Groot, George Anderson; attorney-at-law; born in Washington County, N. Y., Aug. 3, 1843; son of John Aaron and Eliza Jane (Heath) Groot; educated in district and common schools, attended Oberlin one term in 1860; attended school in Camden and Amherst in Lorain County, in 1864; received captain’s commission from the College again in 1865-1867; then at Hillsdale, Mich., graduating in June, 1870, degree of M. S.; married, Huron, O., Dec. 12, 1872, Maora Agnes Sage; enlisted in the Union Army in the War of the Rebellion, in Co. H, 8th O. V. L, April 20, 1861, discharged August, 1861; re-enlisted in Co. I, 8th 0. V. I., in August, 1861; discharged because of gun-shot wounds received in the battle of Fredericksburg; during service, participated in 33 engagements, elected Capt. of State Militia by the voters of Camden township, in Lorain County, in 1864; received captains commission from the governor, and served until the militia was dismissed at the close of the war; was appointed crier of the U. S. Circuit and District Courts for Northern Ohio District in January, 1869, until 1873; entered law office of Estep & Burke, Cleveland; was admitted to the practice of law December, 1873; was elected to the Board of Education in 1876; nominated by the Republican party for Common Pleas Judge of Cuyahoga County in 1883; defeated by a small majority; delegate and sec’y of the Republican State Convention that first nominated J. B. Foraker for Governor of Ohio; delegate to free silver convention in St. Louis and seconded the nomination of W. J. Bryan as candidate for president; joined the Peoples party in 1892; supported Mr. Bryan in 1896, and delivered more than 100 speeches for him in Ohio, Nebraska and Missouri; member State and County Bar Ass’ns; Mason, charter member Oberlin Lodge, No. 380, F. & A. M., and still a member; 32d degree Mason; charter member Memorial Post, G. A. R.
