George G. Groff was born on April 5, 1851, on a farm near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. He received his early education in the public schools and in academies at Phoenixville and Norristown, Pennsylvania. He was educated at West Chester State Normal School; Michigan University; and Long Island College Hospital, Brooklyn, New York. He taught in the public schools and at West Chester State Normal School before he was appointed as Professor of Natural Sciences in Bucknell University in 1881. He served in this capacity until 1887 when his title was changed to Professor of Organic Science.

Dr. Groff, an outright proponent of co-education, advocated that women be admitted to the college and be allowed to receive degrees. In 1885, the year that Chella Scott was the first woman to receive a degree from Bucknell University, the Trustees granted him a leave of absence so that he could “…. spend some time in a German University… provided this met the approval of his Colleague [sic.] in the College Faculty and that arrangements can be made by which his classes may be taught without additional expense to the Board.” In 1886, he studied in Germany, as did many nineteenth-century American academics who had an interest in science. After his return to the faculty, he served as acting president of Bucknell University for the 1888/1889 Academic Year. While serving in this capacity, Dr. Groff made provision for a course in the theory and practice of teaching to be taught in the Academy in the spring of 1889 by a visiting instructor.

In the nineteenth century, faculty members dealt directly with the Board of Trustees concerning personnel matters and Dr. Groff did so on several occasions at the end of the century. In 1898, Groff gave a “sworn statement” to the Secretary of the Board of Trustees “…. setting forth his claim for increased compensation during the past eight years.” He was invited to appear before the Board to give a “further explanation”. After he had “answered various questions put to him by members of the Board’ and “retired from the room”, the Trustees denied his request for additional compensation for his service at the University since 1890. In 1899, Dr. Groff was granted a “leave of absence without pay”…. “from Oct. 1st, l898, to July 1st, l899, unless he should be mustered out of the United States service in time to resume the duties of his professorship at the opening of the Spring term, in which case the leave of absence will terminate April1st.” In 1899, Dr. Groff wrote the Board “…. asking that the balance remaining of his salary for the past year after those who have done the work are paid should be given to him, and also asking for an increase in salary.” These requests were refused and “…. the Secretary was instructed to write Mr. Groff that he would be expected to resume his duties at the beginning of the next school year, or request leave of absence for the entire year without pay such request to be in hand by Aug. 1st 1899.” Dr. Groff replied to the Committee on Instruction of the Board that “…he felt it to be his duty to remain in Porto Rico at least until the first of January…” At the July 19, 1900 meeting, the Trustees approved two recommendations of the Committee on Instruction “…that Dr. Groff be re-appointed Professor of Organic Science for the year beginning July 1, 1900 and ending July 1, 1901, provided he will enter upon the duties of the professorship at the beginning of the school year, Sept 20, 1900, and devote his whole time to the duties of his professorship” and that “…. the Committee on Instruction be authorized to fill the Chair of Organic Science should Prof. Groff not accept re-appointment.” Groff returned to the University.

Dr. Groff was a physician and a scientist who was active in public affairs as well as academic pursuits. In 1888, he made recommendations to the University Trustees concerning the sanitation of the University buildings and in 1889, he was in charge of sanitation at Johnstown after the great flood. For a number of years, he lectured on health and scientific subjects at Teachers' and Farmers' Institutes. He was the author of a Series of School Physiologies; Farm and Village Hygiene; School Hygiene; Dairy Hygiene; and a textbook on mineralogy. In 1897, he was president of the State Board of Health and a member of the State Medical and Dental Councils. Dr. Groff was a member of the Baptist Church. He died in 1910.