52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.  Week #37 theme is Highs and Lows.  

This week, I was looking at old photos for inspiration.  The first one that fit the theme was one of my dad and his two brothers, as teens, playing around for the camera, about 1923 or so. Left to right, Jiggs and Dan, with Chick on their shoulders. Wonder why two are dressed up, ties and all, very serious....  and one in overalls.  I think they made their own fun and antics, mischief too. 

It was a tradition to line up the kids in stairstep order.  Here is an old one, probably taken in 1920 or so. Left to Right:  Bob Griffin, Jack Griffin, Chick Griffin, Jiggs Griffin, and my daddy , Dan Griffin. Little Bob's mother had died in the flu epidemic, and he came to live with the Ira Griffin family, so Jack gained a new little brother. 

More stairstep photos of the 3 brothers.  

Woops.  In their early 20s, looks like Chick, the youngest, grew taller than the other brothers.  

But at the gathering of all their children ... 1st cousins at Grandma's in 1951 or 52...  we got back to the tradition.  L-R: Lynda Griffin, Daneille Griffin, Warren Griffin, Gaye Griffin, Christy Griffin, Janelle Griffin, Diane Griffin, Jimmy Griffin. 

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.  Week #36 theme is Exploration.

There are many ways to explore in genealogy searching: Online records, libraries, other people’s trees, newspapers, or in person. We have prepared by doing all of the above, and then headed out, off the beaten path, to visit the locations where our ancestors lived. So far, we have visited more than 25 locations in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York. We took many, many photographs along the way and my husband has even painted watercolors of some locations. 

There are so many photographs, that I need to choose just one family line for this post. You will see where we explored our Griffin line, starting with John Griffin, immigrant from Wales, who arrived in Connecticut about 1640. We visited Granby and Simsbury, where roads, farms and even shopping centers bear the Griffin name. The photo below is a current day sheep farm on the original land called Griffin’s Farmstead. Of course the structure was not there in 1640.  John's son, Thomas, was born on that property, in 1658. 

Thomas Griffin was the father of Benoni Griffin,Sr.,  born 1714. His mill was located at The Falls, on the Farmington River, in Simsbury, CT. It was formerly owned by his grandfather, John Griffin. We found the Farmington River, but couldn't see The Falls. 

Although other siblings stayed in Connecticut, Benoni Griffin, jr. acquired a grant in Virginia, about 1784.  He settled in the area of Bath County, which is now Arbovale, West Virginia. The photo is of the view he would have seen of the Greenbrier River valley. 

 

His son Jonathan married Rachel Sharp and lived on Stony Creek, which is near the present city of Marlinton, West Virginia. We explored the area, still known as the Griffin land. Photo is of the working  farm there. 

After the Civil War, Jonathan’s son William and family migrated (by way of stops in Iowa and Missouri) to live in Montgomery County Kansas. Their homestead in current photo is still called Griffin Hill, and down the hill is the land belonging to William’s son, Samuel, my Gt.Grandfather.  This is where my Grandfather Charley Griffin was born, and probably road his horse up that trail to his Grandfather's home. 

In 1889, when land was opened in Oklahoma Territory, a claim was staked in William’s name, by his youngest son, Pete Griffin.  A few years later, Samuel’s widow, Lizzie, brought her family to that same property, west of Edmond, and homesteaded. Charley and his siblings helped to farm the land, near Waterloo Road and Portland.  Photo is of hay bales, as the land is still agricultural, although near one of the fastest growing cities in Oklahoma. 

Charley married Hattie McGill (of another 89er family) and for a time they farmed near Ahpeatone, in Cotton County OK.  My father, Dan Griffin, shared his boyhood memories of living in Cotton County, and fun with his brothers. We believe this is the house they lived in.

 The last photo is the house where Charley and family lived in Edmond, Oklahoma, where our own family memories include porch swings, marking our heights on the door frame, fun with cousins, celebrating Christmas and Fourth of July, and more. 

   

 

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week # 26 Theme - Identity

The word Identity would normally make me think of an individual discovery, but my entry is for a whole family line. When I was growing up, my father, Dan Griffin, in Oklahoma, would say "Our Griffin family is NOT the Virginia Griffins."  It stuck in my mind and when I began genealogy searching, I kept it as a clue.  My knowledge of his Griffin family stopped with my Gt Grandfather, Samuel Young Griffin, who was a Union Veteran and died in Kansas, where he had homesteaded.  As we traced his heritage, and the "Identity" of this family, we found his father and grandfather in an area of Virginia that would become West Virginia.  But Daddy said we were NOT the Virginia Griffins.  Further research showed that our Griffin ancestors came from Connecticut before claiming land in Bath/ Pocahontas County in West Virginia.  Before Connecticut, our immigrant Griffin came from Wales in the 1600s.  I believe that family tradition had passed along the "Not Virginia Griffins" because Virginians would have been Southern sympathizers.  The area of our family was in a Union area. Some families even being split by their loyalties.  My father and grandfather knew of the Union Veteran, Samuel Griffin, and wanted to carry on that conviction.  I am proud of that identity and those who carried it.  The Griffin name is still being passed along in given names of many descendants.

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week #21 theme - Yearbook

Since it's time to honor graduates, here are a few yearbook photos of family members found in the 1932 "Bronze Book" of Central State Teachers' College, Edmond, Oklahoma.  (Now the University of Central Oklahoma.)  My sister, Christy Griffin Thomas,  has possession of several of the yearbooks for that era.  She found these for us to post and there are MANY more to be sure.  Top to bottom:  My father, Dan Griffin of Edmond, OK. Member of Arena Club and formerly of the Men's Glee Club. Arena Club was a debating society, which also held an annual Barn Dance. Although my father and mother were in the same graduating class, he was 4 years older... taking alternate years to work and attend college. His specialty/ major was Industrial Arts and everyone took Education classes. 

Our mother, Bess Avera, of Oklahoma City, OK.  She had attended Okla. College for Women in Chickasha before transferring to Central. She was a member of YWCA, Glee Club (2nd Soprano) and a group called W. A. A. (could be Women's Athletic Association). After graduation, she worked as a book keeper for Bell Telephone in Oklahoma City. 

Below  is my dad's first cousin, Dorothy Mann, of Edmond. She was a teacher and librarian and eventually came back to the University of Central Oklahoma, where she
developed and chaired the library science program for teachers. 

We also found a page with my Dad's brother, Charles (Chick) Griffin at top, and Dad, Dan Griffin, at bottom.  Don't know who is the fellow in the middle.  This may have been on the membership page for the Arena Club. 

Just for fun, here is a page called Circus. They must have had a great time with this event for silliness and costumes. We don't see any familiar faces in this crowd but imagining the lively atmosphere on campus. 

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. Week # 14 Theme - Check it Out.

Straying a little from the theme of "Check it Out".  Having just checked out our family's census record for 1950, I thought this was appropriate for this week.  This is a picture of my immediate family on Palm Sunday of 1950.  A rare photo of all the family together, as my Dad was always the camera man. We are standing in front of my grandparents' home in Edmond, OK.  In the photo:  Bess and Dan Griffin, baby Jim Griffin, I am in the center, with Christy on my left, Janelle in front.  Note that all 3 of us girls are wearing plaid... so "checks"... right?