Thomas Grover (1807-1886) History

Thomas Grover, son of Thomas Grover and Polly Spalding, was born 22 July, 1807, posthumously, in Whitehall, Washington County, New York. He died 20 Feb 1886, at the age of 78.

He married (1) Caroline Whiting in 1828 in Windham, Vermont. She died 17 Oct 1840 in Nauvoo, Illinois leaving him with 6 daughters and the 7th died at the time of her mother's death.

He married (2)Caroline Eliza Nickerson, a widow of Marshall More Hubbard on the 20 Feb 1841 in Nauvoo, Illinois. To them were born 4 children, 1 girl and 3 boys 2 of whom died in infancy.

He married (3) (there is a paragraph missing maybe Hannah) . They had 15 children, 10 boys and 5 girls, but 9 of these children died as infancy or on the day they were born. She died 15 Dec 1883 in Loa, Piutte Co, Utah.

He married (4) LaDuska Tupper, sister of Hannah both of whom came as converts to the church from New York on the 27 Jan 1847 in Nauvoo, Illinois. They were the parents of 7 children, 2 girls and 5 boys. She died in Farmington, Utah on the 27 Nov 1902.

Wife number (5) Emma Walker, who came from England and crossed the plains with a handcart company. There were married 29 Oct 1856 in Salt Lake. She became the mother of 9 children, 4 girls and 5 boys. She died 5 Dec 1920 in Freemont, Idaho.

He married Elizabeth Walker (6) who was no relation to Emma Walker although they both came to Utah in the same handcart company and arrived in Salt Lake 24 Jan 1857. Tl them were born 9 children 4 girls and 5 boys died as children. Thomas Grover was the father of 51 children.

Shortly after Thomas married Caroline Whiting, they moved West to Freedom, Catteraugus County, New York. While living there, he first heard the new Mormon Latter-day Saint Gospel preached and after having investigated to his full satisfaction, he was baptised in September 1834 by the Prophet Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon. In late 1835, they moved to Kirtland Ohio, where he assisted in building the first temple.

He was a member of Zion's camp and suffered in the persecutions of the Mormons in Missouri.

His wife, Caroline Whiting died in Nauvoo in childbirth leaving him with 6 living daughters. He then married Caroline Eliza Nickerson and soon after married Hannah Tupper, being one of the first men to accept the doctrine of polygamy.

He assisted the Saints when they were expelled from Nauvoo where he had received his endowments and were he was sealed in the temple to his three wives. They spent time in Winter Quarters where he acted as camp butcher.

As the Saints made their long weary and tedious journey across the desolate prairies, they ran into difficulty getting their heavy wagons across the Platte River. And since Thomas was very much at home on the water having worked as a cabin boy at age 13 on the barge Shamrock by 1830-31 a combined freight and passenger vessel operating over the entire waterways from Albany westward to Buffalo and Lake Erie and Ontario. President Young assigned Thomas to remain at the Platte River to assist in ferrying the wagons over the water. After the water had receded he awaited the arrival of his family and they proceeded to the valley with Charles C. Rich Company arriving 3 Oct 1847.

In the spring of 1848, they moved to Centerville and in the fall of 1848, Pres Young assigned Thomas to go to California to settle some business pertaining to the Saints who went around Cape Horn in the ship "Brooklyn" with Samuel Brannon. Before returning home gold was discovered in California. He traveled home with some of the men who came on the ship Brooklyn. When they arrived in Salt Lake, they completed their mission the church had sent them on. The following is a copy from the Deseret News of Nov 30, 1934.

"At 7:00 P.M. President Young, John Taylor, Charles C Rich and other brethren received $1280.00 in coin and $3000.00 in gold dust as tithing which had been brought in from Amasa M Lyman and the California Saints by Thomas Grover." Published Jun 21, 1880--written by Glen M Leonard is the following:

Thomas Grover was remembered as a man who believed in honesty, punctuality and generosity. Ninety nine cents never pays a $1.00 debt Grover taught his children. And on punctuality: "If I were to be hung, I'd go on time."

In Utah, Grover prospered as a farmer and shared his means to build the kingdom and assist the people in need. He donated land for a meeting house in Farmington, sent oxen and a wagon regularly to assist the work at the temple quarry.

A window's son once approached him to buy some flour. Brother Grover's response was "I do not sell flour". Perplexed, the boy was about to turn away, but this was contrary to what he had heard about the generosity of Thomas. Then Thomas instructed his son to load a full sack of flour into the boy's wagon. The boy resisted. He had very little money and asked what the full sack would cost. Thomas replied, "I never take money for flour from widows and orphans".

Thomas Grover's other accomplishments include: 3 missions for the church, a member of the High Council in Nauvoo, bodyguard for the Prophet Joseph Smith, three terms in the Sate Legislature at Fillmore, 1855-56 probate Judge in Davis County, 3 terms and when the Davis Stake was organized, he was appointed to the High Council which position he held until his death.

Upon returning from a Fast Meeting where he had bore a stirring testimony, he complained of feeling ill and retired to his bed. He died quietly at home in Farmington, 20 Feb 1886 at the age of 78.


I hope you enjoy it.
Hazel Grover Riser gave this to Randy Wayne Grover the fall of 2009.