The Portland daily press., 1872-08-05
Jack Groves.

To the Editor of the Press:-I learned from
the Press of yesterday of the death of this
aged colored man, whose age is there set down
at IL years The local papers have mentioned
him several times within the last two OF three
years, as about the age you give him; but L
think he was not so old as that. called to see
him last winter, and found him comfortably
situated with his granddaughter, Mary Brown,
who has kept his house for the last twenty
years. They lived at the head of Hancock
street; their house was burned in the great fire,
and with the assistance of friends and the re-
lief committee they built small shell of a
house, on land belonging to the Grand Trunk
Railway Co., who allowed them occupy it rent
free. found him in full possession of his
mental faculties and his memory clear;-noth-
ing indicating such extreme old age. had
known him and his employments for fifty
years. and found him, like most aged people,
ready to talk about himself. He said he was
born at FelPs Point, near Baltimore, of free
parents, but dates he knew nothing about.
At the age of II or IS, without the consent of
his father, he shipped on board of a schooner
yacht, belonging to Scotch gentleman of his
native place, by the name of Buchanan, who
had taken in cargo of -four for Surinam-con-
Meeting business with pleasure. AT Surinam he
found ready sale for his flour, and also sold his
schooner for a very large price, and took his
crew ashore and paid their board until he could
find passage for them to Maryland. Groves
was impatient and shipped for one of the
year came to Portland. He did not know the
year, but in answer to my enquiries about GER
tain events of which he would be likely to
recolleot, found it to be probably between
1888 and 1891. He said the Second Parish
church was built but had no spire or clock.
| This church was finished in the fall of 1888,
but had no tower or clock; they were added
some years after. asked him about the light
house, and he quickly replied that it was
building, with the staging up when his vessel
passed it coming in; but it was not near done.
The lighthouse was begun about 1887 and not
| lighted until the year 1871. In reply to ques-
ton about Parson Smith, he said that he recol-
lected him; that she droned when he preached"
Mr.. S. did not preach after the spring of 1893.
Comparing all these dates and circumstances
find that Groves was probably born in 1772 or
1878. John 7. Walton, Esq, told me on the
day of my visit, that his father, the late Mark
Walton, recolected and knew just when he
came to Portland; that he was about his own
age. Mr. w. would now, if living, have been
in his hundredth year.
Capt. VIM. Cammstt, the best preserved of
| your aged citizens, had a conversation with
Groves in 1850, and from what he could gather
from him he thinks he was abont 102 years old
at his death. Jack Groves always was favor
lite cook, and could choose his vessel and en-
ployer. He was one of the crew of q vessel
belonging to Capt. Arthur Mcclellan, which
was seized by a French man-of-war in 1909,
under "Bonaparte's Berlin and Milan decree
and assisted the captain, Sam'l. Mcclellan son
of the owner, in retaking the vessel from the
prize crew. A gentleman tells me that when
the vessel arrived in port Groves was looked
upon by the boys as the hero of the transaction.
When untitled by age for going to see, he
collected "old junk" about the wharves, which
he picked into oakum and sold to the calkers
Twenty years ago, he might be seen any morn
ing in Fore street, with his empty bag laid
smoothly over his shoulder, which he seemed to
think an indispensable part of his dress up. In
later years, he would stand on the sunny side
of the streets, straight and dignifed, in his
poverty and age, waiting for the contributions
of his friends, but he never was beggar.
Windham, August 8. w. G.