George Washington Griffin: Basic Family Info.

THE GEORGE WASHINGTON & MARY ELIZABETH (HOUSE) GRIFFIN FAMILY

        1883 to 1947                                                                            1885 to 1981
George Washington Griffin                                                          Mary Elizabeth House

G.W. & Bettie (House) Griffin

George Washington Griffin ("G.W.") was born on May 14, 1883 on his grandfather's farm in Milam county, Texas; he was the son of Joseph Griffin ("Joe") and Susannah Elizabeth Edwards ("Susan"), who were pioneer settlers of the Val Verde community in Milam county.  They had moved from Van Zant county in east Texas to Milam county.  George had five brothers and four sisters.  G.W. went to Thomas Arnold school (High School or Academy) in Salado.  The school superintendent offered G.W. a chance to stay with him and go to school, but he felt like he needed to stay with his parents.

On December 30, 1885, G.W.'s future wife, Mary Elizabeth House ("Bettie") was born in Pontotoc, Mississippi; they were married on November 29, 1903 by a Rev. Lewis at the Methodist parsonage in Milam county.  Her wedding dress was green with an ivory neck; it also had a bussell.  Her hair was black.

George Washington Griffin & Mary Elizabeth (House) Griffin

G.W. was a short, stocky man with red, curly hair. He was a very kind and sensitive man; when all the children in the area would play "hide and seek" in the freshly plowed fields, G.W. would be out there playing with them.

G.W. Griffin

Bettie Griffin feeding her chickens

He also enjoyed hunting squirrels and rabbits.  He used to let some of the kids go with him hunting down in the river bottom.  In the springtime, he would take his shotgun and push away the leaves to show them the first violets coming up.  Little things such as these were very important to his children.  G.W. was also a stubborn man and ran the house strictly by the rules. According to relatives, G. W. was a quiet man and he never owned a car.  Dwayne Digby said that at one point, G.W. Griffin worked at Ketchem's Laundry; Mart Digby took him to work every day (not sure when this happened).  From 1912 - 1914, the Griffin family lived in the old Aiken homeplace located east of Salado, Texas at the present intersection of Royal road and Amity East road.  In December, 1914, they moved to Val Verde, Texas.  The Griffin homeplace at Val Verde was located just south of the old Parker home (just northeast of the Val Verde Baptist Church).  Doris (Griffin) Herrington remembers G.W. Griffin having an appendix operation on a back room table in the drug store in Holland, Texas; Dr. Crosswaite performed the operation.

Georgia (Griffin) Roen map of the Griffin homeplace area.
Milam county, Texas.  Drawn in mid July, 2009

Georgia & Doris Griffin at the Griffin homeplace at Val Verde, Texas

Bettie's parents were John Jefferson House and Samantha Jane (Arnold) House ("Jane").  Her religious preference was at first Baptist; later, she became Methodist.  She came from Pontotoc, Mississippi with her parents when she was only five years old.  On April 24, 1927, G.W.'s mother died.  Although all of her children helped to take care of her during her final years, Bettie Griffin stayed with the Arnold Roen family in the years prior to her death (304 Greenbriar.  Belton, Texas, Bell county).  Pearl (Griffin) Digby relayed the following stories about, her mother, Bettie Griffin to Billy Blair:
" Ivy Moore's parents were having a child.  My mother went during a flood on horseback to deliver that child".
"My mother also took care of neighbors when they got the flu.  She would stay until they were well, then come home.  It seems as though the flu arrived about the same time as World War II.  One time, my mother got the flu when she returned home from taking care of neighbors.  My father took care of her and successfully kept the kids from getting the flu in a three room house".
I believe it was Mattie (Digby) Wesson who recalled that Bettie Griffin always wanted the bills paid immediately.  Bettie died on Saturday morning, November 21, 1981 at the Crestview Manor Nursing Home in Belton, Texas (1103 Mary Jane).

Mary Elizabeth (House) Griffin ("Bettie")

The cause of her death was lung cancer (Note: In her book, Rambling Reflections, Pearl Digby said it was liver cancer).  The funeral was on Monday at 2 pm at Heartfield Funeral Home in Belton; Dr. Leroy Kemp and Rev. Greg Nichols officiated.

Bettie Griffin obituary

She was buried in the North Belton cemetery.  She was 95 years old at her death; she had 18 grandchildren, 44 great grandchildren, and five great, great grandchildren.  G.W. Griffin was a Methodist by faith and a farmeer by occupation.

George Washington Griffin (driving wagon) and neighbor, David Ray.

Pearl (Griffin) Digby said that when she was a child, G.W. would let the kids burn the thorns off of the cactus and use them as fodder for the cows.  They would stick the huge cactus with a pitchfork and then hold it over the fire.

(Left to right):
1.  Ardemia Liles
2.  Fronnie McQueen
3.  Mary Elizabeth (House) Griffin ("Bettie")
4.  George Washington Griffin ("G.W.")

He had lived almost all of his life in Milam county, but, in 1944 he moved to Belton, Texas.  George Washington Griffin died on Friday, October 24, 1947 at 1:45 pm of lung caner in Belton, Texas; he was sixty four years old.  The funeral was at Eads Chapel the next day at 4 pm; the Rev. James Basden from First Baptist Church, Belton and the Rev. Powell Smith from the Christian Church officiated.

G.W. & Bettie (House) Griffin tombstones, North Belton Cemetery
1'  2 1/4" tall; 3' 11" across
Footstones: Bettie = 5" across, 3" tall; G.W. = 6" across; 3" tall
Tombstone faces east.  Belton, Texas, Bell county

He was buried in the North Belton cemetery.  Pallbearers for the funeral were: W.D. Howard, Clifford Ketchum, Raymond Taylor, Odell Hyer, O.O. Mayfield, and U.L. Pierce.

Janet Roen in 1947 at G.W. Griffin's funeral, North Belton cemetery, Belton, Texas

In later years, G.W. Griffin had resided at 601 Surghnor in Belton, Texas.  Mattie (Digby) Wesson remembers him not letting her pull the corn when she was a child because she would pull up the whole stalk.  George Washington Griffin had sandy, dark red hair which he kept parted down the middle.  Violet (White) Dolehite said that he was a very kind and quiet man; she mentioned that she had never seen him angry.  G.W. and Bettie had the following children:

The Children of George Washington & Mary Elizabeth (House) Griffin:

1972
Back row, left to right: Rena, Georgia, & Doris Griffin
Front row, left to right: Pearl and Bettie (House) Griffin

I.  Ivy Griffin:

Ivy Griffin

Ivy was born on November 28, 1904.  She married Len Moore on December 24, 1928 at the Little River Baptist Church in Little River, Texas (Bell county).  They had the following children:
     A.  Bernice Lee Moore: She married Dave Maners.  They had the following children:
          1.  Barry Maners:
          2.  Jeffrey Maners:
     B.  Edith Lynn Moore: She married Bob Beberstein.  They had three children:
          1.  Bradley Beberstein:
          2.  Liskin Beberstein.  She married a man named ________ Wood.
          3.
     C.  Doyle Ray Moore: He married a girl named Jo Anne _________.  They had the following children:
          1.  Debra Moore:
          2.  Donna Moore:
          3.  Mark Moore:
Len Moore's second wife was named Violet.

II. Pearl Griffin: 

Pearl Griffin

Pearl Griffin

Pearl in San Marcos, Texas during college.

Pearl and one of her students
at the Bell Plains school.

Pearl & Mart Digby.

Pearl at her 90th birthday celebration
in Fellowship Hall of the First
Christian Church in Belton.

Lauren Blair and Pearl hugging on Glenn
& Jeannine Blair's back porch in Belton, Tx.

Pearl was born on February 15, 1907 east of Salado, Texas in Bell county.  She married Martin Van Digby ("Mart") on December 7, 1929 at the Methodist parsonage in Belton, Texas (Bell county).


III.  Jewell Geneva Griffin ("Jewell"):

Jewell Griffin

Jewell at home at Val Verde, Texas.

Jewell (Griffin) Elsik

Jewell was born on September 30, 1910 in Holland, Bell county, Texas.  She married H. Johnnie Elsik.  Jewell died about 10:30 pm on May 29, 2006 in Harris county, Texas.  The funeral was on that Thursday and she was buried at the outskirts of Houston.  It was raining too hard to bury her after the funeral service and her burial had to be delayed.  Her obituary from the Houston Chronicle newspaper reads as follows:

"Jewell Geneva Elsik was born the third of six daughters to George and Bettie Griffin of Bell County, Texas.  She attended public schools in Val Verde, Texas and graduated from Scott and White Hospital School of Professional Nursing at Temple, Texas in 1931.  At the time of her death she was the oldest living graduate of the school.  In 1934 she married H. Johnnie Elsik who was superintendent of Snook Independent School District.  She and her family moved to Houston in 1948. She became the first school nurse for Aldine Independent School District in 1949.  She later worked at Hermann Hospital and became a school nurse consultant for the Harris County Department of Education in 1962.  One of the schools she visited in this capacity was Alief which at that time had an enrollment of 240 students housed in a single building.  In 1967 she accepted a position as the first full time nurse for the Alief Independent School District.  As the district grew in population and number of schools she became the first Director of Health Services.  She retired in 1976 at which time she was honored for her services by the District when Alief Elsik High School was named for her.  Despite her advanced years, Jewell maintained an amazing mental acuity until her passing.

She was preceded in death by her husband, H. Johnnie Elsik and son, Hubert J. Elsik Jr.  She is survived by son Donald and his wife, Mattie; daughter in law, Sherry L.; five grandchildren and four great grandchildren, three sisters and numerous nieces and nephews.  She is also survived by dear friends Robet and Mill Erwin and Pat and Marie Benham.

Funeral services were held on Thursday, June 1, 2006 in the Chapel at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home with Rev. Eugene Vickrey officiating.  Memorials may be sent to a Scholarship fun at Jewell G. Elsik High School, Alief, Texas, or Houston Hospice."

Jewell and Johnnie Elsik had the following children:
     A.  Hubert Johnnie Elsik:  He was born on March 9, 1937.  His first wife was (1) Jo Lynn Grasse.  They had the following children:
          1.  Diana Lynn Elsik:
          2.  Terri Jo Elsik:
          3.  Brett J. Elsik:
Hubert Johnnie Elsik's second wife was (2) Sherry Smith.  They had the following children:
          4.  Cindy E. Elsik: She was born on March 19, 1985.
     B.  Donald George Elsik ("Don"):  He was born on February 8, 1943.  He married Millicent Melton.  They had the following children:
          1.  Alexander Newton Elsik: He was born on December 8, 1977.
Don developed throat cancer in 2015.

IV.  LoRena Griffin ("Rena"):

Rena Griffin

Rena at home in Val Verde, Texas.

Rena (on right) and her friend, Dorothy Spears.

Rena disliked the name "LoRena".  She was born on August 15, 1914 near Salado, Texas in Bell county.  She married Carl Alfred Shine ("Alfred").  She died on March 22, 1985 at 5:30 pm.  The funeral was in Waco, Texas (McLennan county).  They had the following children:
     A.  Kathleen Shine ("Kathy"): She was born on August 3, 1945 in Waco, Texas.  Her occupation is in Library Media.  He and his wife attend the Church of Christ.  She married Claudie A. Hamilton ("Dean") on August 21, 1965 in Waco, Texas.  He was born on July 11, 1944 in Hamilton, Texas.  His occupation is that of Legal Administrator.  His parents are Claudie Vernon Hamilton and Louise (Ledbetter) Hamilton.  Dean was in active duty USAF from January 26, 1967 to September 1, 1988.  Dean and Kathy have the following children:
          1.  Joel Dean Hamilton: He was born on September 8, 1967 in Waco, Texas.  He married Anne Kilzer on August 3, 1991 in Omaha, Nebraska.  Joel is a captain in the Army.  They live in Fort Drum, New York.  They had the following children:
               a.  Jenna Marie Hamilton: She was born on April 11, 1994.
          2.  Jennifer Dawn Hamilton: She was born on January 23, 1970 in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts.  She married Jeffrey Delgado on August 21, 1993 in Waco, Texas.  They live in Omaha, Nebraska.  They have the following children:
               a.  Corbin Blake Delgado: He was born on July 21, 1994.
          3.  Jonathan David Hamilton: He was born on August 1, 1973 in Montgomery, Alabama.  He married Amy Haselwood on June 11, 1994 in Omaha, Nebraska.
          4.  James Daniel Hamilton: He was born on October 28, 1974 in Fort Worth, Texas.  He is single.
     B.  Linda Shine:  She married Calvin____________.  They had four children.

V.  Georgia Ruth Griffin ("Georgia"):

Georgia at home in Val Verde, Texas.

Georgia Griffin

Georgia & Arnold Roen.

Arnold & Georgia with their three girls:
 (left to right) Carol Beth, Karen, and Janet.

Georgia was born on February 24, 1924 in Val Verde, Texas (Milam county).  She married Arnold Roen.  At Pearl Digby's 99th birthday party on February 12, 2006, Arnold said, "I just got through celebrating my 60th wedding anniversary.  I've heard the first 60 years are the hardest."  Arnold Roen died on April 2, 2009.  He was in the hospital with pneumonia for two days.  While he was there, the doctors realized that he had a heart attack (Note: I'm not sure whether the heart attack actually happened in the hospital).    His funeral was at 10 amon Monday, April 6, 2009.  Arnold was 90 years old at the time of his death.

"ARNOLD ROEN OBITUARY

 Arnold Thomas Roen, 90, passed away on April 2, 2009. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m., Sunday, April 5, 2009, at Dossman Funeral Home in Belton. A Celebration of Life will be at 10 a.m., Monday, April 6, 2009, at First Baptist Church in Belton.

Arnold was born in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, to the late Einar Lars Roen and Lydia Peninnah Schesvold Roen. Arnold's education began at Lone Elm School, a one room school house which instructed first through seventh grade. On completion of seventh grade, his formal education ceased so he could help support his family; however, he was an avid reader, lifelong learner and strong advocate of education. As a young boy, Arnold was confirmed in the Lutheran church. As a young man, he was a charter member of Maranatha Evangelical Free Church in Rice Lake.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II and was stationed at Waco Army Base in Waco, Texas. This is where he met Georgia Ruth Griffin and they were married on August 18, 1945, in Waco. After a brief time in McCook, Nebraska, they made their home in Belton, where they raised three daughters and he worked as a Civil Service mechanic at Fort Hood until his retirement.

Since 1946, Arnold has been an active member of First Baptist Church in Belton, where he served as deacon, teacher, usher and in many other capacities. He and Georgia have been active in the Golden Age Club and the Intercessory Prayer Ministry since the beginning of these ministries. Arnold was a member of American Legion Walton H. Walker Post #55 and served as Chaplain of Post #55 for many years. Besides his family and his church, Arnold enjoyed gardening, woodworking, reading, helping his son-in-law restore classic cars, traveling and visiting with people.

He was preceded in death by his youngest daughter, Carol Roen Pittman; a brother; and two sisters.

Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Georgia; daughters, Janet Hood and husband, Terry, and Karen Walsleben and husband, Bill; son-in-law, Mark Pittman and wife, Valeria; grandchildren: Beth Ann Brown and husband, Clint, April Robinson and husband, Terry, Jason Hoskins and wife, Chelse, Hope Booker and husband, Jeff, Portia Moore and husband, Micah, Jack Pittman, and Kimberly Haney and husband, Bobby; great-grandchildren: Codie, Casie and Caleigh Robinson, Raylan Highfield, Roen Hoskins, and Julie Booker; sister, Mildred Bjugstad; and numerous nieces and nephews, other relatives and many friends.

Waco Tribune-Herald: 4/05/2009

Bio by: Ruth M. Brown"

Georgia celebrated her 90th birthday on Feb. 24, 2014.  Georgia got Parkinson's Disease and was at Garden Estates Assisted Living in Temple, Texas.  She fell into a brief coma and passed away on Monday, December 12, 2016.  Georgia and Arnold had the following children:
     A.  Janet Roen: She married Terry Hood.  They had the following children:
          1.  April Hood:
          2.
     B.  Karen Roen: She married (1). Wayne Hoskins and (2) Bill Walsleben (who died suddenly of a heart condition on Thursday, June 7, 2018.  His funeral was the following Wednesday at 10 am in Waco, Texas).  Karen had the following children:
          1.  Beth Ann _________:
          2.  Jason ___________.
     C.  Carol Beth Roen: She married Mark Pittman.  They had the following children:
          1.  Portia Lynette Pittman:
          2.  Jack Pittman:
Carol Beth died of a brain tumor that she struggled with for many years.  Her husband Mark tenderly took care of her for many years.  Mark Pittman's second marriage was to (2) Valerie Anderson.  I believe that Mark and Valerie later got divorced.

VI. Virginia Doris Griffin ("Doris"):

Doris Griffin

Kenneth & Doris Herrington

Bernice (House) Cooper (left) and
Doris (Griffin), Herrington (right).

Doris was born on October 9, 1928 in Val Verde, Texas.  She married Kenneth Herrington.  Kenneth's mother was still living on South Wall street in Belton when she was 93 - 94 years old.  Barbara Gillam once told her, "I hope to come to your 100th birthday party".  Mrs. Herrington replied, "Keep in shape".  Kenneth's father was accidentally shot while hunting and bled to death on the way to the hospital.  Kenneth worked at Tex-O Cal Hardwoods in Temple, Texas.  Doris was a teacher's aid at Leon Heights school in Belton.  Kenneth had the following siblings:
     A.  Minnie Herrington:  She married a Mr. Henderson.  She taught Spanish at Belton High School, then at Mary Hardin Baylor College in Belton.
     B.  Irene Herrington: She married a Mr. Moore.  She was a red head and was the youngest of the children.
     C.  Ruby (?) Herrington: She married C.C. Newby ("Clifton").  They lived in a house outside of Belton.  Mr. Newby died before she did.
     D.  __________ Herrington: She married a Mr. Brinegar.
     E.  ___________ Herrington:  She married a Mr. Sheldon (or Shelton?).  They lived in Garland, Texas.
     F.  Harvey Herrington: He had a big lumber company in Belton, Texas.  He and his wife got divorced; she lived in Belton.
     G.  Burris Herrington: He had red hair.
     H.  (brother): He lives in a pretty home on the Lampasses river.
     I.  _____________.

Kenneth and Doris live on Hilltop street in Belton, Texas.  They had the following children:
     A.  Cloyce Herrington: He married Ruth ____________.  They have the following children:
          1.  Sandy Herrington:
     B.  Lane Herrington:
     C.  Arla Herrington:

Kenneth Herrington died on February 16, 2020 in Bell county, Texas; he had been having trouble with heart and lung issues.

SOURCES:
1.  Death Certificates: Alfreda Griffin; George Washington Griffin.
2.  Death Announcements in newspapers: George Washington Griffin; Mrs. Bettie Griffin (Mary Elizabeth Griffin); Frank Griffin.
3.  Conversations between Billy Blair and Arnold & Georgia Roen, Belton, Texas.
4.  Griffin cemetery, on private land east of Val Verde Baptist Church, Val; Verde, Texas.
5.  Conversation between Billy Blair and Pearl (Griffin) Digby, 1979.
6.  John J. House family Bible.
7.  Census Records:
     a.  1860 Cherokee county, Texas (for Sylvanus Griffin).
     b.  1880 Milam county, Texas.  Enumeration District # 5.  Precinct # 5.
8.  Bernard House, Midland, Texas.
9.  Mr. & Mrs. Odell Hyer.  Belton, Texas.
10. Marriage Records of Cherokee county, Texas 1846-1880 by Huttash.
11. Conversation between Billy & Susan Blair and Violet (White) Dolehite, December 27, 1979.
12. Conversation between Billy Blair & Mattie (Digby) Wesson, November, 1981.
13. Correspondence with Bill & Gayle Cloud, Sumerville, Tennessee.
14. Joseph Griffin's Civil War Record from the Confederate Research Center at Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas and from the Texas State Archives in Austin, Texas.
15. Heartfield Funeral Home's records for Mary Elizabeth Griffin, Belton, Texas, 1981.
16. Mrs. C.F. Wilkerson, Killeen, Texas (Lives in Nolanville, Texas).
17, George Washington Griffin Memorial Record Book (was in Bettie Griffin's possession).
18. George & Bettie Griffin tombstones, North Belton cemetery.
19. The Val Verde Baptist Church by E.A. Limmer Jr. (article was published in 1985).
20. Bobbie Thornton in Plano, Texas referred me to Gatha Hines in Hico, Texas.
21. Carol Griffin in Katie, Texas researches Griffin family.  Pearl Digby referred me to her.
22. Conversation between Billy & Susan Blair and Bernice Cooper in Troy, Texas.
23. Conversation between Billy & Susan Blair and Glenn & Jeannine (Digby) Blair on September 23, 1979.
24. Debbie Liles     dlimages@airmail.net  on May 25, 202.  (Andrew Jackson Liles and Ardemia Griffin family).
25.  Georgia (Griffin) Roen map of the Griffin homeplace area in Milam county, Texas.  Map drawn in mid July, 2009 for Billy Blair.
26.  Jewell Geneva (Griffin) Elsik obituary, Houston Chronicle newspaper dated, May 31, 2006.
27.  Conversation with Glenn & Jeannine (Digby) Blair at their home in Belton on September 1, 1996.
28. Kathy (Shine) Hamilton: She lives in Papillion, Nebraska and provided helpful information for her family.  (Only a portion of this information has been posted on this blog at this point).  Source was a letter from Kathy to Billy Blair in 1995 (by way of Pearl Digby).
29.  Information from Bernice Moore's photo album.
30.  Pearl (Griffin) Digby stories about her mother, Bettie (House) Griffin, as told to Billy Blair on December 28, 1996.
31.  Correspondence with Lodene Moore.  Belton, Texas (Mabel Griffin's line.  She was the daughter of Frank Griffin & Lillian Anderson).
32.  Doris (Griffin) Herrington: July 31, 2006.
33. Barry Maners (E-mail to Billy Blair  on May 11, 2017 regarding correct spelling of "Len" Moore.  His mother, Bernice Maners confirmed that Len Moore's second wife, Violet, didn't like the spelling of his real name and always spelled it "Lynn" when she had the chance).