ALVINE F. GROLL

Groll, Alvine F. (1899-1966), son of C. T. (1871-1957) and Louise Meyer Groll (1874-1963), married Helen Hornung (1899-19 ), daughter of Charles (1869-1934) and Ola Hayes Hornung (1872-1954).

Alvine's grandfather, Christian (1842-1918), immigrated with his parents and other children to Henry County in 1852 from the Kingdom of Wurtemburg, Germany. He married Catharine Knipp (1848-1944) in 1870 and they had seven children. Christian was active in the carpenter-building trade early in life and later became engaged in farming. By 1888 he owned 240 acres under fine cultivation with some fine farm buildings for that time. Christian's son, C. T. Groll, and grandson, Urban, operated a hardware in Holgate located where the Post Office now stands, until their deaths in 1957 and 1953 respectively.

In 1837, Helen's great-grandfather, Charles Hornung, born in 1823 and at the age of 14, came to what is now known as Pleasant Township from Bavaria, Germany, with his parents, Peter and Elizabeth, and two other children to settle among the Indians. The land was a wilderness of water, frogs, wolves, bear, deer, turkeys, coon, and other animals of various kind most of which had all but disappeared by 1888. Peter purchased a settlement of 160 acres (at $1.25 per acre) of wild, uncultivated land which they developed. Son, Peter Jr., was killed by a falling tree.

In 1844 Charles married Catharine Desgranges who was born in France but whose parents were natives of Prussia. They had eleven children. That same year Charles helped establish a post office at New Bavaria, naming it in honor of his native country, Bavaria, Germany. He was engaged in farming, the mercantile business, and in the manufacturing of hoops and staves. He served as Post Master, Justice of Peace, County Surveyor, and County Commissioner. By 1888 he owned some 1200 acres of land. His son and Helen's grandfather, Christian, was a graduate and later Professor of Mathematics at Heidleberg College, Tiffin, Ohio.

Helen's parents were in the merchandising and restaurant business. Her mother, Ola, operated a millinery store in Holgate back when it was a must to have a new fall hat by fair time.

Alvine and Helen had two daughters, Nova and Margie. After the First World War, Alvine, while living in Holgate and commuting weekly by Nickle-Plate Railroad, worked at the Overland in the fender department and attended night school at Toledo University. At that time, Holgate Depot served many citizens of the area daily, offering transportation to Toledo in the morning and back in the evening.

The automotive business was seasonal in those days and Alvine secured employment at Owens-Illinois and later at Baker Bros. as a draftsman. He moved his family to Toledo and continued taking night courses. Finally he moved on to E. W. Bliss Co. Post Depression years found him back working for E. W. Bliss Co. doing engineering. In 1941 he moved into sales in the Cleveland Office.

It was his dream to invent and manufacture some small useful household item. In 1949 his thoughts turned to what had been closest to him. His intentions were to develop and market a small slide feed which he had designed some years before. Henry County seemed to be the place to start since it was where his daughters lived as well as being accessible to potential business. However, fate found him immediately into big coil handling equipment and it was some years before the small slide feed was marketed. The business grew from a make-shift drawing board on the back porch to the Automatic Feed Co. with 50,000 sq. ft. at the time of his death in 1966. Some 33,000 sq. ft. have been added since 1966 and members of the family continue to manage the company at the present time.

Nova attended Davis Business College of Toledo and graduated from Bowling Green Univ. marrying Lt. Marion Greenler in 1943. After the war they settled in Holgate where they still live. They had a daughter, Dianne (now working at Ohio Wesleyan Univ.) and a son, Lynn, who married Penelope Oliver of Montreal, Canada, and is now living in Henry County.

Margie graduated from Bowling Green Univ. and married William Beck of Napoleon. They had three children, Robin, Kim and Peter.

Submitted by Nova Groll Greenler