OUR GRIFFIN FAMILY

Generation 5
AARON GRIFFIN JR. (m. Elizabeth Bates)

AARON GRIFFIN JR.
Generation 5

NEW YORK

AARON GRIFFIN JR. was born 12 December 1792 near Syracuse, New York. Nothing is known of his early life.

Aaron married his first wife, ELIZABETH BATES, about 1819 at Onondaga County, New York. She was born 30 Aug 1799 at Dutchess County, New York.

Their first child was born in 1820 at Onondaga. Seven more were born there.

Onondaga County was formed 5 March 1794 from Herkimer and Tioga counties. The original Onondaga county embraced about 1,750,000 acres, close to 1/15th of the present area of New York State.

OHIO

Aaron Sr. moved his family to Ohio sometime between the births of two children, April 1835 and April 1836. The family spent many years farming in Ohio.

This area of Ohio was originally Wayne County, a very large county that included parts of what are now Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. It was the third county formed from the Old Northwest Territory and named in honor of "Mad" Anthony Wayne, a general in the Revolutionary War. The county seat of Wooster was laid out in 1808. A German settler, August Imgard, was said to have put up the first Christmas tree in Ohio and possibly first in the nation in 1847.

Our Griffins settled in this area when it was still Wayne County, but on 24 February 1846 the county was divided and Ashland County was formed. After that date, then, Ashland and Wayne counties bordered each other, Ashland on the west, and Wayne on the east.

Counties are further divided into townships, and our Griffins were settled in Mohican and Lake townships on the eastern border of Ashland; and also in Plain Township on the western border of Wayne. Sounds complicated, but in reality it is three small townships in two counties, very close to each other. So, when the Griffins moved there in the 1830s, they were actually settling in Wayne County, but later documentation puts them in Ashland County.

George William Hill wrote a very comprehensive book entitled History of Ashland County. Because it covers the history of the land over decades prior to Ashland county's 1846 creation, it will include history of what earlier was Wayne County. The Griffin name is mentioned in the book but only slight attention should be given to it as nothing conclusive can be drawn from the information. The place mentioned is close to Jeromesville and had importance in October 1812 when military expeditions were protecting border settlers from British invasion. Brigades and companies were moving here and there. From near Wooster,

'the army proceeded to the west bank of the Killbuck and encamped over night, cutting a path wide enough to permit the baggage wagons to pass. From thence, by the most direct route, a trail was cut to Jerome's place, and the army passed over it. After remaining in the vicinity of the block house one or two days, General Beall crossed the Jerome fork, and his pioneers opened a path along the old Wyandot trail, in a northwesterly direction to the banks of a small stream, where they formed a camp. This location was subsequently known as the Griffin farm. The camp received the name of ?Mercer,? in honor of Major Musser, who commanded one of the regiments. The distance of this camp from the present site of Jeromesville, was about three miles. Here the army remained about two weeks....'

Different related families of Davis, Burr -- and by intermarriage, later, Sheldon and Smith -- lived in various villages, towns, and cities in the area, such as Ashland, Wooster, Mansfield, and Mohicanville. If they didn't live there, they shopped there and transacted business affairs there, had photographs taken there, as will be seen in my online photo album as soon as I can get it online.

Aaron Griffin and his wife, however, settled in Wayne County -- to the east of what later was divided off as Ashland County. I have found no land transactions for them except in Wayne County. Specifically in Plain Township, to the SW of the county seat, Wooster.

Mohican Township, Ashland County, Ohio Former Wayne Co.

Lake Township, Ashland County, Ohio.

OHIO LAND

Included here will be land transactions involving Aaron Griffin and his wife Elizabeth.

Aaron bought 80 acres for $950, in Section 7 of Wayne County on 16 Dec 1837 from David Hazlett. The original patent for this land was issued to Rachel Davis by President Andrew Jackson on 4 Jan 1831.
Aaron and Elizabeth Griffin sold the same land on 7 Jun 1852, for $2,200, to Jacob Helbert; the land now in Ashland County, due to the subsequent creation of Ashland County from Wayne County.

Three years later, on 20 Jan 1840, Aaron Griffin bought 10 acres for $100, from Abraham and July Ann Otto, in Wayne County. Interestingly, the witness to the transaction was Amos Davis. On 7 Jun 1852 Aaron and Elizabeth sold the land for an unknown price to Jacob Helbert. At this time the land was in Ashland County, due to the creation of Ashland out of Wayne.

LETTERS

A packet of fourty-eight letters from Griffin family members, mostly to Asa Griffin (Aaron?s brother in New York), was passed down in the family by him thru to a descendant, Herman W. Smith. Mr. Smith?s grandson, the late David N. Smith, had the interest to index and abstract the letters. In addition, he typed out those which were written by our Griffins.

Aaron Griffin wrote two of the letters to his brother, the first in 1841, the second in 1846, prior to his move to Illinois. (See below, for mention of the last letter, written in 1854.)

The Index and Abstracts
The letters

Probably with the cash from the previous sale, Aaron bought 20 acres on 8 Oct 1841, for $350, land from Stephen and Hannah Rust, in Wayne County. About 11 years later, on 7 Jun 1852, Aaron and Elizabeth sold the land to Jacob Helbert; the land now in Ashland County.

There were many other Early Ohio land transactions that could be related family members, e.g., Other Davises. These were all probably relations of Amos Davis. Ely Davis sold adjoining pieces of land in Section 7, Lake Township, Wayne County, in 1833, to a Robert Davis, and to Nancy?s husband, Amos. They possibly were all brothers. Other Davis transactions are for James/Elizabeth Davis; John/Lydia Davis; Mary Davis; Jonathan Davis. These are likely Nancy?s in-law relations. The Burr family was related to Aaron Griffin Jr. through his mother, Patience Burr. I don?t know at this time who Dexter or Zebina Burr are, but feel confident they are related, if only distantly. A Dexter Burr bought land in February 1842 from a Zebina Burr. Also, in 1843, he bought land from Willard Smith. The Smith line comes in with Sheldon-Griffin in the next generation, when Aaron?s son, Emerson, married Elvira Sheldon, whose mother was Electa Smith, a sister of Willard Smith. Eventually I will have a photo album up which does include several photos of Burrs and Smiths. The Smith Family. Smiths were related to Griffin in the next generation by intermarriage, when Aaron?s son, Emerson, acquired his mother-in-law named Electa Smith Sheldon. She was sister of Asa and Elisha F. Smith. Asa Smith was active buying properties from Daton Smith and Robert W. Smith, and from Dexter Burr between 1840 and 1842. Elisha F. Smith bought several other pieces of land between 1836-1839. He and Dexter Burr bought land together in 1836 from one Ora French. [The surname French may come into play in the Smith line, but research is still pending on that.]

MOVE TO ILLINOIS

Aaron and Elizabeth moved to Illinois immediately upon the sale of their land in Ohio. They bought land in Ellison Township of Warren County, on 2 October 1852.

Thanks to the Smith collection of letters, we have one more letter from Aaron Griffin to his brother, written in 1854 from Illinois:

Click here to read this letter

Elizabeth died in February of 1855, in Warren County, but no record of that is known.

Aaron was taxed in Warren County in 1855, for 10 acres in T9N R3W on the E1/2 of E1/2 of Section 19.

AARON REMARRIED NANCY DAVIS

Aaron remarried in 1857, at Blandinsville, in McDonough County, Illinois. His wife as Nancy Crawford Davis, the widow of Amos Davis, a neighbor from Wayne County, Ohio. They married on the 25th of November. The marriage was performed by Cornelius Ades. County history states he was pastor of the Blandinsville Christian Church.

ILLINOIS

We don?t know if Nancy and Amos Davis were in Illinois together before his death, or if she came to Illinois as a widow with her children or other family members. Amos Davis and Aaron Griffin families were neighbors, if not close friends, in Ohio. Some Ohio land transactions indicate this. In addition, there are numerous records of the Davis family in McDonough County, Illinois. Family members, friends, and neighbors often migrated from state to state as opportunities arose.

For background on Nancy (Crawford) Davis, click here.

As will be seen, below, there were no McDonough County land transactions for Aaron Griffin until 1866. Therefore, it can be assumed that he and Nancy lived in Warren County for some years.

ILLINOIS LAND

WARREN AND MC DONOUGH COUNTIES

The ?Military Tract? and other unorganized territory was laid out into counties in winter of 1822-23, which land was situated between the Illinois and the Mississippi Rivers as far as the North border of Warren County. During Legislature of 1824-25 Warren County was formed and included land now Henderson County. Squables and disputes precluded settling on a county seat, until the Legislature decided in 1831 on Monmouth. Within 10 years, Henderson County was formed.

McDonough County, Illinois is in the center of the Military Tract, land set aside as reward for veterans of the War of 1812. The first land ownership in the county was initially granted to these veterans about 1818, although many of them sold their land rights to others. The newspaper, The Bounty Land Register, first published in 1835, advertised lands granted to veterans.

In May 1812, an act of Congress was passed which set aside bounty lands as payment to volunteer soldiers for the War against the British (War of 1812). The land was set aside in the present states of Arkansas, Michigan and Illinois.

The bounty land in Illinois is located in the western part of the state between the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. The tract was surveyed in 1815-1816 and opened to settlement. Then warrants for land were issued by the government.

WARREN COUNTY LAND TRANSACTIONS

WARREN COUNTY. Ellison Township. Section 19. T9N R3W.
Click here for an old Warren County, Illinois, map. Section 19 is very near the ?E? of Ellison Township on this map.
Click here for an old Warren County, Illinois map.

1852 Oct - BUY - Aaron Griffin from Jacob Haydon. $150.00.
1856 - TAX - state and county, 10 acres, value $130 = $1.47.
1858 Oct - SELL - Aaron Griffin to sons Milton & Asa Griffin. $100.00.
1859 Aug - BUY - Aaron Griffin from Milton B. Griffin. $4,000.00.
1869 Mar ? SELL ? $200. Grantor: Aaron/Nancy Griffin. Grantee: John Ramsey.

1879 Jan - CORRECT DEED - Aaron/Nancy Griffin correct their deed to Ramsey, but the Deed is now to William I. Pendarois. 10 acres in Section 19. $1.00.

McDONOUGH COUNTY LAND TRANSACTIONS

Click here for an old McDonough County, Illinois, map.

1866 Mar 21 ? BUY ? McDonough Co IL. No price given.
Grantor: Henry S. & Margaret Baldwin of McDonough Co.
Grantee: Aaron Griffin of McDonough Co IL.
Deed Book 17, p. 475. Griffin gave Baldwin a mortgage in Book UM 128.

1871 Feb 17 ? SELL ? $4000 - Sciota Twp, McDonough Co IL. NW1/4 E1/2, Sec 14.
Grantor: Aaron & Nancy Griffin.
Grantee: William V. Humphrey.
Deed Book 30, p. 200. Mortgage in Book XM, p. 331.

1878 ? Lawsuit, $3363.41 and court costs.
Complainant: Aaron Griffin.
Defendants: William V. Humphrey, Cinderella Humphrey, Alexander Beckelhymer & Charles Chandler.
Property was sold and Aaron Griffin highest bidder.
Book 45, p. 39.

1878 Jun 15 ? Lawsuit, for taxes and deed. 80 acres ? E1/2.
Given to Aaron Griffin by C. W. Dines, County Clerk.
Book 45, p. 93.

1880 ? Book 7M, p. 114 index.
Aaron Griffin & wife gave bond to William A. Griffin, 1879-1800;
then William Blackhurst gave mortgage to Aaron Griffin in 1880.

1880 Jan 13 ? SELL ? $3,200 - McDonough Co IL, Town of Blandinsville. E1/2, Sec 14.
Grantor: Aaron & Nancy Griffin his wife of Village of Blandinsville.
Grantee: William Blackhurst of Town of Blandinsville.
Deed, Book 46, p. 369.

1880 Aug 26 ? SELL ? $1.00 ? McDonough Co IL.
Release of mortgage (listed in Book 9M, p. 105). Grantor: W. Addison Griffin, attorney in fact for Aaron Griffin of McDonough Co.
Grantee: William Blackhurst.
Release of mortgage, Book 50, p. 282.

The oldest mortgage books are in a safe in the basement in a corner well covered with other books. There is a large book with Lot #16 which is handwritten and tells that Aaron Griffin heirs [i.e., wills] to Emerson G. Griffin for $700, all of Lot #16, except what was sold off to U. B. Church and Isabel Mercer and was signed. [I do not have a copy of this.]

CENSUS INFORMATION

Censuses every ten years give us clues to the movements of families. The censuses I have for the Griffin family are presented below:

• 1830 NY census, Onondaga Co, Manlius
  Head of Household, 30-40 = Aaron Griffin. 1 female, 30-40 = Betsey.
  1 male, 10-15 = James.
  1 male, 5-10 = Emerson; 1 female 5-10 = Lurancy.
  2 males, under 5 = William A. and John.
  
  

• 1860 IL census, Warren Co, Ellison Twp.
  Aaron Griffin, 67, farmer, b. NY.
  Nancy, 53, b. OH.
  Aaron W., 19, b. OH.
  James Davis, 18; b. OH.
  Mary J. Davis, 16, b. OH, in school.
  James Bay, 18, b. IL, in school.
  
  

• 1865 state census, McDonough Co (Blandinsville, or Hire townships).
  Not found.
  
  

• 1870 IL census, McDonough Co, Blandinsville Twp., Household #71.
  Aaron Griffin, 77, farmer, b. NY; real estate $3,500; personal estate $100.
  Nancy Griffin, 62, keeps house, b. OH.
  
  

• 1880 IL census, McDonough Co, Village of Blandinsville.
  Aaron Griffin, 87, farmer, b. NY (father b. NY, mother b. RI).
  Nancy Griffin, 73, keeping house, b. OH (father b. IRE, mother b. IRE).

DEATH

Nancy (Crawford Davis) Griffin died at Blandinsville, Illinois, on 12 August 1884. She was buried at the Glade City Cemetery, in Blandinsville. Her tombstone states she was 77 years 7 days old, which makes her birth at 5 August. The compiled records, however, state she was born on 1 August.

Aaron Griffin Jr. died on 12 March 1886, at McDonough County, Illinois. It states he was 88 years 3 months old, which I believe to be incorrect, as explained above. A notice of his death appeared in the Macomb (Illinois) Journal on 18 Mar 1886, as follows:

Mr. Griffing [sic], an aged gentleman, died at the residence of his son [Addison], just east of the corporation line, one day last week. His remains were taken to Blandinsville and buried. He was 94 years old; was the step-father of Hon. S. B. Davis.

He was buried in the Glade City Cemetery, next to his wife. The family burial plot is in the old, original ?unplotted? part of the cemetery, next to the blacktop road. The cemetery is North of the Blandinsville town line. Pictures of these stones will be posted shortly.

There is no probate file for Aaron Griffin Jr. in the McDonough county records.

CHILDREN BY BETSEY BATES

1. James Bates Griffin, b. 17 July 1820 at Onondaga Co NY. James Griffin d. 25 Jan 1854 at Illinois (Smith: ?living 40 miles from Newcaster, IL?. He m. Rachel A. Parish (b. 25 Aug 1832; d. 27 Jan 1888).
   
   

2. Lurancy Almira Griffin, b. 2 May 1822 at Onondaga Co NY. She m. about 1855, James B. Wiltsie (b. about 1807 at NY). Lurancy was, at age 28, in 1850, in the household of her brother, Emerson, in Columbia Co WI. She d. about 1915. The Wiltses had children, as follows:

   Mary C. Wiltsie (b. about 1858 at IL); she m. about 1851 in IL, Jonathan Danglard Riggs (b. abt. 1851 at IL; d. before 1910). In 15 Jun 1880 census, Jennings, Decatur Co KS. In 1898 at Jennings. In 20 Jun 1900 census, Pleasant Valley, Decatur Co KS. They had children (see Smith?s list; first two born 1876, 1879 in IL; rest in KS); all surname Riggs.
   
   

   John M. Wiltsie, b. about 1860 at IL. [He wrote in Laura Nickel's autograph book.]
   
   

   James Grant B. Wiltsie, b. about 1864 at IL. [He also wrote in Laura Nickel?s autograph book.] In the 1885 KS state census (Custer Twp, Decatur Co) there was a 29-year-old male surname Wiltse, b. IL, come to KS from IL; his wife (initial difficult to read, C. E.?), also 29, was b. in KS; and they had a 4-year-old boy, b. in KS. This person, I believe, was this James.

3. EMERSON GILBERT GRIFFIN, b. 2 Jun 1824 at Onondaga Co NY. He d. 29 Sep 1895 at Blandinsville, McDonough Co IL. He m. (1) Elvira Sheldon on 28 Sep 1848 at Waupun, Fond du Lac Co WI.
   
   

4. William Addison Griffin [also known as W. A., or Addison, Griffin] was b. 20 Jul 1826 at Onondaga Co NY. He mar. Mary Jane Herlocker 3 February 1854 at McDonough Co IL. She was b. 23 Sep 1834 at Northumberland Co PA. He d. 24 Sep 1896 at IL. Mary Jane d. 7 Sep 1909 at IL. He was the founder of a Christian church located across the road from his farm. [The church is no longer standing, but a monument to it remains. The congregation purchased a church building in Adair.]
   

   W. A. Griffin, an old and highly respected citizen of McDonough died at his home on East Jackson street in this city yesterday of paralysis. Deceased was born in Onondaga county, NY July 20 1826 and was therefore aged 70 years 2 months and 5 days. He moved to OH with his parents at the age of 7 years* and in 1850 came to Vermont, Fulton County, Illinois.** In March, 1854, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Jane Herlocker and settled on a farm in New Salem township this county, where he lived until the spring of 1885, when he moved to Macomb and has made his residence here ever since. The wife with seven children survive him. The children are: Mrs. Emma Beaty of Akron, Colo., Mrs. Florence McCartney of Good Hope, Illinois, Mrs. Vera Sipes of Macomb, Henry of Adair, and Lelie, Charles and Truman who are still at home. Out of a family of ten children, deceased leaves two sisters living in Kansas, and a brother Bartlett, in Buffalo, New York, and Winfield, late from Idaho. The latter, who he had not seen for 22 years, was at his bedside. Funeral services will be held tomorrow at the Christian church at __ p.m. after which the remains will be interred in Oakwood cemetery. Death notice, Sept. 1896, McDonough Co IL: * 1833 doesn't jibe with Aaron's 1850 census, ages of children and birthplace; off by 2 years]. The data here implies William's family migrated to OH in 1833, and we have 1835 for birth of last Griffin born in NY. ** Also, this document states Wm. A. migrated to Illinois in 1850. But it was a William A. Griffin who witnessed Aaron's land sale in OH in 1852. Newspapers CAN be off by 2-5 years back in those days...but......this is suspicious. This death notice (bad copy) is in my Emerson Griffin file.

   His children were:
   
   

   Mary Emma Griffin, b. 1854 at McDonough Co IL. She m. 9 Dec 1891, William James Beaty (b. 1844; d. 1907); they had a son, Howard Beaty (m. Ruby E. Boyle).
   
   

   Florence Griffin, b. 16 Dec 1860 at McDonough Co IL. She mar. 13 Mar. 1881 at McDonough Co Ill., Andrew E. cCartney (d. 1908). They had a daughter, Florence Alice McCartney (b. 18 May 1887; d. Feb 1978 at AR), who mar. Frank S. McCall (b. 1 Apr 1888; d. 1 May 1971 at AR). Florence G. McCartney lived at Good Hope in 1896; d. there 9 Mar 1914.
   
   

   Elvira (?Vera?) G. Griffin, b. 4 Apr 1863 at McDonough Co IL. She mar. (1) at IL on 30 Sept. 1883, Robert W. Sipes (b. 30 Mar 1845 at PA; d. 1894 at Franklin Co NB). They had one daughter, Ada Sipes (b. 29 May 1889); she mar. Everett Ingram on 4 Jul 1915 at Lancaster Co NB. Elvira was in Macomb IL in 1896, and mar. (2) H. Whitmore in Sep 1897. Elvira Griffin (Sipes) Whitmore d. on 25 Dec 1933.
   
   

   George Shuman Griffin, b. 20 Feb 1866 at McDonough Co IL. He d. 17 Aug 1866.
   
   

   Henry Arthur Griffin, b. 5 Jun 1867 at McDonough Co IL. He was of Adair, IL 1896, but d. 7 Dec 1919 at NB. He mar. 30 Sep 1888 at McDonough Co IL, Sallie M. Battin (b. 3 Jan 1870 at McDonough Co IL; d. 5 Jul 1948. They had children (see Smith?s list).
   
   

   Lelie Ellen Griffin, b. 30 Mar 1870 at McDonough Co IL. She d. 16 Mar 1944 at IA.
   
   

   Charles Wilmer Griffin, b. 27 Sep 1872 at McDonough Co IL; he d. in 1944. He mar. Anna Marie Cathriner (b. 1883; d. 1961).
   
   

   Truman Alvah Griffin, b. 24 May 1875 at McDonough Co IL; d. 9 May 1940 at IA. He mar. 1 May 1901 at IL, Bertha Ethel Auld (b. 1 May 1876 at IA; d. 19 Mar 1902 at IL). They had children (see Smith?s list).

   
   

5. John B. Griffin, b. 16 Jun 1828, at Onondaga Co NY. He mar. 18 Jan 1855 at NY, Clarissa F. Brown (b. 21 Apr 1833 at NY). He d. 27 Feb 1886; she d. 25 Jul 1890, both at NY. They had children:
   
   

   Charles H. Griffin, b. 1856.
   
   

   Clara Griffin, b. 1 Jun 1859; d. 13 Dec 1941; mar. Karl Walther (b. 13 Jul 1853; d. 29 Jul 1929); had daughters, Lucy Walther; and Clarice Griffin Walther (b. 9 Mar 1884; d. Aug 1973). Clarice mar. Alfred Ernst Hamill (b. 1883; d. 1953).
   
   

   Mary Griffin, b. 1862.
   
   

   Sarah Griffin, b. 1867.
   
   

   Harriet Griffin, b. 1878.
   
   

   
   

6. Alexander C. Griffin, b. 17 Sep 1830 at Onondaga NY. He was, at the age of 19, in 1850, in the household of his brother, Emerson, in Columbia Co WI. He d. 1854 at Warren Co IL.
   
   

7. Celestia C. Griffin, b. 14 Aug 1832 at Onondaga NY. She d. 24 Sep 1896. She mar. Hugh Carter on 26 Mar 1868 at Warren Co IL.
   
   

8. Milton Bartlett Griffin, b. 7 Apr 1835 at Onondaga Co NY. He mar. about 1860, Olive Meyers (b. 1832). They had children: Ella Griffin (b. 1868); Edwin Griffin (b. 1870); and Clara Griffin (b. 1873). Milton d. in 1900 at NY.
   
   

9. Asa C. Griffin, b. 11 Apr 1836 at Ashland Co OH. [Letter dated 1 Feb 1889 from Emerson G. Simpson to Mrs. Simpson, ?Asa born in Ohio ?38.?] He d. 25 Sep 1892. He mar. 19 Jun 1870 at KS, Charlotte E. ?Lottie? Hickox (b. about 1850 at OH). Asa served in the 1st Cavalry from Colorado Territory as documented on his 1885 KS state census. They had their children, as follows:
   
   

   Walter R. Griffin (b. 1871 at KS; d. 1916).
   
   

   Orion F. Griffin (b. 1873 at KS; d. 1952); mar. 1903, Minnie Ann Douglas (b. 1881 at MO); had children: Wilbur W. Griffin (b. 1905 at KS; Wayland Griffin, b. about 1914, at KS; and Labon Griffin, b. abt. 1917 at KS.
   
   

   Jessie E. Griffin, b. 1876 at KS; d. 1956.
   
   

   Gracie Griffin, b. 1879 at KS; d. 1881.
   
   

   Oscar Griffin, b. 1883; mar. Una Naughton; he d. 1921.
   
   

   Bret Griffin, b. 1885; mar. Zelma Fisher; he d. 1918.
   
   

   Clara L. Griffin, b. 1887; mar. Willis Van Deusen; she d. 1964.

   
   

   1875 KS state census, Spring Valley Twp, Cherokee Co. A. C. Griffin, 36, farmer; b. OH; to KS from IL. C. E., 25, b. OH; to KS from WI. Walter R., 3, b. KS. O. F., 2, b. KS. 3). 1880 US census, Kiowa Twp, Barber Co. Asa C. Griffin, 42, cattle raiser; b. OH; parents b. NY. Lottie E., 30, F, b. OH; parents b. NY. Walter R., 9, M, b. KS. Orion F., 7, M, b. KS. Jessie E., 4, F, b. KS. Grace, 1, F, b. KS. 1885 KS state census, Kiowa Twp, Barber Co. A. C. Griffin, 46, b. OH, farmer. Lottie E., 35, F, b. OH. Walter R., 13, M, b. KS. Orion F., 12, M, herder, b. KS. Jessie E., 8, F, b. KS. Bertie? [sic = Oscar], 2, M, b. KS. 1895 KS state census, Kiowa Twp, Barber Co. (All children of A.C. and Lottie) O. F. [Orion F.] Griffin, 22, M, farmer, b. KS. J. E. [Jessie E.] Griffin, 19, F, b. KS. O. B. [Oscar] Griffin, 12, M, b. KS. B. L. [Bret] Griffin, 10, M, b. KS. C. L. [Clara] Griffin, 8, F, b. KS.

10. Aaron Winfield Griffin, b. 16 Nov 1841 at Ashland OH. [Letter dated 1 Feb 1889, Emerson G. Simpson to Mrs. Simpson, ?Winfield born in Ohio in 41.? ?Went west after the war. Last we heard he was digging gold in Idaho Terr. Have not heard from him in 3 years. Was talking about going to South America. He is a wanderer and is single.?] He mar. 25 Nov 1857 at McDonough Co IL, Nancy (-); b. about 1807 at OH. Aaron Winfield Griffin d. 16 Dec 1918 at Alliance NB.

Next to EMERSON G. GRIFFIN

PRIMARY RESOURCES

LaPiana, John C., preparer. "The Military Tract, part of which became Onondaga County, New York,? Onondaga Historical Association Bulletin April and May 1959, Daughters of the American Revolution New York Cemetery, Church and Town Records (Vol. 560, 1985, pp. 17-32).

LaPiana, John C. Letter to Joann Burnich, dated 6 May 1987. Aaron Griffin and Elizabeth Bates marriage date and location; and location and date of birth, Emerson.

Smith, David N. Letter dated 30 April 1988. Mr. Smith had a collection of 48 letters, handed down mostly from Asa Griffin, through to his grandfather, Herman W. Smith, and given to him. He numbered the collection arbitrarily and abstracted the contents. He kept the spelling as seen. Mr. Smith sent me the abstracts, and the transcripted copies of six letters from my ancestor, Aaron, and his son, Emerson, Griffin to various Griffin relatives. He sent also a typescript of a poem written by my great-grandfather, Emerson Griffin.

Smith, Philip W. Griffin Family Lineage, hosted by Rootsweb.

SECONDARY REFERENCES

McDonough County land records are indexed by township, section by section; and are not alphabetized. The books list land transactions by each quarter section.

WEB RESOURCES

Ashland County OH GenWeb website.

Wayne County OH GenWeb website.

Wayne County OH, hosted by Rootsweb.

Farm and Home Publishers, publisher of plat maps and much more.

Smith, Philip W. Griffin Family Lineage, hosted by Rootsweb.

Official Website of the
Burch, Nickel, Sheldon, Griffin,
Saemann and Brazelton Family
This is the Aaron Griffin Jr. Family Page

Design and presentation © 2007 Joann Saemann
Some material may be paraphrased
Last Updated ? 9 March 2009