Groft History

In the brief research that I have done as of this posting, I found the following to share with you about Myrtle's historic roots. 

Frederick Krafft died (circa 1745), but I must research further if he died at sea or after arriving in America.  With wife, Anna Catherine, who was noted as being pregnant at the time, sailed to America, arriving about 1745 into the Port of Philadelphia and later settled in Gossenhoppen, PA (now called Bally, Pennsylvania).  According to The Goshenhoppen Registers, 1741-1819, Michael was a twin to John George.

Michael married Elizabeth Adams on 28 Apr 1767 (St. Paul's Mission, Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Bally, Berks, PA Marriages 1741-1819). Michael and Elizabeth had ten children, one of whom was Peter (1787-1809).  He was born in York County, and married Mary Polly Lawrence (1787-1850) on 15 Jan 1809 at the Conewago Chapel.  Together they had 11 children, one of whom was Mammaw's grandfather, George Groft*. Somewhere along the historic timeline, the name transformed from Krafft to Groft.  George (1823-1907) married Mary Ann Storm in 1849, also at Conewago Chapel.  Their son, Jerome, is your Groft link to your heritage today through Myrtle (aka Mammaw). 

• She was born to Jerome Henry Groft and Annie Maria Smith on June 26, 1890, and died on December 11, 1986. FYI...Annie is a Smith link.
• Mammaw married John Lawrence Staub (January 24, 1890-May 21, 1948) on August 26, 1913. They are pictured sitting in the wedding photo to the right. Her sister, Violet and husband Charles Henschke are shown standing.
• Mammaw's father, Jerome (June 14, 1861-June 28, 1947), was the son of George H. Groft and Mary Ann Storm.
• At age 18, Jerome worked as a farm hand for the John and Jane Jenkins family in Mt. Pleasant Township, Adams, PA, USA. (1900 U. S. Census) Later, he worked as a cigar maker and was a member of the Irishtown Fire Company. On December 28, 1886 Jerome married Annie Maria Smith (June 29, 1866-May 4, 1897) at the Conewago Chapel. Annie died at age 31 from tuberculosis. (The New Oxford Item, obituary publish date May 7, 1897) Annie's parents, Mammaw's grandparents, were John Henry Smith and Anna Maria Groft. FYI ... this is one of the Smith/Groft family connections.
• Jerome, age 45, lived in New Oxford, Adams, PA, USA with daughters Myrtle, age 19, and Violet, age 17. (1910 U. S. Census) According to the Conewago Chapel Book of Baptisms another daughter, Marguerite Emma, born on October 1, 1894 to Jerome and Annie. I found in a newspaper archives that Marguerite Emma died on January 21, 1909 following surgery for appendicitis at the York Hospital. (The New Oxford Item, publish date February 3, 1949, page 10, '40 Years Ago Today' column)

*George Groft and brother Joseph, are the links between the Staub and Smith families.  Joseph's daughter, Anna Maria, married John Henry Smith, father to Annie Maria Smith, and who was wife to Jerome Groft.  You can see how confusing and complicated your family trees are becoming, and why I chose to combine the four family histories on one blog.