Celebrating my Father James Burton Groves...

James Burton Groves was born on a home- stead near Ryegate, Montana, not far from Billings, MT on October 26, 1913.

His mother, Amanda Sofia Isaacs (originally Isaacson of Norwegian descent) had grown up in Forest City, IA but decided to become a homesteader in MT when she was in her mid twenties.  She met my Grandfather, William Floyd Groves, there as he had gone to MT to work in the harvest.  He had been born and reared on a homestead near North Platte, NE.   

Bill & Amanda's wedding photo - November 28, 1910.

Grandma Amanda had traveled to WI for the birth of their first son, Vernon.  But because there were no complications with that birth, she gave birth to my father in MT.  The family would continue to live in MT for the necessary five years in order to own their homestead.  At the end of five years, they sold their land and the one room house in which they had lived.  They moved to Minneapolis, MN for a short period of time and then to a farm near Viroqua, WI.   My father's life continued in WI until 2006 when at the age of 92, he died.