GROTE, HENRY -- One of the earliest settlers and prominent residents of Orange was the late Henry Grote, who was privileged to contribute much toward the building up of both the city and nearby country districts. In his good work he was ably assisted by his wife, an excellent woman of business ability, so that both Mr. and Mrs. Grote enjoyed a wide circle of worth-while friends.
Mr. Grote was born in Rehburg, Hanover, Germany, on August 23, 1842, the son of Henry and Mary (Meyer) Grote, both of whom came to America and spent their last days in comfort at Bremen, Kans. They had four children--two boys and two girls--and among these, Henry was the oldest.
He was brought up at the old homestead, and educated in the public schools; and in time he learned the trade of a harness maker and saddler. In 1866 he came to the United States and located in Chicago; and for a while he was employed at farm labor. In 1868 or '69 he removed to Bremen, Marshall County, Kans.; and having undertaken to homestead 160 acres of raw land, he turned the first furrows in the soil. He planted corn and wheat, and raised stock; and for nine years continued as one of the progressive and successful farmers of that region.
In 1882, however, stirred by the reports of better things in California to be had for the coming, Mr. Grote sold out his Kansas property and moved to the Pacific Coast, and in the town of Orange he bought fifteen acres lying between North Shaffer and Pine streets, and running from Chapman to Maple. The land had been set out as a vineyard, but the vines died, and then he set out walnuts and apricots. Later, when the town grew, he laid out the Henry Grote addition to Orange, in 1888, and sold lots at fancy prices, and now it is nearly built up as a residence district.
In time, Mr. Grote joined P. W. Ehlen under the firm name of Ehlen and Grote, and conducted a general mercantile business, and such was their success in expanding their trade that they incorporated the concern as the Ehlen and Grote Company, and they built the Ehlen and Grote block, which they still own. Mr. Grote has also owned and improved and several ranches, and with Mr. Ehlen he was interested in the National Bank of Orange Savings Bank. Both Mr. and Mrs. Grote were heavily interested in the Ehlen and Grote Investment Company, in which they were directors; Mr. Grote was vice-president, and Mrs. Grote is secretary of the organization.
At Bremen, Kans., on October 16, 1873, Mr. Grote was married to Miss Wilhelmine Dusin, a native of Pomerania, Germany, and the daughter of Henry and Louisa (Kartt) Dusin. With her brother, August, the only other child, she came to Bremen, Kans., in the spring of 1873, and there met Mr. Grote. Six children have blessed their fortunate union: Emma has become Mrs. Heim of Olive; Sophia is the wife of Alfred Huhn, the manager of the Ehlen and Grote Company of Orange; Mary died at the age of thirty-five; Fred A. is assistant manager of the Ehlen and Grote Company; Lena assists her mother to preside over their home, although she is a graduate of the Orange County Business College at Santa Ana, and was bookkeeper until lately for the Ehlen and Grote Company; and Minnie, who is also a graduate of the Orange Business College, was also for a time with the Ehlen and Grote Company, in which Mr. Grote maintained his financial interest until his death, which occurred May 10, 1920, when Orange lost one of her best men and upbuilders and his passing was mourned by his family and friends.
Mr. and Mrs. Grote identified themselves with the Lutheran Church here from its start; he was a trustee and treasurer, and was chairman of the committee having charge of the building of the old church and the school. He also presided over the responsible undertaking of a new church, erected at a cost of $50,000. Besides belonging to the church, Mr. Grote was also a member of the Lutheran Men's Club, while Mrs. Grote was always active in and an ex-president of the Ladies' Aid Society. Since her husband's death, Mrs. Grote continues to reside at the old home surrounded by her children, who shower on her their loving affection and devotion and assist her in looking after the large interests left by her husband, thus relieving her as much as possible from all unnecessary worry and care.
