Placer
County
Biographies
FREDERICK P. GROHS
Frederick P. Grohs, residing in
Auburn, Placer County, California, is a well known old settler of the state,
coming in 1852. He was born in Germany
October 7, 1827. His parents, John and
Catherin (Meseck) Grohs,
immigrated to the United States in 1837, bringing with them the subject of this
sketch, who was then ten years of age.
They settled in Philadelphia, where the father engaged in the
manufacture of hats during the remainder of his life. They were members of the Lutheran Church and
highly respected.
Mr. Grohs, the only child, attended
the public schools of Philadelphia and later learned his trade, that of
butcher. Influenced by the gold
excitement in California, he crossed the plains in 1852, the route overland
being that year almost lined by newly made graves of the victims of cholera,
which was making such ravages of the emigrants.
There were twenty-nine in Mr. Grohs’ company, and, notwithstanding the
fact that they were all attacked by this disease, all recovered and arrived
safely at their destinations.
Mr. Grohs first lived in Hangtown
and from there went to Sacramento, arriving in Auburn in the fall of 1852,
where he engaged in placer mining a short distance below the town. There he, with two others, averaged
twenty-nine dollars a day for some time.
He afterward went to Sacramento and engaged in the butcher business. At first he was paid a salary of one hundred
and twenty-five dollars a month, but later owned a meat market and remained
there in business until the summer of 1855, when he removed to Nevada
City. At the latter place he opened a
meat market and continued in business until 1860. Next he removed to Dutch Flat, where he
carried on his butchering business until 1873.
During this year he removed to Auburn, where he was engaged in the
brewing business for ten years. In 1882
he went to southeastern Oregon and turned his attention to cattle raising, in which business he has since continued. He has had as many as ten to twelve hundred
head of cattle at one time.
Mr. Grohs was married in 1859 to
Miss Louisa Brandeau, a native of New Orleans and a
daughter of John Brandeau. The union was blessed with nine children, the
surviving members being: Emma, now her
father’s housekeeper; Minnie, the wife of Dr. William Martin and a resident of
Benicia; Jewel, the wife of Emory Carpenter, residing at Sacramento; Frank, who
is in Oregon, attending to the interests of the firm there, and Lollye, who is at home.
Mrs. Grohs is now deceased, her death having occurred in 1897. Her daughter Emma now presides over the home
and with her Mr. Grohs is spending the evening of an active and successful
life. He and his family have many
friends among the early settlers of the state.
Mr. Grohs was made a Master Mason at
Dutch Flat in 1863. He is also a member
of the chapter of Royal Arch Masons and of the I. O. O. F. In politics he is a Democrat.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 242-243. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.