My Genealogy Hound

Samuel G. McGruder, member of the firm of McGruder, McAdams & Co., manufacturers of wagons and buggies and proprietors of a general repair shop in Bentonville, Ark., is a native of Wheeling, Ohio Co., W. Va., born in 1844, and the son of John W. and Margaret (Porter) McGruder. The father was of Scotch descent, was born in Maryland in 1810, and was a blacksmith by trade. He was married in Virginia, and in 1865 moved to Fayette County, Ohio. He died in 1882. The last part of his life was spent in tilling the soil. His wife, Margaret Porter, was born in Virginia in 1812, and died in 1884. They were the parents of twelve children, Samuel G. being the eighth. At the age of fifteen he commenced learning the wagon-maker’s trade, and worked at it until the late war. In 1862 he enlisted in the United States service, Company H, Fifteenth West Virginia Volunteer Infantry, and served three years. He was in the fights at Hatches Run, Petersburg and Appomattox Court House. In the latter part of 1862 he was crippled by rupture, and was in the hospital at Cumberland, Md., for seventeen months. He was at Appomattox Court House when Gen. Lee surrendered, and was within a few feet of him during that ceremony. After the war he went to Ohio, but soon after went to Knox County, Mo., where he farmed for a short time, and then went from there to Wayne County, Iowa, where he worked at his trade, wagon-making, having learned the same at Wheeling, W. Va. He remained in Iowa two years, and then returned to Missouri, located in Chariton County, and soon after commenced working at his trade. In 1879 he became a citizen of Bentonville, and resumed work at his trade, William Haynes being a partner. At the end of three years Mr. Haynes sold to Alexander Smith, and one year later Mr. Smith sold to J. G. McAdams. In 1887 Mr. G. W. Garrett became partner, and since then the firm has been McGruder, McAdams & Co. They manufacture wagons, buggies, spring wagons, and do general repairing. They are good workmen, and their work is warranted to give satisfaction. In 1868 Mr. McGruder married Miss Amanda Hogan who was born in Adams County, Ill, in 1858, and who became the mother of nine children by her marriage: Laura, Ada, Lillie, Norman, Pearl, James, Malwen, John and Nellie. Mr. McGruder is a Republican in his political views, casting his first presidential vote for Lincoln in 1864. Mrs. McGruder is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church.