Caledonia

GROUT, Selim E.

Men of Vermont: Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters & Sons of 
Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro: Transcript Publishing Company, 1894, pp 165-166 
(portrait p 166)

Selim E. GROUT, of St. Johnsbury [Caledonia County, Vermont], was born 11 
June 1836 in Kirby [Caledonia County, Vermont], son of Theophilus and Hannah 
(CHICK) GROUT. His father [Theophilus GROUT] was born on the old homestead 
now in the possession of Gen. W. W. GROUT, M. C., and [Theophilus GROUT] died 
when Selim was only eleven years old. At that time the farm was sold and 
Selim was thrown upon his own resources to fight the battle of life without 
parental guidance at a critical age, but he possessed the characteristic 
family traits of courage, versatility and enterprise. Beginning his 
education in the common schools at Concord [Essex County, Vermont], he 
attended later the Lyndon Academy [Caledonia County]. He worked upon the 
farm, learned the trade of a shoemaker, carriage maker and harness maker, 
acted as clerk, then engaged in selling ice in New York and creditably 
encountered the rough edge of the world in many and varied capacities. Later 
he carried on the carriage and harness business, and when the P. & O. 
[Portland and Ogdensburgh] Railroad was completed in January 1872, he was 
appointed the first station agent at West Concord [Essex County] and acted 
nearly twenty years in that capacity. During the latter part of this period 
he gave his attention to manufacturing chair stock, bobbins, and dressed 
lumber until his works were burned down in 1890. He also owned and carried 
on a large grist mill at West Concord for several years.

Mr. GROUT was a charter member of Essex Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, and 
also one of the original members of Moose River Lodge No. 82, Free & Accepted 
Masons, and has passed through the chairs of J. and S. W. [Junior Warden and 
Senior Warden]. For two terms he served his lodge as Worshipful Master. 
From the beginning has been an active Republican. A man of benevolent 
impulses, he has been a useful and public-spirited citizen, obliging and 
accommodating often to his own loss. Represented Concord in the state 
Legislature in 1880. His standing in the community may be inferred from the 
fact that he has been deputy and high sheriff of Essex County for seventeen 
years, auditor for six years, and was elected state senator from Essex County 
in 1890. On 18 September 1862 at Concord [Essex County, Vermont] Mr. [Selim 
E.] GROUT was married to Annette, daughter of Benjamin and Sophronia 
(RICHARDSON) HUTCHINSON [born 05 February 1842] of Waterford [Caledonia 
County, Vermont]. They have adopted Arthur Murray [born 12 December 1877] 
and Florence C. GROUT.

[Selim E. GROUT, along with Dan D. GROUT, Josiah GROUT, William W. GROUT, 
Theophilus GROUT, and Aaron Hinman GROUT, the subjects of other Vermont GROUT 
biographies posted on this website, all appear to be descended from John and 
Sarah Busby GROUT, and thus are of English descent. The ascendancy of the 
subject of the following biography appears to be: Selim E. (1836) < 
Theophilus (1768) < Elijah (abt 1732) < John (1704) < Jonathan (1658) < John 
(1615). Material in brackets added by submitter, who is not researching this 
family, to clarify information given in the biography.]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly