George Michael Groff Sr. ^{715,882,908,910,1026,1041}

   Other names for George were George Michael Graff ^910,1099 and George Michael Groff.⁹¹⁰

  Research Notes:

From: Johnstown Tribune Review. Focus - June 6, 1999; http://www.triblive.com/focus/shanks.html

As the old story goes, George Michael Groff traded bear hides to the Indians in 1776 for his land, one mile north of Shank's spot.

This (Johnstown Tribune Review, Focus - June 6, 1999 article; http://www.triblive.com/focus/shanks.html)

"(p. 336) Probably the first settler [in Stonycreek twp.] was George Michael Groff in 1766 [sic]. He came from Berks County and settled one mile north of Shanksville, on the place now owned by John Mosholder. He was a hunter and fisherman, and is said to have purchased his land from the Indians, paying for it in furs. Many of his descendants are still living in the county."

I asked Nancy to check the date, but the book does say 1766, which would be about the time of the supposed GROFF family emigration, and GM would be 6 years old! I am planning to write to the author of the Tribune-Review article to see what his sources are.
The 1884 History also has:
"(p. 514) 1796 Stonycreek tax list. George Grove"
"(p. 410) Stonycreek twp. Justices of the Peace. John Grove, 1845"

From "Mother Bedford and the Revolutionary War," by Larry D. Smith, Closson 1999, pages 319 and 320:

GEORGE MICHAEL GROFF? Born: 1757 Died: 12 April, 1825 Buried on the Groff homestead farm near Shanksville, Stonycreek Township. A man by the name of George Michael Groff served in Captain Wendel Weaver's Company, the 7th Company. 2nd Battalion of the Lancaster County Militia in 1781. A man by the name of Michael Groff served in Captain Henry Christ, Jr's Company, 2nd Battalion of Colonel Samuel Miles' Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment in 1776. A man by the name of Michael Groff served in Captain George Fether's Company, 9th Battalion of the Lancaster County Militia in 1779. Michael Groff served in Captain John Muller Company, the 8th Company, 3rd Battalion of the Lancaster County Militia in 1780 and 1781. Michael Groff served as a Sergeant in Captain John Miller's Company, the 6th Company, 8th Battalion of the Lancaster County Militia in 1782. A man by the name of George Groff served as the Captain of the 4th Company of Colonel James Cunningham's

Battalion, Lancaster County Militia Flying Camp in 1777. A man by the name of George Groff served in Captain John (variously, George) Volicks' Company, 9th Battalion of the Lancaster County Militia in 1778 and 1779. George Groff served in Captain Philip Duck's Company, the 1st Company, 3rd Battalion of the Lancaster County Militia in 1781. George Groff served in Captain John Ashton's Company, the 7th Company, 3rd Battalion of the Lancaster County Militia in 1782. Jacob Grove served as a substitute for George Groff in Captain Joseph Hubley's Company, the 3rd Company, 8th Battalion of the Lancaster County Militia in 1781. George Groff served in Captain Samuel Boyd's Company of the 5th Company, 8th Battalion of the Lancaster County Militia in 1781. George Groff served in Captain John Miller's Company, the 6th Company, 8th Battalion of the Lancaster County Militia in 1781 and 1782. A man by the name of George Groff served in Captain Michael Wolf's Company of the Berks County Militia in 1776. A man by the name of George Groff served as the Captain of the 3rd Company of the 1st Battalion of the Northampton County Militia in 1777. George Groff served in Captain George Shriver's Company, the 3rrt Company, 4th Battalion of the Northampton County Militia in 1781 and 1782.

Witness to birth, George Tilman.

http://www.tribune-review.com/focus/shanks.html

At that time, there was a section of country between the Negro and Allegheny Mountains known as "The Glades" (a glade is an open space in a forest). Ideal for agriculture and dairy farming, the land soon attracted many colonists of German and Swiss origin, among them Christian Shank of Hagerstown, Md., who arrived in Berlin in 1798.

Shank, who was born in Lancaster County, his family and fellow travelers, the Issac Wendel family, hacked out a road from Berlin through forests and glades to a beautiful spot on a river the Indians called "sinne-hanne" or "swift mountain stream" - Stonycreek. The open glades were covered with a tall swamp grass which in later years was harvested and sold as packing material. The families camped under a pine tree in what was to become the town of Shanksville.

The site was five miles from the old Forbes Route (Route 30) and about as many from Glades Pike (Route 31). The Shanks and Wendels were preceded by Amish and Mennonites. As the old story goes, George Michael Groff traded bear hides to the Indians in 1776 for his land, one mile north of Shank's spot.

http://www.pa-roots.com/cgi-bin/pabios/somersetbiographies.cgi?read=260

Somerset County Genealogy Project Biography Board
Groff, George Michael
Posted By: Nancy Welsh Hallberg
Date: October 13 2002
Source: History of Bedford, Somerset & Fulton Couties, 1884. Waterman, Watkins, & Co., p. 514.

Probably the first permanent settler [of Stonycreek township] was George Michael Groff, in 1766. He came from Berks county, and settled one mile north of Shanksville, on the place now owned by John Mosholder. He was a hunter and fisherman, and is said to have purchased his land from the Indians, paying for it in furs. Many of his descendants are still living in the county.

http://www.rootsweb.com/~pasomers/stonycreek/bios1.html#groff ¹⁰⁴²

  Christening Notes:

Sponser: Gerhard Just Tilmann

  Life Events:

1. Alt. Birth, 19 Nov 1760. ¹¹⁰⁰

2. Baptism, 29 Nov 1760, Wynigen, Switzerland. ⁹¹⁰

3. Immigration, Abt 1764, USA. ¹⁰²⁶

George married Susanna Augustine.

George next married Susanna Augustine about 1781 in Brothersvalley Township, Somerset, Pennsylvania, USA ^908,910.^,1026