved to Canada in 1822. It was Christian Franz Groff (E6931) who compiled the 1867 chart of the descendants of Hans Groff (E). This chart proved to be an invaluable resource for this book.
Benjamin Groff (E6912) moved to Ohio between 1847 and 1848 and resided in Tuscarawas Twp., Stark County, with his wife, Anna Zimmerman, They had nine children, the first six born in Lancaster County, the rest in Ohio.
[1] F. Edward Wright, Abstracts of Lancaster County Pennsylvania Wills 1786-1820 (2008), 73.
[2] Clyde L. Groff, Walter B. Groff, and Jane Evans Best, The Groff Book, A good life in a new land, Vol. 1 (Ronks, Pennsylvania: Groff History Associates, 1997), 57, [FHLCatalog].
[3] Recorder of Deeds, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book B, 219-221, [219], [220], [221], [FHLCatalog].