Birth:
Born on the Isle of Man, Matthew John Grose (1843-1905) was the second son of Captain Matthew Grose junior (1819-1887) from Cornwall and Annie Weston Read (1818-1868) from Winchester, England.
With generations of mining in his veins, Matthew John Grose inherited the enterprising spirit of his forefathers and lead an intrepid life through the economic turbulence of the nineteenth century.
Mining prospects had brought his grandfather (Matthew Grose senior, 1788-1849) and family from Cornwall to the Isle of Man in 1828. However the decline of the Manx mining industry meant that Matthew John Grose and many others would now have to venture even further overseas to make a living.
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Childhood:
Matthew John Grose was born on the Isle of Man and baptised at Kirk German on New Years Eve, 31st December 1843.
Image of church: http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/parishes/peel/peel.htm#StPeter
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At the age of seven, Matthew John Grose appeared on the 1851 census. He lived at Ballagawne, Rushen, Isle of Man, with his parents (father, Matthew, an “Agent of Mines” and mother, Anne) and three of his siblings – Emma (age 5), Walter (age 3) and Frederick (age 1).
There was also a female servant, Mary Bawden.
His older brother, Alfred Matthew Grose, does not appear in this household, but is with his maternal grandparents, John and Anne Read at Glen Maye.
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Teenage years:
At the age of seventeen, Matthew John Grose appeared on the 1861 census living at Ballacorkish, Rushen. His father, Matthew was listed as “Lead & Copper Mine Agent”. His mother, Annie, an “Agents wife”.
There were also his siblings Emma (age 15), Walter Henry (age 14), Francis (age 8), Clara (age 6), Florence Amelia (age 5), Albert (age 3) and Horace (9 months).
There was also a female servant, Mary Gallagher.
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Marriage in 1867:
Isle of Man Weekly Advertising Circular, Tuesday, October 08, 1867; Page: 3
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At the age of twenty three, Matthew John Grose gave his profession as “Mine Agent” when he married nineteen year old, Louisa Adie, on 21st September 1867 at Braddan, Isle of Man.
His bride, Louisa Adie (1848-1931), was born in Rushen, Isle of Man. She was the daughter of the late James Shaw Adie (1816-1865), Agent of Kentraugh, who originally hailed from Dunipace, Stirlingshire, Scotland. Louisa’s mother was Sarah Turner (1807-1894), from Stourbridge, Worcestershire, England.
The witnesses to the marriage were Mona Shaw Adie (Louisa’s sister) and William Clarke Dawson (Matthew John Grose’s brother-in-law). William Clarke Dawson (1839-1914) had married Emma Mary Grose (1846-1920) a year earlier in 1866.
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Starting a Family:
Less than three weeks later, the newlyweds Matthew John and Louisa Grose had their son, Matthew Herbert Adie Grose, who was born on 12th October 1867 in Braddan, Isle of Man. Unusually, a baptism record has not been found (Please contact if you find this!).
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Troubled times in 1868:
In May 1868 his mother, Annie Weston Grose (nee Read) died.
Mona’s Herald, Wednesday, May 13, 1868; Page: 7
Later that year, in September 1868, Matthew John Grose and his older brother, Afred Matthew Grose were trouble and committed for trial for stealing apples and peaches.
Isle of Man Times, Saturday, September 19, 1868; Page: 5
Three days after this newspaper report, on 22nd September his widower father, Captain Matthew Grose married the widow Mrs Elizabeth Luff (nee Qualtrough).
Isle of Man Times, Saturday, October 03, 1868; Page: 5
Soon afterwards, in October 1868, Matthew John Grose and his brother, Alfred Matthew Grose, appeared in a crowded court charged with stealing the fruit.
12th October 1868
Both were sentenced to two months hard labour for grand larceny (theft).
Mona’s Herald, Wednesday, December 09, 1868; Page: 6
Photograph of Pine Grove Hotel, Lyon County, circa 1895.
Photograph courtesy of https://unrspecoll.pastperfectonline.com/photo/9FEDBCDD-7944-41B2-99CC-231941693865
“After the demonetization of silver in 1893, the Pine Grove mines were only worked intermittently.”
http://silverstateghosttowns.com/pinegrove.html
“Work started again in the mines between 1900 and 1910, but production never reached the activity of the 1870s and 1880s. There was limited prospecting in the area in the early 1900s…”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_Grove,_Nevada
Photographs courtesy of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_Grove,_Nevada
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Matthew John Grose died in Nevada in 1905
Mona’s Herald, Wednesday, April 11, 1906; Page: 5
At Court held at Douglas 9th day of April 1906
Matthew John Grose formerly of 16, Castle Street
In the High Court of Justice of the Isle of Man
We, the undersigned next of kin of Matthew John Grose
formerly of Castle Street in the Borough of Douglas
& late of Goldfield Nevada in the United States of
America miner deceased who died on or about the 21st
day of May 1905 intestate hereby authorise Llewellyn
Kneale advocate or any person authorised by him to
appear for us at any court after this date & consent
to administration of the estate & effects of the
said Matthew John Grose being granted to Louisa Grose
our mother & widow of the said Matthew John Grose
This 5th day of April 1906
– Matthew Herbert Adie Grose Eldest son
– Eden H Grose…
In the goods of Matthew John Grose formerly of
16 Castle Street in the Borough of Douglas &
late of Goldfield Nevada in the United States
of America miner deceased Know all men by these presents that we Louisa
Grose of No 28 Farrant St in the Borough of Douglas
widow, William Thomson of Atholl St in the said
Borough auctioneer and Eden Hildesley Grose of
28 Farrant St in said Borough tramcar driver are
jointly and severally & any two of us jointly
bound unto our Soveriegn Lord the King in the
sum of 5 pounds to the payment whereof well &
truly to be made to our Sovereign Lord The King
his heirs & successors & any two of us jointly,
our Executors & Administrators firmly by these
presents. As witness our subscriptions the twenty-fourth
day of March in the Year of our Lord one thousand
nine hundred and six.
http://www3.telus.net/lawson/twill/1906_005.html
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Conclusion:
He never returned home from the USA and many of his descendants remain on the Isle of Man. No burial record or grave marker has been found in Nevada for Matthew John Grose 1843 – 1905.
His last known residence was Pine Grove Precinct in 1900, which is over 200 miles from where he died in Goldfield, Nevada USA.
Please comment or use the contact form if you find anything else about him!