Antique Cabinet Card Photograph. Depicting Preston Joel Grout, the only child of noted Vermont scientist Dr. Abel Joel Grout, who died before the age of five. Measures approximately 5 x 5 including mount. Dr. Abel Joel Grout was born March 24, 1867 in Newfane Hill, Vermont. He was the son of Joel Grout (1842-1921) and Martha Jane Pike (1842-1911). He was married to Grace E. Preston (1866-1947) on July 1, 1893 in Johnson, Vermont. They had one child, Preston Joel Grout who was born May 24, 1898 and died in January, 1903 not quite five years old. Dr. Grout received his doctorate at Columbia University in 1897. He was a noted bryologist, bryology (from Greek bryon, a moss, a liverwort) being the branch of botany concerned with the scientific study of bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, and hornworts). His primary focus was mosses, which he developed an interest in during high school. For his doctoral thesis, he studied marine algae under the eye of Elizabeth Gertrude Britton. Together, Grout and Britton founded the Sullivant Moss Society, now called the American Bryological and Lichenological Society. Grout was also the first editor of the Bryologist. He wrote numerous papers on the topic of mosses. He died March 27, 1947 in Bradenton, Florida. Condition: This is an original photograph, not a copy or reproduction. It is in excellent condition. Comments: This photo originally came in a Grout family collection of images (sold individually) which included: Joel Grout, Martha Jane (Pike) Grout, Dr. Abel Joel Grout, Submit (Grout) Whitney, Grace E. (Preston) Grout, Edwin Leroy Grout, John A. Grout, Adelaide Raynor Grout, Stephen Grout, Raymond Stephen Grout, Moses Pike Grout, Leon Everett Grout, Frank Grout, Guy Elmer Grout, Preston Joel Grout, Stanley J. Grout, Kenneth Grout, Paul Grout, Della F. Grout, Everett Grout, Lillian Grout, Donald Grout, Muriel Maud Grout, Maud Butler Grout, Donald Edgar Grout, Glendon Roger Grout, Etherlyn Grout, Mary and Richard Grout (brother and sister), Edwin Grout, Louise and Betty Grout (sisters), and Fran Grout.

Biography of Dr. Abel Joel Grout: Abel Joel Grout was the first of ten children born to Joel and Martha (Pike) Grout at their farm on top of Newfane Hill. He was educated at Newfane Elementary and Brattleboro High School and then entered the University of Vermont, from which he graduated in 1890 with the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy and began teaching. In 1893 he and Grace E Preston were married at Johnson, VT. After a two-year residency at Columbia University, he received his doctorate in 1897 and became so absorbed in the study of mosses that he built a log cabin at the Newfane Hill farm which he used as a laboratory for studying mosses, and for writing and publishing books. Abel and Grace had one child, Preston Joel, born May 24,1898; he died in January 1903 not yet five-years-old. Grace developed health issues and Abel became more and more concerned about medical accessibility. Abel enjoyed teaching. He was gratified when he felt his students were learning how to learn and he was learning with them, not merely accumulating and passing on information. He had taught in normal and high schools in Vermont and New Hampshire before becoming instructor of botany at Bays High School in New Brighton, Staten Island, New York, where he taught until retirement. After his retirement, he and his wife spent their winters in Florida and summers on Newfane Hill. For several years in the 1930's, he held a summer bryology institute at his home in Newfane for which the students received college credit. His wife, Grace, whose health had been deteriorating for a decade, died in Brattleboro Memorial Hospital on Valentine's Day in 1947. Abel passed away in East Brandenton, Florida, five weeks later. Before his death Abel collaborated with Dr Carlos G Otis to establish a community-centered and supported hospital in nearby Townshend. Mary Plumb, a long-time science teacher and administrator at the high school in Townshend had offered her home to be used by Dr Otis as a medical office. It became Grace Cottage Hospital, so named in honor of Abel Grout's wife, Grace Preston Grout.