Long-time Surprise Valley resident David "Davey" Leroy Grove died July 29, 1993 in the Cedarville Hospital.
The third of eight children, Davey was born on May 18, 1894 to David Henry Grove, a Pennsylvania Dutch, and Louella Gruelle Grove, a native of New Pine Creek. At the time, they were living in a three-room clapboard homestead on the west side of Goose Lake near what is now known as the Point Ranch.
After the turn of the century, Davey's father moved his family to Surprise Valley, where he had worked before getting married. Leaving the IXL ranch in Lake County, David Henry went to work for Jack Bitner at what is now the Laxague ranch.
While they lived at the Turner ranch nearby, the Grove children attended Overton School. Most years, however, Davey and his older brother Earnest, started school six weeks into the session after they had assisted their father with sheepherding well into the fall. When David Henry started business with George Turner, nine-year old Davey began driving "jigup" on a derrick stacker for 50 cents a day. After graduating from elementary school and attending three years of high school in Cedarville, Davey was asked to help the family with running sheep herds throughout eastern California and western Nevada.
In 1912 David Henry sold his herds and Davey and Earnest moved to Eagleville to find work. At the same time, the two boys bought their first car, a 1910 Pope-Hartford from Walter Johnson. Over the next four years, Davey cowboyed and sheared sheep at various ranches. By 1917 he had built up a fledgling herd of 50 cattle when he was called for World War I as the first draftee to leave Modoc.
After training in Fort Lewis, Wash., with a number of Modoc's young, Davey was shipped to France where he served with Company K, 363rd Infantry of the 91st Division and fought in the battles of Ypres-Lys, St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne. It was in the last of these battles at the Argonne Forest that Davey was injured when a shell exploded at his heel under heavy artillery fire. His unit's sergeant, Nels Monroe, a fellow Modoc'er and lifelong friend, rescued him from the battlefield. Upon recovery in a French hospital, Davey joined his unit in Belgium where he fought until the warended in 1918. Following a four-month assignment with the Occupational Forces he returned to Modoc County in the spring of 1919.
Davey had met his lifelong sweetheart, Irvine (daughter of Irvin Kistler and "Molly" Hudspeth Kistler), when she was only seven years old. Keeping his promise in 1917 to return from the war and marry her, Davey wed Irvine in Alturas on Sept. 1, 1919 when he was 25 and she was 17. The couple moved to Eagleville where they lived for most of their lives and raised three sons and scores of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
After working at various sheep and cattle outfits, Davey always considered his full entry into the cattle business to be 1929 when he executed a lease of a portion of the Bill Scott ranch where he and his father had worked for a number of years. By 1935 Davey was able to purchase a portion of the Scotts' large spread.
Because of doctors' concerns over Irvine's failing health, however, the couple sold their Modoc holdings and moved to Lafayette in the mid-1940's. Two short years later, their love for Surprise Valley brought them back. Davey then approached Harold Finman to buy what has since been known as the Grove ranch southeast of Eagleville.
He and Irvine built their home in 1948 on adjacent land gifted to them by Bill Patterson, and they continued to cultivate their cattle herd on the 860-acre ranch. Davey had held the "49" iron for a number of years and the "48" brand was added to his growing estate with the purchase of the Finman property.
In 1946, Davey's oldest son, David Irvin, joined him in the "D.L. Grove & Son" ranching partnership. The ranching operation also included a quarter share of the 16,000-acre corporation known as the "Home Camp" holdings in western Nevada. Since Dave Junior's death in 1983, Davey's grandsons, Dan and Link, have taken over the cattle operations at the home ranch.
Known simply as "Grandad" to the young and the old of the community, Davey is somewhat of a legend in Surprise Valley. Although he is really remembered as the last Modoc survivor of the first World War, Davey is most respected for the everyday life he lived. His hallmark was a drive for completing whatever task needed to be done, be it breaking colts, chopping wood, digging ditch, driving teams, or cooking breakfast for the work crew – much of which he performed until his very last days.
In addition, Davey always had time for people who passed his way and, in his words, followed a creed of "treating ladies like ladies and gentlemen like gentlemen". His mastery of the history of Modoc was well-known and covered an amazing story of changes that have occurred over the past century. Witnessing everything from the invention of the automobile, to the installation of the valley's first electrical lights, to humans' first flight to the moon, Davey had his feet firmly planted in the experiences of the past while keeping up-to-date by pouring over newspapers on a daily basis.
Any visitor to his beloved Eagleville ranch quickly understood his deep reverence for the picturesque meadows and stock corrals under the shadow of Eagle Peak. In recent years, he would often be found gazing from his kitchen windows over his lifetime of work. True to his reputation, when asked for his advice to others during an interview in 1988 Davey responded "Work hard, tend to business, and have some fun along with it".
Davey was a member of the Cattlemen's Association, Elks Lodge, Farm Bureau and Eagleville Community Church. Among the many honors he received over his 99 years was being named Modoc's Cattleman of the Year in 1984.
Davey was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Irvine, in 1971. He was also preceded in death by his eldest son, David Irvin, and four brothers and three sisters.
Surviving are his second eldest son, William Fredrick, and his wife, Harriet, of Avila Beach, Calif., and his youngest son, Jerry Kistler, and his wife Virginia of Cedarville. His third daughter-in-law, Kathleen "TaTa" Grove lives in Eagleville. Davey leaves behind 10 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren, including David Grove the fifth, as well as a large number of nieces and nephews, in addition to many special people he considered valued friends.
Funeral services were held in the Eagleville Community Church on Wednesday, Aug. 4. Davey was interred at the family plot in the Eagleville Cemetery. Pallbearers were Tom and Brent Espil, Davey's great nephews, Tom, Jerry and Dick Minto, and Cecil Kemble, long time family friends.
Modoc County Record August 5, 1993
The third of eight children, Davey was born on May 18, 1894 to David Henry Grove, a Pennsylvania Dutch, and Louella Gruelle Grove, a native of New Pine Creek. At the time, they were living in a three-room clapboard homestead on the west side of Goose Lake near what is now known as the Point Ranch.
After the turn of the century, Davey's father moved his family to Surprise Valley, where he had worked before getting married. Leaving the IXL ranch in Lake County, David Henry went to work for Jack Bitner at what is now the Laxague ranch.
While they lived at the Turner ranch nearby, the Grove children attended Overton School. Most years, however, Davey and his older brother Earnest, started school six weeks into the session after they had assisted their father with sheepherding well into the fall. When David Henry started business with George Turner, nine-year old Davey began driving "jigup" on a derrick stacker for 50 cents a day. After graduating from elementary school and attending three years of high school in Cedarville, Davey was asked to help the family with running sheep herds throughout eastern California and western Nevada.
In 1912 David Henry sold his herds and Davey and Earnest moved to Eagleville to find work. At the same time, the two boys bought their first car, a 1910 Pope-Hartford from Walter Johnson. Over the next four years, Davey cowboyed and sheared sheep at various ranches. By 1917 he had built up a fledgling herd of 50 cattle when he was called for World War I as the first draftee to leave Modoc.
After training in Fort Lewis, Wash., with a number of Modoc's young, Davey was shipped to France where he served with Company K, 363rd Infantry of the 91st Division and fought in the battles of Ypres-Lys, St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne. It was in the last of these battles at the Argonne Forest that Davey was injured when a shell exploded at his heel under heavy artillery fire. His unit's sergeant, Nels Monroe, a fellow Modoc'er and lifelong friend, rescued him from the battlefield. Upon recovery in a French hospital, Davey joined his unit in Belgium where he fought until the warended in 1918. Following a four-month assignment with the Occupational Forces he returned to Modoc County in the spring of 1919.
Davey had met his lifelong sweetheart, Irvine (daughter of Irvin Kistler and "Molly" Hudspeth Kistler), when she was only seven years old. Keeping his promise in 1917 to return from the war and marry her, Davey wed Irvine in Alturas on Sept. 1, 1919 when he was 25 and she was 17. The couple moved to Eagleville where they lived for most of their lives and raised three sons and scores of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
After working at various sheep and cattle outfits, Davey always considered his full entry into the cattle business to be 1929 when he executed a lease of a portion of the Bill Scott ranch where he and his father had worked for a number of years. By 1935 Davey was able to purchase a portion of the Scotts' large spread.
Because of doctors' concerns over Irvine's failing health, however, the couple sold their Modoc holdings and moved to Lafayette in the mid-1940's. Two short years later, their love for Surprise Valley brought them back. Davey then approached Harold Finman to buy what has since been known as the Grove ranch southeast of Eagleville.
He and Irvine built their home in 1948 on adjacent land gifted to them by Bill Patterson, and they continued to cultivate their cattle herd on the 860-acre ranch. Davey had held the "49" iron for a number of years and the "48" brand was added to his growing estate with the purchase of the Finman property.
In 1946, Davey's oldest son, David Irvin, joined him in the "D.L. Grove & Son" ranching partnership. The ranching operation also included a quarter share of the 16,000-acre corporation known as the "Home Camp" holdings in western Nevada. Since Dave Junior's death in 1983, Davey's grandsons, Dan and Link, have taken over the cattle operations at the home ranch.
Known simply as "Grandad" to the young and the old of the community, Davey is somewhat of a legend in Surprise Valley. Although he is really remembered as the last Modoc survivor of the first World War, Davey is most respected for the everyday life he lived. His hallmark was a drive for completing whatever task needed to be done, be it breaking colts, chopping wood, digging ditch, driving teams, or cooking breakfast for the work crew – much of which he performed until his very last days.
In addition, Davey always had time for people who passed his way and, in his words, followed a creed of "treating ladies like ladies and gentlemen like gentlemen". His mastery of the history of Modoc was well-known and covered an amazing story of changes that have occurred over the past century. Witnessing everything from the invention of the automobile, to the installation of the valley's first electrical lights, to humans' first flight to the moon, Davey had his feet firmly planted in the experiences of the past while keeping up-to-date by pouring over newspapers on a daily basis.
Any visitor to his beloved Eagleville ranch quickly understood his deep reverence for the picturesque meadows and stock corrals under the shadow of Eagle Peak. In recent years, he would often be found gazing from his kitchen windows over his lifetime of work. True to his reputation, when asked for his advice to others during an interview in 1988 Davey responded "Work hard, tend to business, and have some fun along with it".
Davey was a member of the Cattlemen's Association, Elks Lodge, Farm Bureau and Eagleville Community Church. Among the many honors he received over his 99 years was being named Modoc's Cattleman of the Year in 1984.
Davey was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Irvine, in 1971. He was also preceded in death by his eldest son, David Irvin, and four brothers and three sisters.
Surviving are his second eldest son, William Fredrick, and his wife, Harriet, of Avila Beach, Calif., and his youngest son, Jerry Kistler, and his wife Virginia of Cedarville. His third daughter-in-law, Kathleen "TaTa" Grove lives in Eagleville. Davey leaves behind 10 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren, including David Grove the fifth, as well as a large number of nieces and nephews, in addition to many special people he considered valued friends.
Funeral services were held in the Eagleville Community Church on Wednesday, Aug. 4. Davey was interred at the family plot in the Eagleville Cemetery. Pallbearers were Tom and Brent Espil, Davey's great nephews, Tom, Jerry and Dick Minto, and Cecil Kemble, long time family friends.
Modoc County Record August 5, 1993
Long-time Surprise Valley resident David "Davey" Leroy Grove died July 29, 1993 in the Cedarville Hospital.
The third of eight children, Davey was born on May 18, 1894 to David Henry Grove, a Pennsylvania Dutch, and Louella Gruelle Grove, a native of New Pine Creek. At the time, they were living in a three-room clapboard homestead on the west side of Goose Lake near what is now known as the Point Ranch.
After the turn of the century, Davey's father moved his family to Surprise Valley, where he had worked before getting married. Leaving the IXL ranch in Lake County, David Henry went to work for Jack Bitner at what is now the Laxague ranch.
While they lived at the Turner ranch nearby, the Grove children attended Overton School. Most years, however, Davey and his older brother Earnest, started school six weeks into the session after they had assisted their father with sheepherding well into the fall. When David Henry started business with George Turner, nine-year old Davey began driving "jigup" on a derrick stacker for 50 cents a day. After graduating from elementary school and attending three years of high school in Cedarville, Davey was asked to help the family with running sheep herds throughout eastern California and western Nevada.
In 1912 David Henry sold his herds and Davey and Earnest moved to Eagleville to find work. At the same time, the two boys bought their first car, a 1910 Pope-Hartford from Walter Johnson. Over the next four years, Davey cowboyed and sheared sheep at various ranches. By 1917 he had built up a fledgling herd of 50 cattle when he was called for World War I as the first draftee to leave Modoc.
After training in Fort Lewis, Wash., with a number of Modoc's young, Davey was shipped to France where he served with Company K, 363rd Infantry of the 91st Division and fought in the battles of Ypres-Lys, St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne. It was in the last of these battles at the Argonne Forest that Davey was injured when a shell exploded at his heel under heavy artillery fire. His unit's sergeant, Nels Monroe, a fellow Modoc'er and lifelong friend, rescued him from the battlefield. Upon recovery in a French hospital, Davey joined his unit in Belgium where he fought until the warended in 1918. Following a four-month assignment with the Occupational Forces he returned to Modoc County in the spring of 1919.
Davey had met his lifelong sweetheart, Irvine (daughter of Irvin Kistler and "Molly" Hudspeth Kistler), when she was only seven years old. Keeping his promise in 1917 to return from the war and marry her, Davey wed Irvine in Alturas on Sept. 1, 1919 when he was 25 and she was 17. The couple moved to Eagleville where they lived for most of their lives and raised three sons and scores of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
After working at various sheep and cattle outfits, Davey always considered his full entry into the cattle business to be 1929 when he executed a lease of a portion of the Bill Scott ranch where he and his father had worked for a number of years. By 1935 Davey was able to purchase a portion of the Scotts' large spread.
Because of doctors' concerns over Irvine's failing health, however, the couple sold their Modoc holdings and moved to Lafayette in the mid-1940's. Two short years later, their love for Surprise Valley brought them back. Davey then approached Harold Finman to buy what has since been known as the Grove ranch southeast of Eagleville.
He and Irvine built their home in 1948 on adjacent land gifted to them by Bill Patterson, and they continued to cultivate their cattle herd on the 860-acre ranch. Davey had held the "49" iron for a number of years and the "48" brand was added to his growing estate with the purchase of the Finman property.
In 1946, Davey's oldest son, David Irvin, joined him in the "D.L. Grove & Son" ranching partnership. The ranching operation also included a quarter share of the 16,000-acre corporation known as the "Home Camp" holdings in western Nevada. Since Dave Junior's death in 1983, Davey's grandsons, Dan and Link, have taken over the cattle operations at the home ranch.
Known simply as "Grandad" to the young and the old of the community, Davey is somewhat of a legend in Surprise Valley. Although he is really remembered as the last Modoc survivor of the first World War, Davey is most respected for the everyday life he lived. His hallmark was a drive for completing whatever task needed to be done, be it breaking colts, chopping wood, digging ditch, driving teams, or cooking breakfast for the work crew – much of which he performed until his very last days.
In addition, Davey always had time for people who passed his way and, in his words, followed a creed of "treating ladies like ladies and gentlemen like gentlemen". His mastery of the history of Modoc was well-known and covered an amazing story of changes that have occurred over the past century. Witnessing everything from the invention of the automobile, to the installation of the valley's first electrical lights, to humans' first flight to the moon, Davey had his feet firmly planted in the experiences of the past while keeping up-to-date by pouring over newspapers on a daily basis.
Any visitor to his beloved Eagleville ranch quickly understood his deep reverence for the picturesque meadows and stock corrals under the shadow of Eagle Peak. In recent years, he would often be found gazing from his kitchen windows over his lifetime of work. True to his reputation, when asked for his advice to others during an interview in 1988 Davey responded "Work hard, tend to business, and have some fun along with it".
Davey was a member of the Cattlemen's Association, Elks Lodge, Farm Bureau and Eagleville Community Church. Among the many honors he received over his 99 years was being named Modoc's Cattleman of the Year in 1984.
Davey was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Irvine, in 1971. He was also preceded in death by his eldest son, David Irvin, and four brothers and three sisters.
Surviving are his second eldest son, William Fredrick, and his wife, Harriet, of Avila Beach, Calif., and his youngest son, Jerry Kistler, and his wife Virginia of Cedarville. His third daughter-in-law, Kathleen "TaTa" Grove lives in Eagleville. Davey leaves behind 10 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren, including David Grove the fifth, as well as a large number of nieces and nephews, in addition to many special people he considered valued friends.
Funeral services were held in the Eagleville Community Church on Wednesday, Aug. 4. Davey was interred at the family plot in the Eagleville Cemetery. Pallbearers were Tom and Brent Espil, Davey's great nephews, Tom, Jerry and Dick Minto, and Cecil Kemble, long time family friends.
Modoc County Record August 5, 1993
The third of eight children, Davey was born on May 18, 1894 to David Henry Grove, a Pennsylvania Dutch, and Louella Gruelle Grove, a native of New Pine Creek. At the time, they were living in a three-room clapboard homestead on the west side of Goose Lake near what is now known as the Point Ranch.
After the turn of the century, Davey's father moved his family to Surprise Valley, where he had worked before getting married. Leaving the IXL ranch in Lake County, David Henry went to work for Jack Bitner at what is now the Laxague ranch.
While they lived at the Turner ranch nearby, the Grove children attended Overton School. Most years, however, Davey and his older brother Earnest, started school six weeks into the session after they had assisted their father with sheepherding well into the fall. When David Henry started business with George Turner, nine-year old Davey began driving "jigup" on a derrick stacker for 50 cents a day. After graduating from elementary school and attending three years of high school in Cedarville, Davey was asked to help the family with running sheep herds throughout eastern California and western Nevada.
In 1912 David Henry sold his herds and Davey and Earnest moved to Eagleville to find work. At the same time, the two boys bought their first car, a 1910 Pope-Hartford from Walter Johnson. Over the next four years, Davey cowboyed and sheared sheep at various ranches. By 1917 he had built up a fledgling herd of 50 cattle when he was called for World War I as the first draftee to leave Modoc.
After training in Fort Lewis, Wash., with a number of Modoc's young, Davey was shipped to France where he served with Company K, 363rd Infantry of the 91st Division and fought in the battles of Ypres-Lys, St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne. It was in the last of these battles at the Argonne Forest that Davey was injured when a shell exploded at his heel under heavy artillery fire. His unit's sergeant, Nels Monroe, a fellow Modoc'er and lifelong friend, rescued him from the battlefield. Upon recovery in a French hospital, Davey joined his unit in Belgium where he fought until the warended in 1918. Following a four-month assignment with the Occupational Forces he returned to Modoc County in the spring of 1919.
Davey had met his lifelong sweetheart, Irvine (daughter of Irvin Kistler and "Molly" Hudspeth Kistler), when she was only seven years old. Keeping his promise in 1917 to return from the war and marry her, Davey wed Irvine in Alturas on Sept. 1, 1919 when he was 25 and she was 17. The couple moved to Eagleville where they lived for most of their lives and raised three sons and scores of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
After working at various sheep and cattle outfits, Davey always considered his full entry into the cattle business to be 1929 when he executed a lease of a portion of the Bill Scott ranch where he and his father had worked for a number of years. By 1935 Davey was able to purchase a portion of the Scotts' large spread.
Because of doctors' concerns over Irvine's failing health, however, the couple sold their Modoc holdings and moved to Lafayette in the mid-1940's. Two short years later, their love for Surprise Valley brought them back. Davey then approached Harold Finman to buy what has since been known as the Grove ranch southeast of Eagleville.
He and Irvine built their home in 1948 on adjacent land gifted to them by Bill Patterson, and they continued to cultivate their cattle herd on the 860-acre ranch. Davey had held the "49" iron for a number of years and the "48" brand was added to his growing estate with the purchase of the Finman property.
In 1946, Davey's oldest son, David Irvin, joined him in the "D.L. Grove & Son" ranching partnership. The ranching operation also included a quarter share of the 16,000-acre corporation known as the "Home Camp" holdings in western Nevada. Since Dave Junior's death in 1983, Davey's grandsons, Dan and Link, have taken over the cattle operations at the home ranch.
Known simply as "Grandad" to the young and the old of the community, Davey is somewhat of a legend in Surprise Valley. Although he is really remembered as the last Modoc survivor of the first World War, Davey is most respected for the everyday life he lived. His hallmark was a drive for completing whatever task needed to be done, be it breaking colts, chopping wood, digging ditch, driving teams, or cooking breakfast for the work crew – much of which he performed until his very last days.
In addition, Davey always had time for people who passed his way and, in his words, followed a creed of "treating ladies like ladies and gentlemen like gentlemen". His mastery of the history of Modoc was well-known and covered an amazing story of changes that have occurred over the past century. Witnessing everything from the invention of the automobile, to the installation of the valley's first electrical lights, to humans' first flight to the moon, Davey had his feet firmly planted in the experiences of the past while keeping up-to-date by pouring over newspapers on a daily basis.
Any visitor to his beloved Eagleville ranch quickly understood his deep reverence for the picturesque meadows and stock corrals under the shadow of Eagle Peak. In recent years, he would often be found gazing from his kitchen windows over his lifetime of work. True to his reputation, when asked for his advice to others during an interview in 1988 Davey responded "Work hard, tend to business, and have some fun along with it".
Davey was a member of the Cattlemen's Association, Elks Lodge, Farm Bureau and Eagleville Community Church. Among the many honors he received over his 99 years was being named Modoc's Cattleman of the Year in 1984.
Davey was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Irvine, in 1971. He was also preceded in death by his eldest son, David Irvin, and four brothers and three sisters.
Surviving are his second eldest son, William Fredrick, and his wife, Harriet, of Avila Beach, Calif., and his youngest son, Jerry Kistler, and his wife Virginia of Cedarville. His third daughter-in-law, Kathleen "TaTa" Grove lives in Eagleville. Davey leaves behind 10 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren, including David Grove the fifth, as well as a large number of nieces and nephews, in addition to many special people he considered valued friends.
Funeral services were held in the Eagleville Community Church on Wednesday, Aug. 4. Davey was interred at the family plot in the Eagleville Cemetery. Pallbearers were Tom and Brent Espil, Davey's great nephews, Tom, Jerry and Dick Minto, and Cecil Kemble, long time family friends.
Modoc County Record August 5, 1993
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