Samuel Seely Griffin

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.  Week 10 Theme - Worship.  Faith is shown to be a characteristic of every branch of my family tree.  I am thankful that has been passed along to us today.  To follow this week's theme, I'd like to tell you about a Griffin relative who was involved in one of the earliest evangelism efforts in our nation.... a circuit riding Methodist preacher.  

Samuel Seely Griffin was the brother of our 3Gt Grandfather, Jonathan Griffin. They were sons of Benoni Griffin, jr., of Simsbury, CT.  We don't yet know his mother's name except as "Miss Seely".  He was born about 1776 in CT, but we first find him in 1798, West Virginia with his father and brothers, at the time he would become of age. The Bath Co VA 1798 tax list shows him as "one tithable", no slaves or horses. I believe his father died about that year, as during the next years, 1799 - 1803, Samuel paid taxes on 50 acres and a cabin built by Benoni on Beaver Lick Creek, formerly owned by Uncle Timothy Holcomb. In the next tax list he is found owning a horse. (a very important part of his future.)

We find that his wife was Elizabeth Ann Harris, daughter of Methodist Minister, Nathaniel Harris. Harris was one of the early founders of Bethel Academy in Kentucky. "Maybe" Samuel studied there and met Elizabeth.    Our Samuel was present at the Methodist Conference in Cincinnati , 1809, with Bishop Francis Asbury and Rev. McKendree... well known in early Methodism. In 1811 he is commissioned for a year of Circuit riding Ministry in Kentucky. 

From "The History of Methodism in Kentucky", p. 50, "The Rise of Methodism in the West": "Perhaps the most notorious controversy between the Presbyterians and the Methodists during the life of the Western Conference was one which occurred in Cincinnati following the session of the conference in that city in 1811. While the conference was in session, three of the younger members, Peter Cartwright, Thomas Stilwell, and Samuel Griffin, took advantage of their stay in the city to have some pamphlets printed against Calvinism. One of the pamphlets was in poetical form or rather doggerel and was entitled "The Dagon of Calvinism, or The Molock of Decrees: A Poem in Three Cantos." It wasn't sanctioned by the Conference, but caused an uproar between Presbyterians and Methodists.  There are pages and pages in Methodist histories, describing the controversy between certain Presbyterian leaders and the Methodist Conference, but no action or punishment was taken against the three young preachers. 

The assignment Samuel was given was to the "Limestone Circuit" in Kentucky.  His father-in-law lived in that area which stretched from  Maysville KY on the Ohio River, down to the lower part of Kentucky near London.  This southern area is where we find Samuel and his young family had settled down by 1820.  In today's maps we see the Daniel Boone National Forest, so we know this was not an easy area for him to ride for ministry.  Francis Asbury who sent out these men, and traveled the state himself, said "We must reach every section of America, especially the raw frontiers. We must not be afraid of men, devils, wild animals, or disease. Our motto must always be FORWARD!"  The circuit riding preachers often rode 40 miles between settlements where they could preach or even sleep.  They were called "saddlebag" preachers, carrying their Bible and few belongings along on their treks. There are diaries kept by Asbury and some others who shared the details of the grueling life as well as the victories for their Lord. 

 After the War of 1812, Samuel received bounty lands in Ohio and Illinois, where he settled at the end of his days, having lived at the edge of the nation's frontier for over 40 of his 64 years. His tombstone says Rev.S. S. Griffin.  

Adam Bland Griffin, Named for Circuit Riding Preacher

Thinking about our Gt Grandfather Samuel's brother, Adam Bland Griffin, b. West Virginia in 1845. With such a unique name, he just HAD to be named after someone that Wm. and Elizabeth knew. I looked over family names and census records of the time the baby Adam would have been born. No clues. In 1850 census, there is an Adam Bland age 30, listed as Methodist Preacher, in Monroe County VA. The preacher and his young wife lived next to 3 McAvoy families... brothers-in-law of Elizabeth Rodgers Griffin (our Adam B's mother). Her sister, Tabitha Rodgers m. James McAvoy. Monroe Co. is a couple of counties south of Pocahontas.

This Adam Bland would have been born about 1820 and our Adam B. Griffin b. June 1845..... when Bland would have been about 25 yrs. old.

More Googling found that Adam Bland, Methodist Preacher, was a circuit rider. A Google Book autobiography of another Western VA circuit rider mentions Adam Bland and his brothers Zane and Henry, all Methodist preachers of the era. It is an interesting read about this time in history. If you go to the link, plug in Bland in the search, or go to about pg. 44 to read.
Story of My Life by William Taylor (Methodist Preacher 1800s)

Here is an excerpt I thought interesting:
"According to the rule of the [Meth.] Conference if a young man got married before his two years of probation were out, he was not admitted, and if after admission, before the expiration of his fourth year, he was liable to censure and usually punished by appointment to a very poor circuit, where he and his young wife would enjoy their honeymoon among the whippoorwills. Pocahontas Circuit was one of the dreaded appointments, hence the boys called it "Poke-it-onto-us". "

Looks like that's what happened to Preacher Adam Bland. Our Griffins must have recognized his worth and named their child after the young circuit riding minister. In a few years, others recognized Bland by sending him as the first Protestant preacher to the California Gold Rush community. At that point we can find much about Adam Bland's ministry on the internet. I wonder if the Griffin families kept track of the man they honored by naming their child for him.

A True Pioneer - Adonijah Harris

Although not a direct ancestor, Adonijah Harris was influential in shaping the future of our Griffin, Rodgers, and Terry families. When I describe him as a true pioneer, I have gone back to the definition of the word: "one who takes the lead or initiative...", "A person or family that ventures into unknown territory to settle..." Our family may still have been living in West Virginia, and not spread across the states if it were not for Adonijah Harris.

He was an orphan, probably illegitimate, born about 1811 in Randolph County, Virginia. Although his mother and father were listed on orphan roll, he was raised by guardians. Evidently he was provided with an education and training in the Methodist faith as he was growing up, because we find this description of Adonijah as a young man: " Adonijah Harris lives at the top of a mountain at what is now known as the McGuire Farm. He is a blacksmith and a fine mechanic . He is a class leader in the Methodist church and is respected and loved by all who know him." And, "A class was organized by Addison Hite at the Hamrick barn , the first Methodist organization in Webster County. William Gregory was appointed leader, and Adonijah Harris, assistant leader. Mr. Harris lived at the McGuire Low Gap near Webster Springs, yet he walked the five miles each Sunday to meet his class and his presence was made known by the zeal manifested in his work." from "Moccasin Tracks and Other Imprints" by William Christian Doddrill (Rattlesnake Bill)

The church mentioned above was a meeting place for our Griffin and Rodgers ancestors. In a previous post I show Elizabeth M. Rodgers who married William Griffin. Elizabeth's sister, Sarah Ann Rodgers, married Adonijah Harris. The two families worshipped together and supported the cause of the Union together, opposing the southern sympathies of many of their own relatives and neighbors, and losing children to the ravages of the war.

Adonijah and William were among the petitioners in 1848 to form the new county of Webster, VA ( to become West Virginia). Harris was the one who posted the notice to Nicholas County. The early settlers of the Elk River Valley were far removed from a seat of justice. It was forty or fifty miles to the county seat of Randolph County and almost as far to that of Braxton County. A great many citizens were practically disfranchised, as it was 25 miles to the nearest voting place. The formation of the new county was not officially passed until 1860, and Harris was one to oversee the new county elections.

If you have read my post of the story of John J. Miller, you know the times of persecution that these Union supporters suffered in their own home counties. Miller was a son in law of Adonijah and Sarah Rodgers Harris. Two of the Harris daughters died of measles in the Union Military Camp, Harrison County, VA, where the families were taken as refugees in 1862. By 1865, Adonijah Harris, the Millers and William Griffin families had migrated to Exira Twp. Cass Co. Iowa. They boarded a steamboat on the Ohio River (probably at Marietta, OH, where a Griffin aunt lived) and sailed down the Ohio to the Mississippi, then to the Missouri River and up to Council Bluffs, Iowa. From Council Bluffs, they would have traveled to Cass County by wagon. Adonijah and son, James, are listed among founding families of Lewisville (or Louisville), Iowa. His daughter, Nancy Rebecca married David Soar, harness maker, and stayed in the county.

The Harris, Miller, and Griffin families traveled on to Missouri and then to Montgomery County Kansas. Adonijah's daughter, Diana, wife of John J. Miller, and her daughters and sons in law (Terry men, related to Lizzie Terry my gt grandmother), migrated to Oregon. Patriarch, Adonijah Harris, died 22 August, 1873 in Sycamore, Kansas. His name appears among descendants of the families and his memory is held dear.