Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-05-27
Hon. Galusha A. Grow, of Pennsylvania


which Republic conferS upon energetic and
gifted men, who, born in comparative obscur-
ty, might, under other forms of government,
never rise above the daily strife for daily bread,
and, accomplishing no grander purpose than
wrestling by fierce struggle bare subsistence
for themselves and families. would pass on in
to the silence of nameless obscurity "unwept,
unhonored, and unsung" If Congress may
be taken as criterion, the Republic has not
so greatly degenerated after ali for many of
the most prominent legislators in both branch
es are men whose rare genius, intense applica-
tion, indomitable will, and answering recti-
tude have enabled them to rise from the shoe
| bench, the factory, the forge, and the farm
to the solid dignity which, after all croakng
still appertainS to American Senators and Rep
resentatiyes.
Among those who in elevating themselves
have illustrated the true worth of our inStitu-
! tiOnS we must award a very high place to the
| Hon. Galusha A. Grow, whose likeness our
artist has so admirably presented herewith
Mr.. Grow was born in Ashford, Windham
! County Connecticut, on the 3ISt Of August,
! 1928. His father, Joseph Grow, died when
/ the subject of this memoir was only three years
Of age leaving the mother to provide for a
! family of six children, of whom four were sons
! The youngest child was only three months
old at the time of this sad bereavement, and
on settling up the affairs of the family it was
| found there was barely enough Of property to
/ pay up all Indebtedness Fortunately Mrs
! Grow was a woman of remarkable energy and
! decision of character instead therefore, of
! losing all courage and bemoaning her lot, she
gathered her little flock about her and remov-
ed to the residence Of her father, Captain
Samuel Robbins, who lived in Noluntown, in
the same county Here she engaged in trade
and farming and, TO her honor be it said,
succeeded not only in providing for her young
family, but also accumulated "a surplus, which
afterward laid the foundation for the present
prosperous circumstances of her children The
best answer to the inquiry " What can woman
do - might be given in the history of what
this brave and good woman did. Unfortu-
nately we are not writing her history, and
must therefore content ourselves with this mea-
gre outline of the accomplishments of one wo-
man, who, we are happy to believe, is but
representative of great many Others, that in
the lOwly cares, and patient enduranceS, and
! holy sacrifices of maternal love are quite con-
tent to have inscribed upon their tomb-stoneS,
She hath done what she could, but of whom
history and God will say, Well done, good
and faithful servant ~
When Mr.. Grow was eleven years Of age,
his mother found that her industry and enter
prise had enabled her to save sufficient sum
to defray the expense Of removal to the West,
and Tor the sake of her children she determin.
ed TO make that great sacrifice Twenty-Five
years ago the tide of emigration was setting
! II Io 10
menced to push out advance parties of settlers
who, knowing nothing of what they should en-.
counter, struck boldly into the forests and laid
the foundation of our Western prosperity
There re no railroads then to carry the emf
grants IN few hours, and for a few dollars,
from the valley of the Connecticut to the val
ley of the Mississippi, but painfully and slow
ly the caravans moved like snalis toward the
setting sun and when the last good bye was
said TO relatives and the last view had been
taken of the old homestead the emigrant felt
that years must pass before he saw either again,
and mad faint hope of returning at all.
Despite these serious drawbacks, the Grow
family started for the West, and finally took
mp their abode in wild and mountainous part
of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, which
from its romantic beauty they named Glen
wood :" and there is still the residence of the
subject of this sketch. For the next few years
GaluSha led the ordinary life of farmers boys,
attending school when there was opportunity,
and undergoing the noble discipline which is
afforded by wild mountain scenery to a quick
perceptive nature which has also something OF
cultivation 1t is told Of him in these early
years that he was often in the woods for
week or ten days, sleeping on hemlock boughS
and trusting to his own skill to provide his
food. Living in a region of country in which
lumber was abundant and good, the winter
occupation of all the sett lers was the cutting
of timber, to be hoated in the spring down the
stream on which they lived to the SnSquehan-
ma (of which it was tributary, aud on to
find market at Baltimore, and other towns
lying along Chesapeake Bay The great event
to which GaluSha, in common with the other
boys, looked forward was to be permitted to
accompany the numbering parties down the ri
yer. When he was about fourteen years of
age the desired opportunity came and he &C
companied his brother Frederick to Port De
posit in Maryland While here an incident
occurred which furnishes very decided testimo-
nv to the confidence which his neighbors felt
in Mr. Grows integrity, and the high estma-
tion in which the innate shrewdneSs of the ma
tives of the weabuSed State of Connecticut
was held twenty years ago. A friend of the
Grows was anxious to send a cargo of lumber
to Annapolis to be sold, and intrusted our he
ro with the business. On arriving at his port
he sought ont Mr. Claud, who wished to buy
the lumber. but almost feared to trade with
such young merchant. After asking bis age,
residence, parentage, family connections, and
a variety of test questions, it occurred to him
to ask, Were you born in Pennsylvania ?"
GROW. No, Sir ,oas born IN Coanectjcut'
CLAUp "Oh yes, L understand it all now
YES, do want to buy some lumber"
| Il i nnedlesS 10 add the carno was sold TO