The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1910-06-09

L
west Of Kansas City has noticed a |
big brick house just north Of the
railroad tracks about half mile east
of Edwardsville, Kan. The house
sits back from the roadway and up
on the side Of the bluffs. There are
no trees to hide 1t, and the house is
visible for several miles before one
reaches Edwardsville from the east.
Coming from the west the bluffs
hide the big home until the train Is
almost even with it. q
That house Of 20 rooms cost $22,-
600, and Is Is owned by a Negro.
probably the richest in Kansas and
one of the richest in the country.
He has made 1t all in Kansas. None
Of his neighbors knows how wealthy
J. j. Groves really is, Groves prob
ably knows, but does not tell. He
owns 523 acres of Kaw Valley lard,
every acre worth at least 500, and
some Of 1T worth nearly double that
amount. With in few dayx he has
refused 100000 for one 12O-acro
tract, not including any houses. This
price was a valuation of $3.50 an acre
fer-this tract, and Groves would net
sell at that figure. The land pays
good interest on much higher valu-
| alton than that. -
Born In Slavery. So.
}. J. Groves was born In slavery
in Green county, KY, In 1869. or
course, he never realized the trials
of the slaves, as his people had been
released from this when he was fou"
years old: But his former master
was a good one, and Groves stayed
with him until he was 20 years old.
Then he came to Kansas. This 90
! vear-old Negro boy landed in Kansas
City with just rs cents in his pocket.
He walked into what is now
Armourdale., This part Of. Kansas
City, Kan, was then farm lands. J.
II. Williamson was farmer there,
and Groves went to work for him.
At the beginning of the second
a deal whereby Groves was to work
for Williamson at 40 cents a day
but he should have something of
Ehis own. Williamson lent him q
team, seed and let him rent 10 acres
lof ground. Three acres were plan
ted to sweet potatoes, three to wa.
termelons and the rest to Irish pota
toes. Groves was married that year
|Both man and wife worked hard
}and in two years they had save
enough from their share OF the crol
OF the 10 acres to buy q team O
mules and a raEnshackle old wagon
Then they moved to west of Ed
Wardsville and rented so acres o
land. In three years time Groves
and his wife cleared $4,000. from
that 60 acres of land, AMI then they
made the first payment Oh 80 acre
of Kaw Valley land, which they still
own, it being part of their 523
acre holdings in Wya1dotte county
AS they made surplus they .inve 6,
ted it in other KaW Valley lands
and latter they bought 1000 acre!
OF Grove county wheat land. TIL,
Groves farms in Wyandott3. county
included 602 acres until short time
ago, when an 80-acre tract was sold
! Oklahoma has many pioneer com
munities, however, where there are
men who used to wear sombreros
land spurs and chaps and red hand
kerchiefs pulled through a celluloiC
ring for a necktie, and who admire
women so much that they feel il
would be dissertation to let them mix
up with a lot Of trough necks" al
the pools on election day How
these men will vote on wOman's suf,
trage is guesswork.
| His Home.
On the Groves estate, in addition
| to the brick house there are seven
m-houses for the hired help, an
orchard Of 1000 trees, 200 acres Of
Irish potatoes, SO acres Of cabbages
and other crops. All the farm
houses are large and comfortable.
The big brick house Is one Of the
finest farm-houses in the state. 1t
| Is furnished IN softd oak, with oak
doors with the panels inlald with
birch and ebony. The floors are all
oak and maple. The walls are stem
tricity and pipcd for gas, and has
hot and cold water in all the sleep
Ing rooms. The plans were drawn
by Kansas City architect, and the
house embodics all the latest ideas
for comfort and rich finish. Groves
explained to the architect the size
Of the house he wanted and the finish
The architect drew plans that suited
Groves and was told to. go ahead.
When the final cost came Groves
paid the $4,000 cheerfully, as he
knew he had a home that equaled,
If it did not exceed, any other farm
house in Kansas for size and splend-
or of finish
/ addition to his land holdings Of
2,1OO acres, Groves owns some prop
erty in Kansas City, stocks In In