Curtis Othaniel Groom, Sr. is my great-great grandfather on my mother's side. He was born December 13, 1896 in Platte, Missouri and was the third of seven children.
There were five boys and two girls and they were all over six feet tall. My great-great grandpa was 6' 4" and I did not get my height from him. Everyone else is short in my family, my great grandpa must have gotten his height from his mother and passed to me.
I used Family Search to find a lot of information on my great-great grandpa as well as the help of my mother and grandmother.
I was able to find several censuses he was a part of. In the 1900 census they were still living in Missouri and by the 1910 census they had moved in Los Angeles, California.
 |
| 1900 US Census - Lines 35-40 - Photo from Family Search |
 |
| 1910 US Census - Lines 97-100 - Photo from Family Search |
 |
| Great-great grandpa holding great grandpa with great-great grandma |
He was in the Navy during World War I where he served as a Seaman First Class.
He met Maria Clara Kaufman while he was still in the Navy then got married in 1919 in Long Island, New York. They moved back to California where they had my great grandpa, Curtis Othaniel Groom, Jr. in 1920. They then had three more children, two boys and a girl.
 |
| Great-great-great grandparents with great grandpa |
 |
| Great-great grandpa with great grandpa in 1921 |
 |
| Great-great grandpa, great grandpa (standing in front) with wife Maria holding second child and great-great-great grandma |
Sadly, in 1923 the little girl, Maxine Eleanor Groom, died; she had only lived about 12 hours.
In 1929 Maria passed at the age of 29. I could not find the cause of death for Maxine nor Maria.
 |
| C. O. Groom, Jr. WWII Registration Card - Photo from Family Search |
I would have liked to have found my great-great grandpa's World War I registration card. My grandmother wasn't sure if he was on a ship, she has not been able to find any military records.
While doing research I came across my great grandpa's World War II registration card. He was at Pearl Harbor on the USS Tennessee when it was bombed December 7, 1941 and I am very glad he survived. My great grandpa's son was also in the Navy.
Can you imagine that? Three generations in the US Navy!
 |
| Great grandpa (left) with a Navy friend |
My great-great grandpa married Iola D. Hissner in 1931 and in the 1940 census they were living in Los Angeles.
 |
| 1940 US Census - Lines 16-18 - Photo from Family Search |
 |
| C. O. Groom, Sr. Death Certificate - Photo from Family Search |
When his second wife passed in 1964, he had a small stroke and could not live be himself. His three sons decided he would stay with each son for four months. He came to live with my great grandpa in Charleston first. My grandmother said he had trouble speaking and moved slowly.
She said he had been here for about a month then one day he wasn't feeling well so my great grandpa took him to the Navy Hospital, however, he passed before they could admit him. He passed May 20, 1965 at the age of 69.
I was also able to find many marriage certificates under my great-great grandpa and great-great grandma's name for their children, which can all be found on Family Search.
He is buried at Riverview Memorial Park in North Charleston, South Carolina. He has a great view of the water from his resting place.
Even though I did not know my great-great grandfather, my grandma only meet him when he came to live with my great grandpa but she remembers he was very nice. I imagine that he is not much different than my great grandfather, who I loved. He passed in 2007, however, I remember he was always to nice and funny. My brother was able to spend more time with him when he was little while me mom was working.
As you can see, the grave marker is simple and has some damage, most likely from the age and weathering.
Fun fact, his grave marker is called a lawn marker.
Views of Riverview Memorial
There was an area of Government Issued Military grave markers. When I saw these I thought my grandfather would be there because he was in WWI but those were more recent than when he passed.
All photos of my great-great grandpa and my great grandpa are from my Grandma Debbie. 💓
I like looking at my family tree because I can find so many things I had not known before. For my Beyond the Grave class I had to research an ancestor and tell their story. To read about other ancestors from my classmates, click the link.
No comments:
Post a Comment