Thomas Grover 1807-1886

Written by Mark L. Grover, for Grover Reunion 2004

Thomas Grover's ancestors were similar to the majority of other early settlers of America.  They moved into the first settlements of Massachusetts Colony and established themselves primarily as farmers.

The most well-known of his ancestors was his grandfather Thomas Grover who was captain in the War of Independence.

He remained in Massachusetts.  He became dissatisfied eventually with events after the war and moved to Whiteall and farmed next to the Lake.

Thomas was born Jun 22, 1807, the last of five children and four months after the death of his father.  He was born in a difficult situation.  His mother, Polly Spalding (Spaulding) was left a widow after eight years of marriage with little means to support herself and ten children.  They moved back to Massachusetts where Polly's mother, 81 years, helped with the children.  The year of 1810 she married David Young.

At the early age of twelve years, Thomas returned to New York to find work to help support the family.  Being close to the water it was natural that he would work in the canal boats.  His first job was that of a cabin boy.  He worked all of his teenage years on the water.  When became twenty-four, he became captain of a combination freight and passenger boat called the "Shamrock" that worked the canal system of northern New York State..

At the age of twenty-one Thomas married Caroline Whiting, age nineteen in 1828.  Their first child, Jane was born in 1830.  Thomas was still working on the boats.  The life of a boatman was difficult on his family.  He decided to move to the frontier to get land.  They settled in Freedom, Catterangus County.  He was able to obtain a fifty-acre piece of property at $132.39.  Three more daughters were born to the family in Freedom named:  Emeline, Mary elizabeth, and Adeline.

The mobed into an area of considerable religious conflict with various preachers coming through on regular basis.  Thomas, a member of the Congregational Church, but the preachers represented several different churches and were working much of Western New York.  March 1834, a different kind of missionary came through the area who attracted Thomas.  The preaching and message of Joseph Smith rang true to him.  Thomas began to attned the L.D.S. meetings.

It did not take long for Thomas to convert.  He was baptized in 1834.  Caroline was not so sure because she did not want to leave her nice home and leave New York.  She followed her husband, however, and was baptized at the same time.  The large number attracted to Mormonism in Freedom upset local preachers.  Consequently persecution against the church started.  Thomas, once converted, sold his farm as soon as possible and moved to Kirtland, Ohio, to be near the gathering Saints.  Their farm sold for about $500 on March 15, 1835.

When they arrived in Kirtland, promptly Thomas went to see Prophet Joseph Smith.  When Joseph opened the door, he stated, "How do you do Brother Thomas Grover?  If ever God sent a man, He sent you."The church was in the middle of construction of the Kirtland Temple and needs of money ($500) to build the Kirtland Temple.  When the prophet offered to pay back the money, Thomas refused stating:  "I have sufficient for my needs without it."

Responsibility as a leader in the church came quickly to Thomas.  He was called to the Kirtland High Council.  After a year they moved to Farr West.

Their stay in Farr West was brief because anti-L.D.S. activity increased and violence against the church occured.  Joseph Smith and other leaders were eventually impriosioned.  October 27, 1838, the Governor of Missouri issued a proclaimation that all members leave the state by February as 1839.  This time the move was much harder for Caroline as she was in her ninth month of pregnancy.  Their destination was Quincy, Illinois.

With a few years of peace the Church was able to build the city of Nauvoo on the edge of the Mississippi River.  Thomas and his family settled on property east of the city.

October 10, 1840, Caroline gave birth to a baby girl named Emma.  The birth was difficult and Caroline passed away and Emma did also three days later.  Thomas decided to send the children to stay with family of his wife in new York.  Joseph Smith dissuaded Thomas and was told he was to stay and take care of his children while he was away.

Nauvoo was an exciting place and Thomas kept busy in religious and political activities.  He served in the Nauvoo High Council which put him in the midst of several activities and controversies.  He was Captain of the Military unit of the city, the Nauvoo Legion and a member of the General Staff.  He was also assigned to be bodyguard of the Prophet Joseph Smith.  while in Nauvoo, Thomas went on three different missions for the Church, in the Midwest and in Canada.

A very difficult experience occured August 12, 1843.  He was called to a meeting with Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum.  Hyrum read a revelation the Prophet had recently received concerning twhat was called "the new and everlasting covenant," that included taking plural wives.

Thomas dedication to Joseph Smith was always a complete assignment.  He remained in the church when others had fallen out.  His faith in the Prophet continued.  In his prayers that night he requested that he could die rather than be required to enter into something so against his nature.  During that prayer he received a powerful personal and visual revelation of the woman he was to marry.  From that time to his death he supported the revelation of plural marriage.

Thomas was connected with activities surrounding the death of the Prophet.  Because Joseph Smith was a candidate for President of the United States, most of the Church leaders, including Thomas, went on a short-term mission campaiging for his election when Joseph Smith was jailed and assassinated.  Thomas had a dream in which he was told to return to Nauvoo so he immediately left for Illinois.  He was one of only a few of the leaders of the Church in the area during this difficult period.  He and his companion arrived just as the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum were being moved from Carthage to Nauvoo.  He helped prepare the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum for burial and participated in the funeral proceedings.  Emma asked Thomas to cut a lock of hair from the head of the Prophet which she divided with him.

Sidney Rigdon began to insist that he be given the responsibility of leadership.  Thomas suggested the Church wait until the Apostles returned from their missions.  When Brigham Young returned, Thomas spoke in favor or Brigham Young.  It was at this meeting that many say the countenance of Joseph Smith in Brigham Young.  From that time forward he support Brigham Young as the rightful heir to the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Thomas helped in the construction of the Nauvoo Temple and at the same time assisted in the planning and organized the trek West.  he did baptisms for the dead of his ancestors in the temple.  After the temple was dedicated, he was sealed to his wives.

On February 8, 1846, the family began the journey west.  Tragedy immediately occured to the family.  They were crossing the Mississippi River on a flatboat.  A man and two boys were in a sinking condition, they hailed to the flatboat which soon turned to give them assistance.  As soon as they were on board the flat boat a "filthy wicked man squirted some tabacco juice into the eyes of one of the oxen attached to Thomas Grover's wagon which immediately plunged into the river dragging another ox with him, and as he was going overbaord he tore off one of the sideboards, which caused the water to flow into the flat boat, and as they approached the shore the boat sank to the bottom.  All of the men could leap off.  Several of the brothren were picked up in an exhausted condition.  Two oxen were drowned and a few things floated away and were lost.  The wagon was drawn out of the river with its contents damaged.  "Unfortunately most of the Grover family personal effects were lost, including Thomas's diaries and other family records.  They had to receive help from others before continuing the trip west."

Thomas Grover was chosen to be part of the second group of ten under the direction of Apostle Ezra T. Benson.  Thomas probably selected because of his experience as a boat baptain and his expertise would be needed.  On April 5, 1847, he left for the west without his family.  He left his family well supplied with all they needed.

The trip went well; they crossed the North Platte River in Wyoming.  Brigham Young and Thomas were in conflict how best to cross the river.  President Young rejected Thomas's idea, which Thomas, in an angry tone said, "He had forgotten more about water than Brigham Young knew."  When the first attempt failed, President Young acknowledged his mistake and suggested Thomas's plan be followed.  It was successful and the entire company crossed the river."

Thomas was put in charge of the groups who were on their way, as well as earn needed cash.  They operated the ferry for one month until most of the year's traffic had crossed and the water had receded.  Thomas then went back along the trail to meet his family who were weith the Charles C. Rich company.  They entered the Salt Lake Valley on October 2, 1847.

The first winter in Salt Lake was difficult.  The best land around the center of settlement had already been taken.  His family spent the winter close to the main camp as they looked for land to farm and to raise cattle.  They decided to settle in Duel Creek (Centerville).  In the spring, Thomas harvested three hundred bushels of wheat before crickets destroyed everything.  His wheat helped his neighbors whose crops were destroyed.  In the fall of 1848 he moved his family to the settlement further north called Farmington.  He was one of the five original founders of Farmington.

After the crops were harvested in 1848, Thomas decided to go with several other men to California.  When Brigham Young learned of Thomas's plans he asked Thomas if he would officially represent the Church and collect tithing from the members in Northern California.  Thomas stayed in California for the winter, working the gold fields and was able to mind a significant amount of gold that was to be important in establishing his family in Utah.  When returning to Utah, in the spring of 1849, he delivered to Brigham Young more than $4,000 in tithing for the Church.  He also had a large sum of money for himself.

Thomas invested the money he earned in California in cattle.  In the spring of 1850 he took his wives, Hannah and Loduska and family and returned to the East where they stayed until 1853.  These were both eventful and tragic years.  In the summer of 1853, the Grover's returned to Utah, driving 150 cattle.

Returing with the cattle, Thomas established a successful farm and ranch.  In Farmington he was able to accumulate additional land and build a large rock home for his family.  He owned and operated the "Grover Inn" in Farming.  He served as a High Councilman in Salt Lake City and in Farmington.  He also served in the Utah Legislature and eventually became Judge in Davis County.

Between 1855 and 1857, at the suggestion of Brigham Young, Thomas took an additional four wives, all English converts.  Two did not stay with him.  But two who stayed and each raised nine children, Emma Walker and Elizabeth Walker (not related).

Thomas was generous with his money, giving hundreds of dollars for public education, and various activities in the community.

He was respected for the quality of character.  Physically a large and handsome man.  He was characterized as having the "noble qualities of industry, thrift, love of family and neighbors, a very deep and abiding love and reverence for his creator and his church."

On Sunday, February 16, 1886, at the age of seventy-nine, Thomas Grover stood up in church to bear his last testimony and describe his feelings about the Prophet Joseph Smith.  Four days later he passed away from Pneumonia with Laduska at his side.  Thus ended the life of a man who heard the Prophet Joseph Smith preach the restoration of the gospel.