One of the oldest homes in Groveville

Now ~ January, 2008

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Then ~ Circa 1883

Said to be one of the oldest houses in Groveville

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Mr. and Mrs. Reiter

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This house is on Main Street at the intersection of Church Street, it has been said that this is one of the oldest houses in Groveville. This photo was taken about 1883. The adults in the photo and the small photo are Mr. and Mrs. Reiter. Mr. Reiter was a shoemaker in Groveville. The small child he is holding is Margaret Reiter, she married Walter Dwier and they had a daughter Mary Dwier, She married Al Wright and they had two children Wayne and Marilyn.
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When Al Wright passed away, and later Mary passed away the house was sold out of the family. There were rumors around Groveville that the house was to be torn down, mainly because of the foundation and its age, it was not. I know Marilyn reads this and I hope she will correct me if I am wrong.

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I know the long time Groveville People find it hard to believe that rumors still spread in Groveville, since the Fire Company, Post Office, "Jo" Hepburn's Store, and General Store have all left town, but the network is still intact. Now they use "Cell Phones", progress, a wonderful thing.

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The house looks as good as it ever did, the new owners have added a new coat of paint, other than that the house looks the same on the exterior as it did as I grew up in Groveville. I don't know when the front porch was inclosed, but it's been that way as long as I can remember.

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One story that relates to this home. In my house there was a glass bowl, it was cut glass, kind of "Boat" shaped, about 10" long, 6" wide and maybe 3" deep. All year long this bowl remained in the China Cabinet, a place as a child I was not allowed to venture. Then came Thanksgiving Dinner, this and Christmas Dinner were the only time this bowl was allowed out of the China Cabinet, it was placed on the table and each year it held the same thing, Carrot and Celery sticks, Olives, and small Pickles, this was our relish tray. As I grew older and became the preparer of these holiday feasts I carried on the tradition, even getting more adventuress adding Artichoke Hearts. One holiday my daughter, Kati, was putting away this bowl, after diner, the bowl slipped out of her hand and broke, she was heart broken, so was I but I did not let it show. She said "But Dad, you told me that bowl had been in the family, since you were a kid". True, but no reason to be upset. I don't remember the China Cabinet without that bowl.

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Several years later, when Wayne and Marilyn were selling the contents of their parents house, it was at our annual June Street Sale, I wandered in with Wayne to look around. On the table were assorted glassware, kitchen items, and dishes. In the center of the table was "The bowl", the exact bowl Kati had broken. Wayne told me to take it, just take it, but I bought it, it was only a few dollars, took it home and placed it on the table, when Kati saw it she could not believe it "It's the bowl". The tradition lives on.

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I related this story to other long time Groveville residents one Sunday after church. What were the chances that Al and Mary Wright would have the exact same bowl as my parents. Ruth McElmoyl Knight said "It was most likely Borden Cut Glass" everybody in Groveville owned some of that. I never thought of that, Borden Cut Glass was manufactured right in Groveville, where else, in the old Borden Mincemeat Factory, on Church Street.

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It seems if you look hard enough there was always a tie of some type between families in Groveville, usually if you look back far enough they are related.

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Al and Mary Wright were some of the Groveville people that just seemed like they would be a part of Groveville forever, as were Mary's parents, Walt and Maggie Dwier. All were well liked in the community, Mary was very active in the church and is still spoken fondly of today, and Al, he was just well liked.

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As a child the house was always referred to as "Maggie Dwier's House" and in later years it was always referred to as "Mary Wright's House", guess some day that will change, but not to me.