The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-12-05
George Washington's Teacher.

The following communication, written
by James M. Grove, Of Maquon, taken
from the Chicago Record, will be OF in.
terest to our readers, as it refers to a fam.
lily largely represented and greatly re-
spected in this county:
GEORGE WAsH1NaToN's TEAcHER.-I
read in the record not long ago an article
called Reviewing the History" " consist
ing OF facts about George Washington,
traditions or unwritten history of the
washingtons, Jeffersons, Madisons, Lees,
and Wilson's. The article was by VIM.
+. Curtis, then on visit to Mt. Vernon
and the region of first settlements Of the
colonies from England. As errors some.
lines occur in written history it is not
strange that greater errors may occur
in traditional history, and in the case OF
the history obtained by Mr.. Curtis in
traditions of the washingtons, one great
error occurs in which feel much inter.
est and which I desire to correct.
The william Grove spoken of in Mr..
Curtis article as the teacher of the youth
of the Washingtons, including the father
of his country, was my great grandfather.
His descendants have history as we'll
as the Washingtons and all others spok-
en- of in history obtained by Mr.. Curtis
on his visit to Mt. Vernon. The tradi.
tions handed down through the descend
ants of William Grove, clearly corrobo.
rate those published by Mr.. Curtis re.
garding the Washingtons and others,
except as to the stigma thrown upon my
worthy ancestor, William Grove.
As to the time, manner and object OF
William Groves coming to America, our
tradition corroborates that obtained by
Mr.. Curtis. But William Grove was not
bought as slave, as Mr.. Curtis was told,
serving under master for the commit.
ting of some unknown crime, but was
induced to come to America under the
following circumstances
The citizens of Wakefield, Mt. Vernon
and all the counties adjacent, in the year
174O, held various meetings to discuss
and determine the best course to pursue
in order to insure a good education for
their children. Without doubt the
course was to procure acompetent teach.
er. As our traditions have it, this man
Grove, although young man, had
reputation in England as a scholar,
teacher and writer, and had had previous
correspondence with some one in this
parish or colony, and some of the par.
ishioners being acquainted with him,
personally and by reputation, it was de-
termined at these meetings that he
should be procured and employed as a
teacher. The result of these meetings
was that Capt. Augustine Washington
(the Generals father) was appointed a
committee to 20 to England and procure
William Grove to be the future teacher.
Captain Washington went directly under
instructions. When he got to England
he found that Grove was employ ed by a
wealthy parish as teacher and was en-.
gagged for considerable number, under
a binding contract, with certain stipula.
tions and privileges, among which was
that, in addition to wages for support,
Grove was to be permitted to continue
his study of Theology. 1t was only nat.
ural, under such circumstances, that Mr..
Washington should have some trouble
to procure his man, for the people with
whom he had contracted for their loss
or must enforce the contract, and this
committee under instructions did pay
sum of money to secure a release of the
contract and get Grove as teacher.
Traditions obtained by MIR. Curtis say
that Capt. Washington bought Grove as
servant undergoing servitude for some
unknown crime. Is it possible the de.
scendants of Washington might errone.
ously construe this compensation to the
employers of Grove as purchase ? But
where is the unknown crimeP History
tells us that England had no slaves at
that age of the world, but was living
under the law. There was no such thing
as slavery for crime. The servitude was
doubtless as teacher, as this same
Grove never had any other business or
calling, but was educated for that ex.
press purpose. Such is brief tradition,
as handed down through the descend.
ants of William Grove.
In conclusion, it is the tradition OF the
descendants of William Grove that my
great grandfather was the teacher of all
the Washingtons, Jeffersons, Madisons,
Lees and Wilson's, including three of the
first four presidents of the United States.
His teaching covered period between
l740 and 1880. If evidence or testimony
would be required it can be forthcoming,
as have the pedigree of the Grove gen.
Grafton in England previous to the inn
migration of VIM. Grove to America
printed by authority of the English gov.
ernment. JAMES M. GROVE,