Lafayette Washington Groves facts for kids

Lafayette Washington Groves (born April 11, 1834 – died November 8, 1872) was an American newspaper editor. He led an interesting life, working as a lawyer, a teacher, and a college professor before becoming a newspaper editor.

Early Life and Education

Lafayette Groves was born on April 11, 1834, in Sumner County, Tennessee. When he was just one year old, in 1835, his family moved to Lafayette County, Missouri.

He attended the Masonic College in Lexington, Missouri, for three years. After that, he went to Yale College and graduated in 1855.

Career and War Service

After finishing college, Lafayette Groves returned home. He studied law with Judge John Ryland in Lexington. In 1857, he became a lawyer and started working in St. Joseph, Missouri. He practiced law there for about 18 months.

Later, he moved to Mississippi and became the head of a high school in Cayuga, Hinds County, Mississippi. When the American Civil War began, he returned to Missouri. He joined the Southern army, serving under General Sterling Price.

After the war ended, Groves spent some time at home. In 1868, he was chosen to be a Professor of Languages at Richmond College in Richmond, Missouri. He taught there until 1870.

Newspaper Editor

In the spring of 1871, Lafayette Groves bought a newspaper called the Lexington Intelligencer. He became its editor and worked there until his death.

Lafayette Groves died on November 8, 1872, in Lexington. His death was connected to a serious disagreement he had with Edwin Turner, the publisher of a rival newspaper, the Lexington Register. Groves had strongly criticized Turner for printing false information about him.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Yale Obituary Record.