Junius Groves

Born in 1859 in Louisville, Kentucky, Junius Groves came to Kansas at the age of 19. 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." At the height of his success he owned more than 500 acres. Groves and his wife, Matilda, built a 20-room mansion, and the Union Pacific Railway built a special track to his property. In 1913 he founded the community of Groves Center, selling small tracts of land to African American families, which contributed to the Exoduster Movement.