A Little piece of Paradise… College Hill, Ohio - SELFCRAFT

extensively, both in America and abroad, painting his landscapes on site. During his later years, amedium sized canvas commanded a price of $500.Shortly before his death in Detroit he traveled once again to Europe. In Italy he painted Vesuviusand Pompeii showing some of the recently excavated ruins. The painting is now in the collection ofthe National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C.William Slocum Groesbeck was the namesake for Groesbeck Road. Groesbeck owned 88.6 acresalong the curves of Gray Road and Clinton Kirby owned 91.6 acres across the road, what was oncecalled Frog Hollow and where the landfill is located today. Groesbeck was a lawyer and served officein the City of Cincinnati, Ohio Senate and in Congress (1857-59). He married Elizabeth Burnet,daughter of Judge Jacob Burnet for whom Burnet Woods was named. A Democrat, Groesbeck wasthe key vote that acquitted President Andrew Johnson during his impeachment case. Groesbeck set upan endowment for a series of concerts to be given in Cincinnati parks. Groesbeck lived at “Elmhurst”in East Walnut Hills. In 1857 he owned part of the Moses Gray farm lands.A. B. Luse, M. D. was born in Butler County, Ohio, in 1809. He went to Mt. Healthy in 1830 butpracticed in Hamilton during the cholera epidemic of 1833-1835. He was a physician for and anactive participant in the Underground Railroad.Stephen Joseph McGroarty 11 was born in Mt. Charles, Donegal county, Ireland. He immigrated tothe United States three years later when his father, Cornelius, founded the settlement of Fayettevillein Brown County, Ohio. Stephen became a Cincinnati lawyer and at the beginning of the war waselected captain of a company in the 10th Ohio Volunteers, the Irish regiment from Cincinnati. Duringa campaign in western Virginia, he was shot through the right lung. Upon his recovery he was madelieutenant-colonel of the 61st Ohio Volunteers. McGroarty was wounded many times during the CivilWar, perhaps as many as twenty-three times, according to one source. He was wounded so severely inthe battle of Peachtree Creek in July 1864 that his left arm had to be amputated. Later he wasappointed colonel of the 82nd Ohio and at the end of the war was named brevet brigadier general.General McGroarty was one of the most respected men in Cincinnati because of his outstandingwar service. It was then the custom to elect wounded war heroes to public office so they would haveemployment and income. Thus, in the August 1866 Hamilton County Republican caucus, GeneralMcGroarty sought the Republican nomination for county auditor, but was defeated by yet anotherwounded war hero, General August Willich. He then contended for the Democratic nomination forprosecuting attorney of Hamilton County and gained the nomination, but was defeated in the Octoberelection. Finally, in the fall elections of 1869, he was elected recorder of Hamilton County, Ohio, onthe Democratic ticket, but he died two months (1870) before he was to take office at age thirty-nine.In later years his friends secured the job of postmistress of the College Hill station for his widow,Mary McGroarty, who held that position for many years. Their home was at 5685 Belmont Ave.Edward Sayre drove the College Hill omnibus. He married Ella Cary and her father, General SamuelF. Cary, sold them the house at 5624 Belmont Avenue in 1873. The property was originally sold byWilliam Cary to Josiah Grant for $3,000 (1852) and was known as the College Hill Hotel. The housestarted as two rooms built about 1855. Josiah Grant was an early omnibus owner and operator. Theoriginal omnibus station, living quarters and stables is still next to the Pasadena Avenue post office,remodeled as a residence. It made sense for the omnibus owner to be able to offer lodgings for hispassengers, many of whom were visitors to the various colleges on the hill.The wedding of the Sayres is described in detail in a letter written by College Hill resident, EllaFerry. A complete surprise to the small company chosen as guests and unannounced until the strains11 From an undated article of unknown source.95