Crystal’s Genealogy

William Groves and Eleanor Reisberg (click for larger image)

Full Name: William Martin Groves
Nickname: Pop Pop, Martin
Born: March 17, 1920
Died: August 29, 1992 in Marriottesville Maryland
Parents: Norman Groves and Mary Humphrey
Siblings: Stanley Groves, Hilda Groves, Adlade Groves, Austin Groves
Married: Eleanor Reisberg
Children: Martin Groves, Maureen Groves, Edward Groves, Gary Groves, Ronald Groves, Susan Groves, Patty Ann Groves
Occupation: Farmer

Notations:

- Was in the U.S. Army from October 10th, 1943 to

- Received the Purple Heart for being shot in the ear and still carrying his commanding officer 21 miles to safety. Ronald Groves is in possession of all of his medals. I have listed him on the WWII Memorial Registry. He received a letter from the president which may be in possession by his daughter Susan Groves. I am going to try and see if she’ll let me scan a copy of it.

- Was a pitcher for the Orioles in the Minors (may eventually be listed on the site dedicated to the Forgotten Birds Documentary). He was also a pitcher for the SpringGrove baseball team in Catonsville, Maryland. I’m told he also was in a few magazines for playing baseball for the Army in Texas, because he was that good. Ronald Groves may also be in possession of these magazines, but I will try to convince him to let me scan them. (Note for me to research my uncle Lenny Reisberg also trying out for the Orioles at this time).

- Grew up in Front Royal, Virginia according to Maureen Groves

Crystal’s Notations:

- I remember Pop Pop pitching when we played baseball at our regular holiday cook-outs on the old farm on Wards Chapel Road in Marriottesville, Maryland.

A letter I received from the historian/writer of the Forgotten Birds Documentary:

Crystal Groves,

My name is Jimmy Keenan and I am the writer/historian for the Forgotten Birds documentary. Your recent Email was directed to me by the Director of the Forgotten Birds, Paul Sekulich.
A few years ago, a woman named Cindy Evans contacted the Forgotten Birds website in regard to Mr. Groves. I sent her what information I had on Mr. Groves at that time.

William Groves apparently went by his middle name of Martin. My records show Martin Groves went to spring training with the Baltimore Orioles in 1940. The Birds trained in Aiken, South Carolina that year. Mr. Groves is also listed on the roster of the 1940 Dover, Delaware team of the Eastern Shore League (Oriole farm club). He may have been in camp with the Orioles at other times and may have played with Dover prior to 1940.

According to my records, Mr. Groves did not play in any regular season games with the International League Baltimore Orioles. However, he more then likely appeared in spring training games with them in 1940 and possibly other years. Most minor league record books do not list any player who appeared in five games or less for that particular season. It is possible he may have played for other minor league teams as well.

There were a large number of amateur, independent, college, high school, American Legion and semi pro teams in Maryland and the surrounding areas at this time. Mr.Groves would had to have been a truly outstanding ballplayer in order to have stood out among all of those players. In 1940, Tommy Thomas was the Oriole manager as well as the team’s general manger and vice president. Mr. Thomas is the person who more than likely signed Mr. Groves. His signing may have been the result of a recommendation from Fritz Maisel who was a former Oriole player and a native of Catonsville. Mr. Groves was evidently signed by the Orioles and then farmed out to the Dover club. The Oriole farm team at Dover was full of talented young players who were awaiting their shot a the higher minors. It appears that World War II cut short Mr. Groves very promising professional baseball career.

I hope this information has been helpful,
Respectfully,
Jimmy Keenan

- Another email I received in correspondence with Jimmy Keenan:

Some baseball fans do not realize how talented a ballplayer has to be in order to be signed to a professional contract. As I stated in the Email I sent to you, Mr. Groves would had to have been an outstanding ballplayer just to be scouted and eventually, signed by the International League Orioles.

My granddad, Jimmy Lyston, was signed by the Orioles at age 18 and he too, was from Baltimore. Some do not fully grasp that the International League Orioles were a professional team. Some people do not equate professional baseball with the minor leagues. I’m sure we are both very proud of our grandfathers baseball talent.

- I am told that much of Pop Pops family is Dutch.

Full Name: Eleanor Virginia Reisberg
Nickname: Maw Maw, Pop Pop used to call her “Gal”
Birth: March 21, 1925
Death: April 5, 1996 in Marriottesville Maryland
Parents: Hugo Reisberg and Ruth Ann Green
Siblings: Leonard Reisberg, John Reisberg, Bertie Reisberg, Roland Reisberg, Rosetta Reisberg, Marvin Reisberg, Archie Reisberg, Clarabelle Reisberg, James Reisberg, Marion Reisberg, Betty Lou Reisberg
Married: William Groves
Children: Martin Groves, Maureen Groves (Evans), Edward Groves, Gary Groves, Ronald Groves, Susan Groves (Plank), Patty Ann Groves (Tyler)
Occupation: Housewife

Notations:

- Was Diabetic and Asthmatic

- Suffered from Diphtheria in 1930 and their house was quarantined

Crystal’s Notations:

- Maw Maw as known for her adeptness with machinery because Pop Pop would get frustrated at working on the tractor and then Maw Maw would come and fix it right away, which just made Pop Pop even more mad

- Maw Maw always used to get up and cook breakfast for the boys when they went hunting early in the morning before dark.

- Maw Maw always wore dresses, except my dad (Edward Groves) told me of a story when she was younger before she met Pop Pop, she used to wear shorts. When Pop Pop first met her, he told a friend he was going to marry that girl in shorts. And he did

Mary Johns (click for larger image)

Full Name: Mary Julia Johns
Birth: February 29, 1868 in Alabama
Death: July 8, 1921 Alabama
Parents:
Siblings:
Married: James Stephens
Children: Nona Stephens

Notations:

James Stephens (click for larger image)

Full Name: James Edward Stephens
Birth: March 13, 1858 in Bullock Alabama
Death: December 10, 1926 in Bullock Alabama
Parents:
Siblings:
Married: Mary Johns
Children: Nona Stephens

Notations:

Nona Stephens (click for larger image)

Full Name: Nona Stephens (has also been listed as Stevens)
Birth: July 27, 1890 in Enton, Russel Alabama
Death: April 3, 1951 in Montgomery Alabama
Parents:
Siblings:
Married: Louis Johnson
Children: Alma Johnson, Francis Johnson, Juliette Johnson, JoAnn Johnson

Notations:

Full Name: Louis Rosser Johnson (has also been listed as Lewis)
Birth: January 30, 1890 in Richland Georgia
Death: December 11, 1954 in Montgomery Alabama
Parents: Lucious Johnson and Sarah Mc Neal
Siblings:
Married: Nona Stephens
Children: Alma Johnson, Francis Johnson, Juliette Johnson, JoAnn Johnson

Notations:

Jonathan Barrows 2 weeks before he was murdered
(click for larger image)

Full Name: Jonathan Wayne Barrows
Born: July 3, 1978 in Westminster Maryland
Died: August 28, 1998 in Huntsville Alabama, buried in Sykesville Maryland at Long View Cemetary. In the back left row by the tree.
Parents: Shirley Barrows and Wayne (?)
Siblings: Stephanie Vinge
Married: none
Children: none (though was dating a girl I went to highschool with named Mandy Bennett who got pregnant by him (so she claims) and had an abortion)

Notations:

- Was murdered at gunpoint by Thomas Rozelle because he was to testify against him in court. Alabama did not have a witness protection program at the time. He received 25 years to life with the possibility of parole. He comes up for parole in 2008. His son, Eric, was also sentenced to the same time, same parole, different prison. The way I understand it is, Jon was friends with Rozelle’s son Eric. They had a falling out and Jon went to retrieve some of his possessions from Eric Rozelle’s home. As they were leaving, Thomas Rozelle fired shots at the car. No damage was done, but Jon was going to testify against Thomas Rozelle (who had a history of this type of violence) in court. When they went to one of the hearings, Thomas Rozelle went up to Jon after the hearing and told him explicitly “You will never testify against me in court.”

Since Jon drove a pretty distinguished vehicle (The white dodge ram with blue racing stripes), one day Thomas Rozelle spotted him driving down the road and followed him to a grocery store parking lot. When Jon got out of his truck, Thomas and his son Eric came up to him and started threatening him. When Jon didn’t back down, Thomas put a gun to Jon’s temple and shot him. Then he stood there and watched him die in front of all the people that came to help.

Crystal’s Notations:

- The last time many of the family in Maryland saw Jon was at our cousin Tony Wright’s funeral several months before (Tony Wright was born stillborn to Michael Wright and Maria). He was remembered helping Trula Peach up the hill at Longview Cemetary where he and Alma Johnson are now buried.

- While searching the internet I happened across this site (http://www.legislature.state.al.us/SearchableInstruments/2002RS/Bills/HB294.htm) which displays an Act called the “Jonathan Wayne Barrows Witness Protection Act” in the state of Alabama. I am not sure if this Bill has actually made it through the legal system or not, but I know his mother Shirley Wright was adamant about having the law passed after Jon’s murder. Surprisingly there is very little information on his murder.

- Jon was renouned for his interest in video games, and was regularly participating in video game tournaments, namely Nintendo. One of my favorite memories with Jon is when we were probably 9 or 10, we had the “Power Pad” by Nintendo and would play the racing/hurdle game. But since neither of us could play it normally by walking on the pad, we beat the game (I think the fastest character was named Cheetah) by each of us pounding both of our firsts on one of the foot circles.

- Jon was also a student of Karate (I am unsure which tradition, possibly Tae Kwon Do)

- Jon at one time drove a blue Mazda Miata Convertible and later a white Dodge Ram pickup with blue racing stripes

Alma Johnson (click for larger image)

Full Name: Alma Louise Johnson
Maiden Name: Johnson
Nickname: Johnny
Born: April 28, 1926 in Montgomery Alabama
Died: April 24, 2001 in Westminster, Maryland (Buried at Lake View Memorial along the back center row. And was ironically buried on her birthday.) She died from complications due to Diabetes.
Parents: Louis Johnson and Nona Stephens
Siblings: Juliette Johnson, Francis Johnson, JoAnn Johnson
Married: Thomas Wright
Children: Shirley Wright, Joan Wright, Thomas Wright Jr., Michael Wright, Patricia Wright, Donna Wright
Occupation: Nurse at Springfield Hospital Center in Maryland

Notations:

- Moved to Maryland (When?)

- Was type 1 Diabetic and required insulin injections. In her later years she would have to go to regular dialysis treatments and eventually collapsed.

Crystal’s Notations:

- Shanna Shipley used to call her Gommy, but most of the grandkids called her Grandmom. She was very proud of her 13 grandchildren.

- Used to live in the downstairs apartment of Shirley Barrows and Merle Barrows. Later lived in the downstairs apartment of Michael Wright and Maria.

- I remember visiting Grandmom in the hospital after her collapse. It was a fairly gruesome site, and you could not tell whether she was actually awake or if her brain was in fact dead while she was hooked up to all of the machines.

- Used to love to watch the Price is Right.

- Had befriended a Red Rooster owned by Jonathan Barrows named Rick.

- Loved to garden, play bingo, play mexican train dominos, and canasta card games.

1871 – May 9, floated from dry dock
1871 – August 16th, Maiden voyage was Liverpool to New York via Queenstown.
1872 – Arrived in New York at 15:00 afternoon after crossing the Ocean from Queenstown in 9 days and 4 hours
1882 – Brought over Anton Reisberg, Matilda Reisberg, and Louisa Stockle in June 1882 from Liverpool to New York, leaving Liverpool on June 7, 1882 and arriving in New York on June 18th, 1882
1896 – Scrapped

S.S. Spain from Liverpool landing in NY 11/20/1886 – Built for the National Line by Laird Bros., Birkenhead, in drydock, in 1871. 4,512 tons; 425 x 43 feet (length x beam); straight bow, 2 funnels, 4 masts; iron construction, screw propulsion, service speed 13 knots; accommodation for 120 1st- and 1,400 3rd-class passengers. 9 May 1871, floated. 16 August 1871, maiden voyage, Liverpool-Queenstown-New York. 1883, 2 voyages chartered to the Inman Line, Liverpool-Queenstown-New York. 11 February 1890, first voyage, London-New York. 23 November 1890, last voyage, Liverpool-New York 31 January 1896, last voyage, London-New York. 1896, scrapped [Noel Reginald Pixell Bonsor, North Atlantic Seaway; An Illustrated History of the Passenger Services Linking the Old World with the New (2nd ed.; Jersey, Channel Islands: Brookside Publications), vol. 2, p. 613]. Michael J. Anuta, Ships of Our Ancestors (Menominee, MI: Ships of Our Ancestors, 1983; reprint Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., [1993]), p. 312, courtesy of the Peabody Essex Museum, East India Square, Salem, MA 01970 [Posted to the Emigration-Ships Mailing List by Michael Palmer]

Sources:

Immigrant Ships.net
List of S.S. Spain Voyages

Only live picture I’ve found of the ship (click for large photo)

Drawing

Cabin Plans

Maiden Name: Wachekopski
Born: In Germany (as listed on Matilda Stockle death certificate)
Parents:
Siblings:
Married:
Children:

Notations:

Crystal’s Notes:

- The name Wachekopski sounds very Polish. I spoke with a Lithuanian Co-worker of mine and he agreed. This leads me to believe that her family comes from somewhere around Prussia, which would have been called Germany during the German Empire. Her branch of family could be from modern day Poland.