John Charles Groome (police officer)

For the Maryland Secretary of State, see John Charles Groome (Maryland).

John Charles Groome
1st Superintendent of the Pennsylvania State Police
In office July 1, 1905 – February 28, 1920
Governor	Samuel Pennypacker
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Lynn G. Adams
Warden of the Eastern State Penitentiary
In office 1923–1928
Personal details
Born	(1862-03-20)March 20, 1862 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	August 31, 1930(1930-08-31) (aged 68) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Spouse	Agnes Price Roberts ​ ​ (m. 1884⁠–⁠1930)​
Children	3
Education	Protestant Episcopal Academy
Profession	Law enforcement
Signature
Military service
Rank	Colonel
Battles/wars	World War I

John Charles Groome (March 20, 1862 – August 31, 1930), was the first superintendent of the Pennsylvania State Police from 1905 to 1917. He was the former warden of the Eastern State Penitentiary and a Colonel in World War I.^[1][2]

Biography

He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 20, 1862, to Samuel William Groome and Nancy Andrew Connelly. He graduated from the Protestant Episcopal Academy in 1878. He became a member of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry in 1882. On April 15, 1884, he married Agnes Price Roberts (1868–1937), and had three children.^[3][4]

In the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry he was promoted to corporal in 1887, then sergeant in 1889. He was promoted to captain in 1896. He was active in the Homestead Strike in 1892 and the Coal Strike of 1902 in 1902. On July 1, 1905, he became the first superintendent of the Pennsylvania State Police.^[3] He served as a colonel in World War I.^[1]

He retired from the Pennsylvania State Police on February 28, 1920, and died August 31, 1930, at the age of 68.^[3]

References

1. "John C. Groome Dies; Police Organizer. Head of Pennsylvania State Troop Until 1917. Had Noted World War Record. Relieved Famine In Baltic. Lauded for Prison Management as Warden of Eastern Penitentiary From 1923 to 1928". New York Times. September 1, 1930. Retrieved August 23, 2010. Colonel John C. Groome, organizer of the Pennsylvania State Police, former warden of the Eastern Penitentiary, distinguished World War veteran and prominent Philadelphia clubman, died at his home in Bryn Mawr today following a long illness. He was in his sixty-ninth [sic] year.
2. "PSP-HEMC-Pennsylvania State Police History 3". www.psp-hemc.org. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
3. "John C. Groome". Pennsylvania State Police. Retrieved August 23, 2010. John C. Groome was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 20th, 1862. Groome, one of six children, was born into the wealthy family of Samuel William Groome and Nancy Andrew Connelly. ...
4. "Mrs. John C. Groome. Widow of Head of Military Police Overseas During World War". New York Times. October 6, 1937. Retrieved August 23, 2010. Mrs. Agnes P. Roberts Groome, widow of Colonel John C. Groome, who headed the American military police overseas during the World War, was a former warden of Eastern State Penitentiary and one-time head of the Pennsylvania State police, died at the age of 69, of a heart attack today at her Bryn Mawr home.

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