#11 of 52...Robert Groom

Robert Groom is one of my husband's 4th great grandfathers and the father of my post last week.

The earliest record I found with Robert Groom is the 1841 England Census for Wolverhampton, Staffordshire.  Robert is listed as living with John Golding who is an Engineer.  Robert is age 15 and listed as being an Engineer Apprentice.  Along with Robert is another apprentice named John Mason.  Robert is shown to have been born in the same county, which is Staffordshire.  He would have been born about 1826 or thereabouts.  

Class: HO107; Piece: 1001; Book: 8; Civil Parish: Wolverhampton; County: Staffordshire; Enumeration District: 17; Folio: 14; Page: 20; Line: 16; GSU roll: 474628

I do not know Robert's parents nor have I been able to find his birth or baptismal record.  Without knowing for sure his parents it's difficult to ascertain if a record is his as Robert Groom is not exactly a unique name in England.

The next time we locate Robert is in 1851 England Census where he is with his wife Mary and sons James and Samuel.  Also living with Robert is a Robert Emery, Margaret and Mary Ann as well as Joseph Cotterell and Ellen.

Class: HO107; Piece: 2021; Folio: 130; Page: 13; GSU roll: 87425-87426

Robert and Mary have the following known children:

1). James Groom (1843-1915)

2). Samuel Groom (1849-   )

3). John Groom (1859-1933)

I can't seem to locate Robert and Mary Groom or their boys again until 1880.  We know that they immigrate to the United States, but I have not found exactly when. In this census they are in St. Clair County, Illinois living near their sons John and James. I do not see Samuel nearby.  Robert is a mining engineer.  He lists his birthplace as England, his father's as Wales and his mother's as England.

Here they are in the 1880 census. 

Year: 1880; Census Place: West Belleville, St Clair, Illinois; Roll: 247; Family History Film: 1254247; Page:304B; Enumeration District: 045; Image: 0279

By the 1900 Census both Robert and Mary are passed.  I've not located their death records or where they are buried yet.  I find it fascinating that Robert was an apprentice, which implies that the position of engineer at a mine is skilled labor and not manual labor as one usually thinks of all things mine related. (All of us that are ignorant of the facts, that is).