Junius G. Groves African American farmer, town builder. Born:
April 12, 1859, Louisville, Kentucky. Married: Matilda E.
Stewart, 1880. Died: 1925, Edwardsville, Kansas. Born in slavery
in April 12, 1859, in Louisville, Kentucky, Junius George Groves
came to Kansas at the age of 19 as an Exoduster. He worked at
the meat packing houses in Armourdale and later moved to
Edwardsville. Here Groves purchased 80 acres of land and began
to raise white potatoes. His business prospered and he became
known as the "Potato King of the World" because he reportedly
grew more bushels of potatoes per acre than anyone else in the
world. He also bought and shipped potatoes, seed potatoes, and
other produce, as well as owning a store in Edwardsville and
having numerous other business interests. The Union Pacific
Railway built a special spur to his property to accommodate his
needs. He was a founding member of the Kansas State Negro
Business League, the Kaw Valley Potato Association, the
Sunflower State Agricultural Association, a