J. Groeschel

Born in Bavaria, Germany, Joseph Groeschel (1848-1904) operated various stores in South Carolina throughout the 1880s and 1890s. After traveling from Charlotte to Columbia for business in the 1870s, he settled along the route in Winnsboro, South Carolina around 1879. At that time, he partnered with fellow Bavarian native Bernhardt Sugenheimer (c.1837-1904) to establish Sugenheimer & Groeschel at two locations: the Gerig Building at 122 South Congress Street and another store previously occupied by a Mr. Sol Wolfe. At both sites, Bernhardt and Joseph sold clothing and other dry goods until they dissolved their partnership in the spring of 1881. Following the dissolution, Joseph continued to operate at Wolfe’s former location under the name J. Groeschel and then went on to establish a grocery store, Groeschel & Co. By January of 1890, Joseph moved to Chester, South Carolina where he worked in the wholesale liquor industry.