Dallas M “Pop” Groves

Dallas M. “Pop” Groves was born February 11, 1877. His father had started a herd of Scotch Shorthorn cattle after arriving in northwest Missouri in 1872. When Dallas was in his early teens, a neighbor brought in a herd of Jerseys. Dallas immediately wanted to find out more about these dairy cattle and found himself spending hours at the Graves farm. Graves, realizing Dallas’ great love for Jersey dairy cows, gave him a chance at age 16 to begin work with them.

But by this time the Shorthorn herd had enlarged and so much farming had to be done that Dallas had a full time job at home. Dallas’ one desire now was to work with Jerseys and someday have a herd of his own. So he worked nights to be with those Jerseys.

Finally in the year 1898, Dallas became the proud owner of his first registered Jersey. Over the next six years, Dallas was able to purchase five more Jerseys. In 1904, Dallas went with the Graves cattle for the third World’s Fair in St. Louis.

On March 28, 1905, Dallas married Laura Bishop. They farmed and raised cattle in partnership with his father. In December 1907, a son Max, was born.

Dallas showed his cattle at various shows around Missouri almost every year since his first purchases. In 1928, the herd was taken to the National Dairy Show in Memphis. One of his proudest memories of showing Jerseys was at the State Fair in 1948 and 1949 and the American Royal in Kansas City in 1949 and 1950 when their herd sire –owned in partnership with Alfred Dodds and son–won Champion.

The Groves herd has been on DHIA test, when a tester was available, almost from the start of cow testing in Missouri. Dallas was one of the charter members when the Missouri Jersey Cattle Club was first organized in 1923. He was a supporter of the Missouri State Sales and the Missouri Jerseyman since its beginning.

Dallas passed away Feb 12, 1964, but the Jerseys are still going strong. His grandson, Richard Groves, and wife, Sue, continue with the milking and showing tradition. Richard is joined by their daughter, Sherry, son-in-law, Steve, and grandsons, Stephen, Richard, and Cody Lee Schniedermeyer.