When George Frederick was 27 years old he emigrated to America on the ship "Patience" from Rotterdaym qualifying on August 11, 1750 (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 2, Vol. 17, page 308: also Pennsylvania German Pioneers, Stassburger-Hinke, Vol. 2, page 488 - Library of Congress F 146 P 23 Vol 43). The journey to America was a brutal affair for these early immigrants. They first boarded flat bottom canal boats that traveled down the Rhein River to Rotterdam, Netherlands a distance of around 300 miles. This required two to three months. Arriving in Rotterdam, they boarded sailing ships for Philadelphia. The first stop was the Isle of Wight on the English Channel for final supplies. Departure awaited favorable winds and weather conditions.
After five to six months they finally arrived in Philidelphia, their first act being a declaration of citizenship and allegence.
George Frederick settled in Pennsylvania apparently first near Philadephia where he was attending the St. Michael's Evangelical Luthern Church, Germantown when his eldest son, Johann George Groh was born in July 1751 and was christened (Records of the St. Michaels Evangelical Lutheran Church, Germantown, Pennsylvania on microfilm at Genealogy Society Library). The date of his marriage or his wife's maiden name in unknown. The ship lists only recorded the male names, it is suspected however that he brought his wife Maria Barbara from Wuerttemberg with him.
Shortly after arriving in America George Frederick bought a farm of about 163 acres in Lower Merion Township near Philadephia on the Schuylkill River.
Richard W. Grow photographed the Family Bible on a visit to Ardmore, Penn in May 1963. The bible was in the possession of George M. Grow of 1914 Lycoming Ave. Abington, Penn., a third great grandson of George Frederick Groh. On the inside of the front cover Frederick identified the day and place of his birth and on the inside of the back cover he kept records of the birth of each of his children. His bible was printed in Germany in 1746 and was probably brought to America when he came. Many notes were made in the bible either by him or his descendants, but these two pages are the most interest to the Grow family. Five children were noted in the bible apparently did not survive childhood. One son David lived 34 years but apparently did not marry. Five children survived both Frederick and Maria Barbara. These being the following: Johann George, George Adam, Maria Catherine, Jacob and Henry.
The old family home is still standing on Grow hill at Ardmore, Pennsylvania and has been lived in up to the present. Frederick helped to found St. Paul's Lutheran Church at Ardmore. He was one of the six trustees representing the Lutheran congregation who bought 63 acres in 1765 as a site for the church and burial ground (Norristown Times Herald, Friday, November 9, 1934). Many of the Grow family were buried in this cemetery, the Lutheran Cemetery of Ardmore, Pennsylvania.
Joseph Price in a diary has several entries of interest: 1805 Feb 7th Wind East, & has haild & Snowd perhaps 1 or 2 I. But now Raining & very fast much fell till noon, then Broke off tho not Cleard up, about 10 OC Begun a Coffin for Old Fredreck Grow died very Sudden drop down dead at the door he was 82 yrs Old, Been here 44 or 45 yers [years] Bout his first purchase in 1760 for 2L 16s- per Acre I dare Say it now fetch 60 Dollars per perhaps more, & he has made a good deal of Money their he was awell Read German Left 4 sons & one Girl, he had when he begun but had 50L & Recken he has Left his Childern property worth 10 or 1200L apeice. all that the Cash that Gets in their hands is Struck out of Surcilation all most, for the[y] do their own Smith work wheelwright Do Live to themselvesFeby. 8th 1805 Wind S W & foggy in morn Cleard fine warm then over Cast before night Looks like Snow think Snow Shower & blow of[f] Borrowd J M. Wagon poney & Bully & took the Coffin up & Buryed him at dutch Church. Sent the wagon home by Gigur & Got in Stadlemans wagon & went to Grows to Dine very heavy gooing for wagons the Snow brakes through & very deep yet number Sleighs their Stadleman fetch me back in his carrage, so Ended Daddy Grow, he Stood plum in Society & from Information died a Christain [Christian]-- which may be the fate & Character of all pray I--
March 3rd. 1805 Wind S W & very fine day after breakfast Set of[f] to old Elix Soleys' Burial 82 years old been blind 8 or 10 yrs. but prety Stout Came from Old England Bromaginn [Birmingham], when a boy Servd his time with Jont. Humphreys Father Used to Say knew him. When aboy Stopt at buck Spent 111/4 So home to Dinner after at Morris's he up with me & Drank tea the[n] back with him, & Spent Evening one Mason here wanting me to Go to town with this [him] he wants to buy Jarvis's place Addam Grow her[e] to Get me to help prais his Fathers Personal Estate
4 Wind S W. Smart frost, but fine day after breakfast up to Grow apraising finish praising about Sun Set, the Old Woman throwd out 1200 Dolrs. that they had in Chest & Most Every person acquainted with them thinks they had as much more, Old Woman keep all the money in his time & I supose She Concluded to keep Some Still, She was so fraid of paper money or wan for want of faith in her fellow Creaturs, that she would not Let any on Intrest
March the 5th 1805 Wind S.W. & froze prety hard & Large white frost, but verry fine day, Set of[f] about 10 OC to Town with Grow to take their Money to Bank, Sold 600 Old Dollars to Clem Bittle a Noterry republic & Broker for 9 Dollars Advance Viz 11/2 per Cent Got a Check for it on U S. bank drew the Money, then went to Elliots & Dined; then took the 1200 Drs & Deposited it in U.S. bank in Geroge [George] Grows name as Admr. to Fredreck Grow; Calld to See Jarvis he rather Illnaturd & which wisht his Son dead, off Left him he is Said to be a Great Lyer, which is amost abomi[n]able thing. Depreciates aman in Eyes of Every Gentle man Bout. Sheos [shoes] for Ann & George at 10s- a pair for tom 10s31/2 Gross Screws 6s6 at Eliots 111/4 at ferry 111/4 Grow paid for my Dinner &c about 5s- the[n] offerd me the 3 part of 9 D or Any Share that we Got advanct but I whish not Reap where I have not Sowd so refused to receivd any thing but my Expences, home about Dark, Grow paid me for his fathers Coffin 8 Dols. [in margin: "Loyd Jones here & Settled with & paid me 9s6 being in full of all Demands"]
August 3rd Wind I know not where very Calm & foggy morn, Cleard off before noon tho thundered in Morn. Cuting Suckers from out of Turnip peice & Spreading dung. afternoon at Grows, about a devision of their Lands between 4 Sons & one Daughter, we agreed all to So that they have only to release to Each other thunder & a fine rain in Evening Borrowd a Coat & so home about dusk
His wife Maria Barbara died at the age of 81 in 1809