Ed was born on September 11, 1861 in Looney Valley, Houston County. His middle name, Gilbert, was Geline's father's name.  He was 13 years old when the family moved to Clay County.  Ed was the family's entrepreneur. In his young adulthood, he taught at the Grover School while focusing most of his attention on helping build the family farm.   Ed opened a mercantile business in 1882 and was a machinery dealer from 1883-1891.  He and his brother Chris bought the home place from Tarje.  Chris sold his share to Ed and purchased his own acreage the following year.  The Farm Depression of the 1890's caused some difficulties, but Ed was able to expand his operations.  At the time of his death, Ed owned over 1,000 acres and farmed over 2,000.  Ed was considered a "good catch" by the young women of the county, but he had little time for their 'emptyheadedness.' In modern terms, Ed was a workaholic! He was up at dawn organizing his work crews and could often be found at midnight hunched over his books.  To simplify his own operation, he organized and underwrote the local phone exchange (for a cost of $40!).  Ed was the best known of the Grover brothers. He, like his father, was a staunch Republican, active in the local party, and a member of the County Commission.  He was elected its chair on January 6, 1903. He died less than 11 months later.  Ed was only 42 years old.    1895 Census 1900 Census   Ed's Farm 1899 Moland Township Plat Map   Published Biography                 Ed's Death At a time when newspapers did not have obituary sections, Ed's death received coverage in both the Glyndon and Moorhead newspapers.  "The fatal ending of Mr.  Grover's illness, apprehended from the first, came last Sunday at noon . . .  Cerebral meningitis is the disease which caused death. . . brought on by overwork and rash exposure due to mental imbalances thereby induced. . . " CLICK HERE for the Resolution of the Clay County Commission   Death Index (149 KB PDF document opens in a new window)   Ed's Gravesite