GROVE, WILLIAM [SSNE 5426]

Surname
GROVE
First name
WILLIAM, WILLUM, WILHELM
Nationality
SCOT

Text source

William Grove was the son of Anders Jensen Grove and Mary Elizabeth Gray. It is uncertain whether William's father was of English parentage, but his mother was certainly a born Scot, daughter of Lord William Gray. Anders Grove was born in Elsinore in June 1623, the son of Jens Pedersen Grove. In 1637, Anders Jensen Grove was in Dutch service and throughout 1638-40 he served as a soldier in the Dutch West Indies. He returned to the Dutch Republic in 1640-41. After the outbreak of the civil conflict in England, Grove served in Prince Rupert's Regiment as a captain between 1643-1645, but left in September 1646. He travelled to Norway where he served across the country as an artillery officer. This culminated with his service in Baahus in 1657 as artillery major, an Kristans Ø in June 1658 where he served as commandant. In this latter capacity he also served in Frederiksholm in 1659 and Frederiksten in 1665. On 27 September 1662, Grove received permission to travel to England for between six and eight weeks. From 3 January 1671, Grove was on 500 rixdaler pension. He died in March 1677. Mary and Anders had a son, Willum Grove. He went on to serve as an ensign with the Akershus infantary between 1674 and 1679. Despite leaving service then he returned to the armed forces in January 1680. He gained promotion to lieutenant in December 1683 and was still in service in August 1684. He married Ragnhild Welt in February 1678 and lived until 1692. His son, Friderich Wilhelm Grove, later wrote about his grandfather's recommendation from Charles I

J. Sandberg, Kvinner gift med offiserer i den Norske Hær 1628-1814. Fra stabsfanejunker O. Ovenstads Militærbiografier (Oslo, 1961), p.35; O. Ovenstad, Militærbiografier: Den Norske Hærs Officerer (Oslo, 1949), I, p.366; R. Fladby and G. Foslie (eds.), Norske Kongebrev (6 vols., Oslo, 1962), I, p.76.

Service record

DENMARK-NORWAY, NORWEGIAN ARMY, NORWAY, AKERSHUS REGIMENT
Arrived 1674-07-18, as ENSIGN
Departed 1696-12-31, as CAPTAIN
Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY