Philo Ulysses Grove was born to James Madison Grove and Mary Alice Galyean on March
23, 1876 at Bluffton, Indiana, Wells County and died October 20, 1944. In 1886, he came with his parents to
Nebraska and lived northeast of Orchard. The family returned to Indiana where Philo worked on the railroad and
in the oil fields. On January 4,
1899, he married Bertha Ellen Gears. She
was born September 19, 1979 and died October 21, 1976. She was the daughter of William and Melvina
Gears. The state government purchased
land from the Grove family to develop a lake. In July 1951, the lake was named “Grove Lake” by the Game, Forestation
and Parks Commission. Three daughters
were born to Philo and Bertha: Vera,
Carrie and Esther.
Source Unknown: Originally submitted for this website in July 2007