George Martin Groh was born on February 5, 1900, so he qualifies to be today’s birthday boy. In fact, today would be his special 125th birthday. George never lived in Perry County, but his father was born in Altenburg, and the first Groh to be found in Perry County, Charles Groh, is well-known for being a carpenter who worked on several local churches, including the Trinity Lutheran Church sanctuary that was built in 1867. George would have called Charles, “Grandpa”. The story of George’s father, Martin, and his wife Amalia Grosse, was told in the post, New Year’s Nuptials.

George was reportedly born in East St. Louis, Illinois, so I really did not expect to find a baptism record for him. However, he is found in the Ancestry.com collection of Missouri Synod records. George was baptized at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Caseyville, Illinois, which is located not far from East St. Louis. An image of his baptism record is displayed here. For some unknown reason, the pastor did not include George’s date of birth in this document, just his baptism date.

George was born early enough in 1900 to be included in that year’s census. He is listed as being 3/12 years-old (3 months). His father was a painter in East St. Louis.

Before I move on, let me point out that the first 2 children in this Groh family were born in Jacob, Illinois and baptized at Christ Lutheran Church. During the next decade after George’s birth, the Groh family moved across the river to St. Louis. George was 10 years old at the time, and his father was then called a grocer.

There were 2 boarders in the Groh household that were working at a brewery. In the previous post about Georg’s parents, I mentioned that I thought they were working at the Anheuser Busch Brewery, but I have now discovered that the Groh’s lived nearer to the Lemp Brewery. It might be more likely that these two men worked at that brewery. A drawing of that brewery is pictured here, but I really do not understand the “mountains” in the background.

In 1918, George had his World War I draft registration completed. George, at the age of 18, was called a drill press operator, but he was unemployed at the time.

When the 1920 census was taken, George was still single and living with his parents. George was called a diamond cutter for a jewelry company. This time, his father was a saloon keeper.

In the previous post about George’s parents, I displayed this photo of Martin Groh in his saloon in St. Louis.

In the process of researching for this story, I ran across two more photos of Martin Groh inside his businesses, and I cannot resist showing them today. One shows him in his tavern, and the other shows him inside a meat market. The one from inside the tavern shows both of George’s parents behind the bar.

Now, it is time to look at the woman who would become George’s bride. Her name was Ellen Frances McRae, who was born on June 22, 1902 in St. Louis. Ellen was the daughter of Ora and Beulah (Tozier) McRae. Ellen is found in the 1910 census at the age of 8. Her father was a trunk maker in St. Louis. I have questions about who the wife of Ora McRae is in this entry because I found evidence that Ellen’s mother, Beulah, died in 1908. I also know that Ora married a woman named Minnie in 1916, so I do not know who this woman named Annette is.

Next, we find Ellen in the 1920 census at the age of 17. Her father did repair work. Ellen, along with a sister and a cousin, was working at a publishing company.

George Groh married Ellen McRae on June 11, 1921. In the St. Louis marriage record below, you will see that Rev. Helmut Friz (I think it should be spelled Fritz) was the pastor who married them. He was serving Bethlehem Lutheran Church in St. Louis at that time.

It appears that George and Ellen had 2 children, both born prior to the 1930 census. In that census, George had a different occupation. This time he was called an automobile mechanic. Both of their children are found in this entry.

That census entry would be the only one in which both of their children are listed because George, Jr. died in 1931 at the age of 3. In a 1933 St. Louis city directory, we see that George is called an attendant at Phillips Petroleum Company. I think that meant he was working at a gas station.

After many attempts, I was unsuccessful at finding the Groh’s in the 1940 census. I have every reason to believe that they were still living in St. Louis. George had his World War II draft card completed in 1942, and it gives him a St. Louis address.

George and Ellen’s daughter, Arlene, married Daniel Riedy in 1943. In a photo that was reportedly taken in 1947, we see George, Ellen, their daughter, Arlene, and a grandchild.

In the 1950 census entry below, we see that George was then following in his father’s footsteps by being the proprietor of a tavern.

Ellen Groh died in 1970 at the age of 67. I was unable to find a Missouri death certificate for her, so I think she may have died in Illinois. George Groh died in 1973 at the age of 73. I found some information that was found in an obituary for him that was printed in a Columbia, Illinois newspaper that says he died in Waterloo.

Both George and Ellen Groh are buried in the Sunset Memorial Park in Affton, Missouri.

George Groh certainly had an interesting employment record. He transitioned from being a drill press operator to being a diamond cutter, then an automobile mechanic, and finally to pouring beer and drinks at his own tavern. That is not a combination you see every day.