From "HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY,"  Vol. I, pages 301-302.
Brant & Fuller, 1890.


JOHN GROSSCURTH

John Grosscurth, a leading wholesale and retail dealer in furniture 
at No. 1116 Main street, was born in the city of Meckelsdorf, Hesse-
Cassel, Germany, January 15, 1826.  In his youth he learned the trade 
of cabinet-making and house carpentry, and then served three years in 
the Prince's guard, of the Hessian army.  Upon the revolution of the 
Hessian legislature against the prince in 1850, he left the army and 
came to America, leaving Bremen on November 17, and reaching New York 
January 23, 1851, after a voyage of fifty-eight days.  After 
remaining in New York about four months he went to Newark, N. J., 
where he lived four or five months, and then Went to Rochester, N. 
Y., where he remained until September, 1852, in the meantime wedding 
Theresa Wilhelm, a native of Saxony.  Proceeding further west, his 
wife was attacked with cholera at Cleveland, and then upon her 
recovery, they came to Wheeling, reaching here on the night of 
September 11, 1852.  This city has been his permanent home since.  He 
worked at his trade until 1863, and then opened a shop on Market 
street, opposite the postoffice building, and carried a stock of 
furniture in addition to working at his trade.  In March, 1868, he 
purchased a lot on Main street and erected his present business 
house, a three-story brick building, which he occupied with a largely 
increased stock of furniture.  He continued the cabinet-making and 
undertaking business until about 1887, when he confined himself 
exclusively to the wholesale and retail furniture trade.  Mr. 
Grosscurth is one of the substantial and influential citizens of 
Wheeling.  He takes an active interest in public affairs, but is not 
a political partisan, being in favor of good government, which he is 
ready to applaud whatever party is responsible therefor.  For the 
last thirty-eight or forty years he has been a member of the Reform 
church.  Mr. and Mrs. Grosscurth have had twelve children, of whom 
there survive four sons and two daughters. 


(Linda Fluharty)