Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/26

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6
GROSS
GROW

Ky., 18 March, 1844, studied at the University of Virginia, and in 1864 was graduated at the University of Pennsylvania. He was admitted to the Philadelphia bar in 1867, and in 1868 appointed U. S. attorney for New Mexico, which office he resigned on account of ill health. He was elected in 1882 a member of the select council of Philadelphia. In 1885 he declined the U. S. consulship at Athens, Greece. He has delivered numerous public addresses, in one of which, in 1874, he was among the first in the country to advocate cremation as the proper method of disposing of the dead, and has published numerous poems, and various instrumental and vocal compositions, some of the latter in the French and German languages. He is, with his brother, Dr. Samuel W. Gross, editing the “Autobiography” of his father, and preparing a work on “Cremation.”


GROSS, William Hickley, archbishop, b. in Baltimore, Md., 12 June, 1837. After studying in St. Charles college, he entered the novitiate of the Redemptorist order in 1857, and was ordained priest in 1863. After attending wounded soldiers in the hospitals about Annapolis, and preaching to the negroes, he was assigned to missionary duty in various places, but was attached to St. Alphonsus's church in New York city for five years, and then became superior at the church of his order in Boston. He was consecrated bishop of Savannah on 27 April, 1873, and in 1884 he became archbishop of Oregon. Bishop Gross has done much for the education of the freedmen.


GROVER, Cuvier, soldier, b. in Bethel, Me., 24 July, 1829; d. in Atlantic City, N. J., 6 June, 1885. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1850, entered the 1st artillery, and served on frontier duty till 1853, and on the Northern Pacific railroad exploration from 14 April, 1853, till 17 July, 1854. He was promoted to 1st lieutenant, 3 March, 1855, and captain of the 10th infantry, 17 Sept., 1858, and served at various western stations. He became brigadier-general of volunteers, 14 April, 1862, and was transferred to the Army of the Potomac, where he took part in many battles. He was brevetted lieutenant-colonel on 5 May for services at the battle of Williamsburg, Va., and on 31 May, colonel, for gallantry at Pair Oaks. At the second battle of Bull Run his brigade fought under Gen. Hooker, and distinguished itself by a bayonet charge. Being transferred to the Department of the Gulf, he took command of a division of the 19th corps from 30 Dec., 1862, till July, 1864, was in command of the right wing of the army besieging Port Hudson, La., in May, 1863, was promoted major, 31 Aug., 1863, and commanded a division in the Shenandoah campaign from August to December, 1864. He was wounded at the battle of Cedar Creek on 19 Oct., 1864, and brevetted major-general of volunteers the same day for gallantry at Winchester and Fisher's Hill. On 13 March following he was also brevetted brigadier-general, U. S. army, and major-general, U. S. army. He was mustered out of the volunteer service, 24 Aug., 1865, and again returned to frontier duty until 7 Nov., 1866, when he was transferred to Jefferson barracks, Mo., until 6 Feb., 1867. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel of the 38th infantry, 28 July, 1866, assigned to the 3d cavalry in 1870, and made colonel of the 1st cavalry, 2 Dec., 1875, which rank he held during the remainder of his life.


GROVER, Lafayette, governor of Oregon, b. in Bethel, Oxford co., Me., in 1823. He was educated at Bowdoin college, and afterward studied law in Philadelphia, where he was admitted to the bar in 1850. He soon after settled in Salem, Ore- gon. He was elected prosecuting attorney of the territory in 1851, and in 1853 auditor of public accounts. He also served three terms in the territorial legislature, saw some service in the Indian wars of Oregon, and in 1854 was appointed a commissioner to adjust the claims of citizens against the United States. Two years later he became one of the commissioners to investigate claims arising out of the Indian war of 1855-'6. In 1857 he was an active member of the convention that framed the constitution of the state, and was elected, as a Democrat, its first representative in congress, taking his seat in February, 1859. He subsequently resumed the practice of law, but from 1867 till 1870 was engaged in the milling business. He was chairman of the state central Democratic committee, was elected governor of the state in 1876, and re-elected in 1874 for the term ending September, 1878. Gov. Grover resigned his office, 1 Feb., 1877, having been elected to the U. S. senate to succeed James K. Kelly, and took his seat, 8 March, 1877. He was succeeded in 1883 by Joseph N. Dolph. In 1876 Gov. Grover refused to issue a certificate of election as presidential elector to Dr. J. W. Watts, Republican, and gave it instead to E. A. Cronin, Democrat, who had received the next highest number of votes, on the ground that the former had held the office of postmaster when he was chosen. On 19 Dec. the governor published an elaborate argument in defence of his action, but it was annulled by the electoral commission, who decided that Watts's ineligibility merely created a vacancy in the electoral college, which the other members from Oregon were empowered to fill.


GROW, Galusha Aaron, statesman, b. in Ashford (now Eastford), Windham co., Conn., 31 Aug., 1824. When ten years old he removed to Susquehanna county, Pa., where he attended a district-school and pursued a preparatory course in Franklin academy, Harford. He was graduated at Amherst in 1844, studied law in Montrose, and was admitted to the bar of Susquehanna county, 19 April, 1847. He soon afterward settled in Towanda, and became a partner of David Wilmot. He practised law until the spring of 1850, when feeble health compelled him to seek out-door pursuits, and he engaged in farming, surveying, and gathering hemlock bark for tanneries. In the fall of 1850 he received and declined a unanimous nomination to the legislature, tendered by the Democratic party. A few weeks later, David Wilmot, Free-soil, and James Lowrey, Pro-slavery, candidates of the Democratic party for congress, withdrew from the contest on an agreement that the two branches of the party should unite upon Mr. Grow as a candidate. The conventions reassembled, placed Mr. Grow in nomination, and, after an exciting campaign of one week, he was elected over John C. Adams, Whig. He took his seat in congress in December, 1851, being its youngest member, and continued to represent the “Wilmot district” for twelve successsive years, although he had severed his connection with the Democratic