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 # 11 Theme - Flowers

The wildflowers shown here are on land that was once patented by my 4Gt Grandfather, Benoni Griffin  1743 - 1796.  On a visit to West Virginia a few years ago, we found a clue concerning the location of Benoni's land near Arbovale in Pocahontas County. When Benoni settled on this land it was in Bath County, Virginia.  We were at the Bath County Courthouse and found a tiny paragraph written 60-70 years ago.  

"The town of Arbovale is situated on the grant of Benona Griffin & James Rucker, Jr. The set stone corner near the gate of C.O. Wood's store building is a common corner to the two grants mentioned and to the land supposed to be owned by Jacob Rambo. The Arbovale Church is in the Griffin Patent. " 

We drove toward Cass and Snowshoe, where skiers love to adventure in winter, but we were there in the summer when wildflowers were blooming.  Finding the Arbovale Church and, looking to the west toward the Greenbrier River, we could see where Benoni's beautiful view would be.  But now all is fenced off and classified, as it is the location of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory .   
http://www.nrao.edu/directions/greenbank/map.jpg

The enormous Greenbank Telescope is located in that complex.  It can be seen for miles around.  

Just imagine what Benoni and his sons, Jonathan, Samuel S., Abraham, Levi, and daughter Mary,  would think if dropped back into Arbovale 200+ years later. Change is inevitable, but the wildflowers keep coming back every summer. 

More fun on Stony Creek

The following is a continuation of Georgia Shinaberry's description of social life in Pocahontas County, West Virginia in early 1800s. These passages were later edited by Price for his "Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County."

"Shooting matches were also common in the county, especially in the fall months. John Barlow on Buckley mountain was passionately fond of shooting. But the rules of his church, the Methodist Episcopal, forbade shooting for prizes. A shooting match was arranged for the neighborhood, and he attended as a spectator. The main prize was a quarter of beef. Near the close of the match a neighbor asked Mr. Barlow to shoot as a substitute for him. Mr. Barlow consented, took careful aim, and pierced the center, thus gaining the savory piece of fat beef. A scrupulous fellow member felt honor bound to report him to the Presiding Elder. He was asked to appear before the quarterly conference for trial, but it was proven that he shot only to accommodate a friend and the case was dropped.

Bear hunting, fox chasing, and the hunting of panthers was done partly for pleasure, but partly because of a necessity for the protection of life and property. Bears, foxes, panthers, and wild cats were so plentiful in Pocahontas that it would have been impossible to raise livestock and poultry if they had not killed these wild animals first.

Basket dinners and outdoor picnics were also very popular, especially during the latter part of the 1800’s. They are still held quite often in many parts of the county.

Training and general Muster days were also great occasions for the men of the county.

Apple cuttings came into popularity after orchards began to bear fruit and always took place in the autumn at apple butter making time. All the young people of the community would come and help pare the apples for the butter to be made the next day. After the apples were all pared, refreshments were served, and if it was not too late, games were played or they had a dance.

Dances as the pioneer knew them were what we know as the square or barn dance. They also danced the Virginia reel. In the square dance, figures were called and they danced to the music made by the “fiddle” and the banjo. It usually lasted until morning.

Hay rides were also popular in the late 1800’s. When a good deep snow fell, some young man would “hitch up” his father’s team, pile the sled full of hay, heat some rocks to keep the feet warm, and take a sled load of the neighbor boys and girls for a ride. Or if more privacy was desired, each young man took his girlfriend in a one horse sleigh.

Spelling bees were popular too, during the latter 1800s and early 1900’s.

Huskings – Usually there was a managing boss and the men were chosen off in teams. Also every red ear was considered good luck and whoever got the most red ears was considered champion. Quiltings usually took place on the same night of the husking. Around eleven o’clock, both the husking and the quilting were suspended. Supper was served, and then came the “hoe-down” or square dance. In some communities, the man who got the most red ears had the privilege to kiss the prettiest girl at the quilting."

Anatomy of an Online Search - Levi Griffin

We recently shared the Soap Opera of the life of Benoni Griffin, Jr., mentioning a son named Levi Griffin. How did we discover this son and establish the relationship? Read on.

A description of the Griffin family in West Virginia never mentioned youngest son, Levi Griffin. But when we were at the Bath County courthouse a few years ago, we found our Jonathan and other Griffins selling or purchasing portions of the land in Benoni Griffin, Jr.'s estate, with Levi Griffin as the person paying taxes on the land, even though he lived in Kentucky.

Who was this Levi? Googling the name of Levi Griffin and Kentucky, brings us to a message board with a complete posting of "Family Bible of Levi Griffin, Gallatin Kentucky" contributed by Carl Bogardus, Sr. M.D. What a find!!!! Many birth and death, marriage dates of Levi and his descendants. Even the statement that Levi was son of Benoni and Sarah Griffin. (This may have been his step mother.) It shows his birthdate as January 10, 1788.

With that information, Levi would have been about 3 years old when the family came to the Green Bank area, Bath County, VA, in the early 1790s. His name would never show up until he came of age at 21, and would have been old enough to be taxed or to vote and sign legal documents. Going to Ancestry.com records, Levi is first found as an adult in the 1810 Census but is listed as Love Griffin male, age between 16 - 26.

We also found a biography of Samuel P. Griffin, which mentions his paternal grandfather, Levi Griffin in a mini bio. "Levi Griffin, the paternal grandfather of Samuel P., was a native of Culpeper County, Va., and a farmer; he moved to Kentucky at an early day, and first settled in Bourbon County, but subsequently went to Fayette County, where he lived for a short time, and then moved to Gallatin County, where he died. He took part in the war of 1812."

Now I have several paths to follow.... looking for Griffins in Culpeper County, VA, and several counties in Kentucky, plus a search for participants in the War of 1812. A book, "The Battle of Tippecanoe" by Pirtle, says that Levi Griffin participated as a Private in that battle. And Ancestry.com shows census records for Levi Griffin and family in 1820 - 50, in the counties mentioned above. It does not include his death date, but since we don't find Levi in 1860 Census and the last date in the Bible is 1859, perhaps he died around that time.

When I look back at the Bath County land records that started this search, I have come up with this "supposed chain of events." Levi Griffin was the youngest son of Benoni Griffin, Jr., and was the last son living on the 220 acres near Green Bank Virgina, after Benoni died. I don't find a record that he was the executor, but he was continuing to pay taxes on the land, even after he went to Kentucky and settled after the War of 1812. By the 1830s, our 3Gt Grandfather, Jonathan Griffin, probably a half brother to Levi, bought up portions of the estate from siblings out of state, Abraham, Mary, Samuel S., and Levi. Jonathan gave part of the land to son William at the time of his marriage.

I won't say that searching a particular person is easy, but so rewarding. And now I have "met" online descendants of Levi. I hope to find out more about his pioneer life in Gallatin, KY, during the mid 1800s, putting this family into their place in history.

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.

Out in the Sleet, I see Uncle Pete

Little kids in the Griffin family made jokes about the eccentric old Uncle who dressed up in his 3 piece (though mis-matched) suit. Carrying his black umbrella, he would walk to work, or just walk through the then small town of Edmond, Oklahoma. No one knew the story of Peter C. Griffin until we began to search the family of William and Elizabeth M. Griffin (see link in previous post.)

Peter was the youngest child of our 2Gt. Grandparents William and Elizabeth, born in West Virginia in 1860. So he was just a toddler when one older brother died of a virus, and 3 older brothers joined the Union armies and went to war. Only one of those brothers, Sam, came home from that war in 1864, when Peter was only 4. Other brothers, Robert and Alpheus, closer in age, died as children, as did sister, Rachel.

When Peter was about 7, the Griffin family, along with many uncles, aunts, and cousins, had been moved from their Braxton County homes to the safety of the Union Camp in Harrison County. Upon coming home, they found destruction of their farms and persecution by neighbors. So they boarded a steamboat on the Ohio River and sailed down the Ohio to the Mississippi, then to the Missouri River and up to Council Bluffs, Iowa, and on to Exira, Audubon County by wagon. Eventually, the families went to Missouri and on to Montgomery County, Kansas to homestead. Within a year or two, Pete's older siblings married, leaving 4 boys to help father William farm. Soon Pete was the only one left at home. He never married, possibly as he felt the responsibility for his parents and the farm.

In 1889, news of the free land in Oklahoma Territory spread. As Peter's father was elderly and probably not well, the young man decided to participate in the Land Rush. He traveled to Arkansas City where he boarded the crowded train and entered the Oklahoma Territory. Nearing the Edmond area, he jumped off near Waterloo Road, walked west to Deer Creek, and staked two adjoining claims of 160 acres each... one quarter section for himself and one for his parents. The family soon made the move from their Kansas home. William died Nov. 4, 1889, leaving Elizabeth, and Pete to construct buildings and start gardens and prepare for future crops.

In a couple of years, Lizzie Terry Griffin, widow of Pete's brother, Sam, came to Oklahoma from Kansas, with sons and a daughter, to farm with Pete and the elderly Elizabeth. The young men and women (my Grandpa's generation) also married and left the farm. Before 1910, matriarch, Elizabeth M. died, and all the Griffins moved into Edmond, leaving the large farm for smaller acreages, and Pete went to work at the bank in town. He was about 50 years old, and lived with relatives.

This was the time that his gt. nieces and nephews would make jokes "Out in the sleet, I see Uncle Pete." He must have just seemed like a strange old man. Little did they know, besides caring for his family members, he was saving his money for all those years. His death came at age 73, on April 25, 1934, just 4 days after the celebration of "Eighty Niners' Day". We find a photograph of Pete among other Eighty Niners (listed as Charles, his middle name) probably taken in the 1920s.

When Peter Griffin's will was probated, many were probably surprised. His estate totaled about $103,000, comparable to more than $1,000,000 in 2008. After providing for his own funeral and estate expenses, he specified that a large stone would be placed in Gracelawn Cemetery of Edmond, OK, for the Griffin Family, with small ones for himself and his parents. Then he gave $4,000 to his remaining sister, Sarah McNutt, and provided $1,000 each for the education of orphaned great niece and nephew. The remainder was to be divided among 32 living nieces and nephews, which amounted to about $3,000 each. His obituary has not yet been found, but could have called Peter Griffin an eccentric millionaire today, rather than the strange little man with an umbrella "out in the sleet.... Uncle Pete."

Curious About Your Own Ancestors?

If you have wondered just where your characteristics came from, why you do the things you do, it just might be in your genes! This blog displays photos and stories of people and places we have discovered in the search of our family history. With just a little effort, you can learn a lot also. Much info is already on line, but first do your "home" work.

Get a pad of paper, start with yourself and immediate family, and write down the "facts ma'am". .... Birth and marriage dates, cities, counties (very important), and states. Then move back a generation, get help from parents, cousins, aunts and uncles, and record the info for parents and grandparents on both sides of your family. This will include deaths and place of burial if possible. If someone doesn't know a date, but has an estimate of a year, list that and make a blank to be filled in later. I like to make a "Family Group Sheet" for each family, so that siblings and their spouses are included.

Collect clues from all sorts of sources. For instance, my father said, "Gt Grandmother Elizabeth always told the family that she was from 'East Virginia' ." Years later, and doing a search online for her father James Rodgers, I found the following excerpt in Google Books, taken from a West Virginia newspaper. There was his biography (my gt gt gt grandfather) proving the family tale that they were from East Virginia.... Madison County .... before they migrated west over the mountains. The following link leads to James Rodgers' biography.

When you arrive at this site, do a search, maybe you will find your own ancestors in Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County, West Virginia, by William T. Price.

The Griffin Land

Farm on Stony Creek, Pocahontas County, West Virginia

I was born in Texas, raised in Oklahoma, and now live in GA. We discovered that our Griffin family roots reached back to West Virginia. We traveled to Pocahontas County one recent summer, and explored the one lane roads where our Jonathan Griffin family may have once lived. When we stopped to take pictures of an interesting cabin, we found we were blocking a farmer's way. Apologizing, we told him why we were there, "looking for the Griffin land." He said "I live on the Griffin land."

No Griffins had been there for 100 years, but it was their (our) land. We were home.

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.

Civil War Letter from Samuel Y. Griffin to his Father

This is one of the letters from our Gt Grandfather, Samuel Y. Griffin, age 22, Union Soldier in Ohio Vols. His younger brother, James, had just died of disease during service. Another brother, Levi, was in the 10th VA Union Reg. which Samuel asks about. Levi was also to die of disease before the war was over. Samuel did come home, but carried illness through his life. I marvel at the excellent command of words and the dedication of this young man who was born and raised on a mountain in Pocahontas County, West Virginia.

Camp Meadow Bluffs [my note: Greenbrier Co. west of Lewisburg]
July the 24, 1862

"Dear Father and Family

I now take the present opportunity of writing you a few lines to inform you of my wellfare. I am in tolerable good health at this time and hope these few lines may reach and find you enjoying the same blessing. I received 2 letters from you the 8th, inst., one enclosed in a letter to the Captain. I was sorry to hear of Jameses death. But he is gone where the Salute of musketry is not heard over the grave of friends and fellow Soldiers, and where the sound of war is forever hushed. The health of the troops here is generally tolerable good. There has been but two deaths since we have been camped here.

We took another scout across Greenbrier River, it consisted of our entire Regiment and about 300 cavalry. After we crossed the River the cavalry had an engagement with some of the enemies cavalry. Our men killed one and took a few prisoners while the rebels were trying to make their escape. There is nothing of importance going on here at the present.

There are 3 Regs here and 6 companies of the 9th Virginiers. I want you to write soon & let me know where the 10th Virginies is stationed at. I heard that they was at Buckhanon but I don't know whether they are there or not. I received a letter from Uncle Benoni some time ago. They were well at the time the letter was written. I would like to see you all but I cannot at present. I must obey my countries call.

Our Regiment is tolerably well drilled; we have company drill in the morning from nine till half past ten and Battalion drill from 4 till half past 5 in the evening and dress parade at 6 o'clock. We don't drill Saturdays & Sundays. I have nothing of importance more to write and must close my present letter. Give my best respects to all inquiring friends. No more at present but remain your affectionate son as ever.

[To] Wm Griffin [From]Samuel Y. Griffin

P.S. I found six postage stamps enclosed in your letter. I am very thankful to you for sending them.

Yours S. Y. Griffin"