Dates

• Existence: 1800 - 1866

Biography

John Charles Groome was the son of Dr. John Groome and Elizabeth Black. He was born on June 18, 1800 in Elkton, Cecil County, Maryland. Groome entered Princeton at an early age and graduated in 1819 with the highest honors in his class. He then read law for several years with the Hon. E.F. Chambers and Levin Gale before coming to Litchfield Law School between 1824 and 1825. In 1825, he began his legal practice in Elkton, MD and took many law students into his office. Groome was known as "the father of the Cecil bar" but had no interest in politics or a public life. He was appointed by the Maryland Senate to a state senate term in 1833, but was unaware they were going to do so. He served the term but refused to be reelected. Despite his earlier lack of interest in politcs, Groome ran for governor in 1857 as an independent candidate. While he had the majority outside of Baltimore, he lost the election. During his life, Groome also served as the Director of the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore Railroad Company and as a trustee for Maryland Agricultural College for many years. On December 6, 1836 he married Elizabeth Riddle Black. Groome died on November 30, 1866 a the age of sixty-seven.

Found in 1 Collection or Record: