THE SYLVANUS GRIFFIN & MARY (MURRAY) GRIFFIN FAMILY:
ca. 1800 - before 1880? ca. 1806 - 1836 to 1900
Sylvanus Griffin Mary Murray
Connection to blog chart: Sylvanus and Mary Griffin are the parents of Joseph Griffin, who married Susannah Elizabeth Edwards.
(Note: Alternate Griffin spellings include: Grissen; Grissin (since the old style of handwriting with double "f"was to write them like "ss"); Griffing; Griffis; Griffon; Grifforn; Griffun; Griffe).
Alternate spellings: Silvanus; Sylvanos; "Sill". (Note: Gayle Cloud's mother said that Sylvanus' name was actually Sylvester; probably wrong).
Slyvanus Griffin was born about 1800 in Virginia. He was married to Mary Murray ("Polly") prior to 1830 in Hawkins county, Tennessee (about 1820). His wife Mary was born in Hawkins county,Tennessee about 1806 in Tennessee. She died between 1836 and 1900 at Val Verde, Texas and is buried in the Griffin family cemetery in Milam county in an unmarked grave. Her parents were Joseph Murray and Ann McClellan. Sylvanus was a farmer and his family lived in Milam county, Texas. He owned at least 100 acres close to the present day location of Val Verde Baptist Church (the land on the northwest side of the intersection of FM 2268 and FM 437 going down to the Little river). His son Joseph and grandson, George Washington Griffin lived on the same land in later years. Sylvanus was Baptist and helped organize the Val Verde Baptist Church in Milam county (Another source said he was Methodist). He is buried in the Griffin family cemetery in Milam county in an unmarked grave.
In trying to reconstruct a listing of Sill Griffin's places of residence, the following information could be pieced together:
1800: Virginia (Sill's birthplace).
Before 1830: Sill's marriage to Polly.
1830: Tennessee (Listed in the Hawkins county census. No children).
Between 1842 - 1845: Griffin family moves to Alabama.
1846: Cherokee county, Texas (Sylvanus is listed on the Republic of Texas poll list).
1850: Arkansas (Some children were born here; however, he is not listed on the census). (Note: 1848 to 1850 - Did Sylvanus go back to Alabama from Texas to get his family? He is not in the 1850 Cherokee county, Texas census).
1860: Cherokee county, Texas (Joseph and Sylvanus are both listed on the census).
1880: Milam county, Texas (Some children were born here; however, Sylvanus is not listed on the census. It is possible that the Griffin family had been in Van Zant county, Texas prior to moving to Milam county). When the Griffins were in Tennessee, the Pearsons were their neighbors (possibly the family of Annie Edwards Pearson moved from Alabama to Texas with the Griffins; perhaps they were even related).
Sill and Mary ("Polly") helped to organize the Val Verde Baptist church in Milam county, Texas. The Griffins, along with the other charter members (Maranda and James P. Whittington, Jacob and Sarah Pruett, along with their three children Franklin, Samuel, and Tamira) left the DaVilla Baptist Church in DaVilla, Texas on September 4, 1875 to form Val Verde Baptist Church. The church's present location is about nine miles east of Holland, Texas on FM 2268 in Milam county near the Bell county line. The church was organized in 1875. Sylvanus and Mary ("Polly") are buried in the Griffin family cemetery just east of Val Verde Baptist Church in unmarked graves (according to Pearl Griffin Digby).
Sylvanus Griffin census records:
1820: Hawkins county, Tennessee with wife, Mary.
1846: Cherokee county, Texas tax list.
1850: Jefferson county, Tennessee (age 50).
1860: Cherokee county, Texas (age 60). Farmer.
1870: Cherokee county, Texas (age 70). Farmer.
Before 1880: Died in Milam county, Texas.
Mary (Murray) Griffin census records:
1860: Cherokee county, Texas (age 54).
1870: Cherokee county, Texas (age 60?).
The Children of Sylvanus & Mary (Murray) Griffin:
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| Smith and Wilson Families |
Identification of the above picture (left to right):
Henry S. & Mary L. Wilson; John N. & Mary F. (Griffin) Smith; Georgia (Smith) Marshall (standing); Pearl (Wilson) Courtney (standing); Hugh Wilson (seated); Edward Cyrus and Mary (Smith) Wilson; John Henry Wilson (baby); Zora (Barrett) Pruett; Grandma Griffin (Mrs. John (Elizabeth) Griffin; and Cora (Smith) Easterwood.
John and Elizabeth had the following children:
A. Mary Frances Griffin: She was born on September 27, 1852 in Arkansas. In about 1870, she married John Newton Smith. He was born in Honey Path, South Carolina on June 22, 1844. He served in the Civil War from the state of South Carolina. Afterwards, he came on horseback to Cherokee county, Texas; this is where he and Mary Frances were married. In 1874, they traveled by covered wagon to DaVilla, Milam county, Texas where they spent the rest of their lives. They purchased some land known as the Tribble place on Carson crossing. He built a cotton gin and mill on Spring Branch just north of downtown DaVilla. He was mechanically inclined. Jack of all trades, and was able to make any kind of repairs, including the duplication of parts if necessary.
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| John Newton Smith & Mary Frances (Griffin) Smith |
Mr. N.J. Smith died on December 18, 1925 and Mary Frances Griffin Smith died on March 12, 1947. They are buried in marked graves in the DaVilla cemetery (The marker also bears the names of their children). Their children include:
1. Noel Smith:
2. Mary Frances Smith: She was born on October 12, 1873. She married Edward Cyrus Wilson in 1892. Edward Cyrus Wilson, a resident of Davilla, Texas for sixty years, was born in Kansas on March 6, 1867. When he was eight years of age he came from Kansas to Davilla, Texas (Milam county) with his parents in an ox drawn wagon. As they traveled from Kansas to Texas many creeks and streams were frozen so hard they crossed over them without any problems. He owned and operated a grocery business in Davilla and served the community as postmaster. The family attended the Baptist church. Mary Frances Wilson died on March 19, 1938 and Edward Cyrus Wilson died on February 23, 1954. Their graves are marked in the Davilla cemetery. They had the following children:
(a. John Henry Wilson: He was born in Davilla, Texas on April 24, 1893. As a young man, he went into the grocery business with his father and continued as a merchant in Davilla for 46 years. He married Sidney Aileen Digby on August 9, 1919. She was a descendant of the first settlers of this section. Her parents were William Seaborn Digby & Mattie Minerva Wallace. John Henry Wilson died on September 2, 1974 in Belton, Texas and his grave in the North Belton Cemetery is marked. His widow continued to make her home in Belton. They had the following children:
(1. William Edward Wilson:
(2. Johney Ruth Wilson:
(b. Leonard Albert Wilson: He was born on February 13, 1897 and died on April 24, 1960. He is buried in the family plot in the Davilla cemetery.
3. Alfred Major Smith: He was born on October 16, 1877; he died on November 26, 1883 and is buried at the Griffin Family Cemetery.
4. Georgia A. Smith: She married Rutherford Hayes Marshall.
5. Cora Isabel Smith: She married Hoyle Spurgeon Easterwood.
6. William Oscar Smith: He was born on January 15, 1888; he died on March 1, 1888. He is buried in the Griffin Family cemetery.
7. J.L. Smith: He was born on May 16, 1873 and died on March 4, 1882. He is buried in the Griffin Family Cemetery.
B. Eliza Jane Griffin: She was born on May 16, 1857 in Texas. She married George Washington Smith in 1874. He was born on August 29, 1849 in Honey Path, South Carolina. He traveled on horseback to Cherokee county, Texas in the 1860's with his brother, John Newton Smith. Soon after their marriage, they came to DaVilla, Texas by covered wagon. G.W. Smith owned a cotton gin and mill near DaVilla on Spring Branch and his home was across the branch. The original home on that location burned to the ground on the night of the national election when McKinley was elected President in 1896. The family had gone into town to get the election results. Immediately, he began to build another home on the same location. The work was completed in 1897; this home is owned today by the Stegall family.
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| The George Washington Smith Family Taken about 1891 - 1892 |
Identification of the above picture:
(left to right): James H. Smith; George Washington Smith; Ada Belle Smith; Eliza Jane (Griffin) Smith; Bess Smith (on mother's lap); Dora Smith (standing in the back).
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| The George Washington Smith Family Taken at their home north of Davilla, Texas (present Stegall home) |
James; Ada Belle; Bess; Perry King and his wife, Dora Smith; George Washington Smith and his wife, the former Eliza Jane Griffin.
George Washington Smith & Eliza Jane (Griffin) Smith had the following children:
1. Dora Alice Smith: She married Lawrence Perry King.
2. James Henry Smith: He married Nettie Irene Hines.
3. John Y. Smith: He was born on September 18, 1885; he died on November 11, 1886. He is buried in the Griffin Family Cemetery.
4. Ada Belle Smith: She married Henry Burk Payne.
5. Bessie Ann Smith: She married Homer Horace Hine.
George Washington Smith died on June 4, 1934 and Eliza Jane Griffin died on December 2, 1940. Their marked graves are in the DaVilla cemetery.
C. Alice A. Griffin: She was born in Texas in March, 1860.
D. Bellzora Griffin: She was born in Texas in 1866; she is buried in the Griffin Family Cemetery. She married J.W. Barrett on December 21, 1888.
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| Wedding License Raith McQueen & Saphronia A. Griffin Where do they fit in the family tree? |
Information from the Family Bible of Mr. & Mrs. John Griffin:
"Births:
John Griffin Bornd Sept. 11, 1829
E. (lizabeth) C. Griffin " Nov. 2, 1835
M. (ary) F. (rances) Griffin " Sept. the 27th, 1852
E. (liza) J. (ane) Griffin " May the 17, 1857
A (lice) A. Griffin " January 2, 1860
B. (elle) Z. (ora) Griffin " August the 3, 1866
J.W. Barrett " Jan. 14th, 1868
Zora Clementine Barrett " Dec. 20, 1889
Liddle Belle Barrett " Jan. 27th, 1892
Marriages:
John and E. (lizabeth) C. Griffin was married July the 24 day A.D. 1851.
J. (ohn) N. (ewton) S. (mith) and M. (ary) F. (rances) Griffin married July 20th A.D. 1871.
G. (eorge) W. (ashington) S. (mith) and E. (liza) J. (ane) Griffin married Jan. _________.
J.H. Hennington and A. (lice) A. Griffin was married July the 3rd A.D. 1881.
J.W. Barrett and Belle Z. Griffin was married Dec. 23rd. 1888.
Deaths:
John Griffin died April 29th 1887.
Elizabeth C. Griffin died Jan. 5, 1912.
B. (elle) Z. (ora) Barrett died feb. 19th 1892.
Liddie Belle died _____ _____ 1892.
On a separate piece of paper in the bible is the following:
Mrs. E.C. Griffin was borned Nov. 2, 1835 and was married to John Griffin July 24, 1851.
Professed Christ in early life and united with the Baptist Church at Val Verde.
Age 77 Years 2 Mo. 3 Days.
Died Jan. 5, 1912
Also, in the bible were tinted tin-type pictures of Mr. and Mrs. John Griffin."
II. William C. Griffin: He was born in 1831 (1833 acc. to census) in Hawkins county, Tennessee. He married Phoebe Jane Roberts in Arkansas about 1851; she was born in 1839 (37?) in Arkansas. Her Confederate pension application was approved in Johnson county, Texas on September 26, 1908. On her pension application (filled out on 6-26-1908) she said, "I own nothing but one cow, worth about $ 40.00. I own nothing else but this cow". She lived in Texas since 1858. They lived in Alvarado, Johnson county since about 1893. William C. was a farmer; his family was in Cherokee county, Texas in 1860. From about 1891 to 1908, he was a preacher for the Free Will Baptists. His Civil War state pensioner number was 2305. He died on May 9, 1908 in Alvarado, Johnson county, Texas from paralysis; he was buried the next day in an unmarked grave in Duke's cemetery in Alvarado. William and Phoebe had the following children:
The Children of William & Phoebe Griffin:
A. Thomas J. Griffin: He was born in 1855 in Texas.
B. Nancy M. Griffin: She was born in 1859 in Texas; she is buried in the Griffin Family Cemetery in Milam county, Texas.
C.
D.
E.
F.
(Note: The number of children is based upon William's obituary saying that six children survived him; that means that six were still alive as of May 9, 1908, but doesn't mean that the number of children was limited to six).
The following is a summary of William C. Griffin's Civil War Record:
William C. Giffin's Civil War Record:
He enlisted on February 5, 1862 (another source says March) in Texas and was discharged with the regiment at the surrender in 1865; he was a private in the 11th Texas Infantry in Company C. His company was commanded by Colonel O.M. Roberts; Company C were men from Cherokee county, Texas. Company C was often known by an alternate designation derived from the name of it's commanding officer. Some of the names used for this company include:
Oran M. Roberts infantry. (He became Governor of Texas at the end of the Reconstruction Era. He served in this position from 1878 to 1883).
Nathaniel J. Carrawy's Infantry.
A.J. Coupland's Infantry.
James H. Jones' Infantry.
D.S. Terry's Infantry.
Thomas M. Roundtree's Infantry.
R.B. Long's Infantry.
W.H. Christian's Infantry.
W.Y. Engledow's Infantry.
W.D. Hampton's Infantry.
Louis Stillwell's Infantry.
Records indicate that this regiment completed it's organization by the election of field officers on April 9, 1862 with ten companies which had previously been mustered into Confederate service for the term of twelve months. Colonel Roberts had previously been appointed provisional Colonel by General P.O. Hebert on March 17, 1862, to take effect on March 1, 1862. The regiment was re-organized on June 23, 1862 ,evidently under the provisions of the Conscript Act. Records indicate that the First Texas State Infantry was merged into this regiment in January of 1865. The Eleventh Texas Infantry served in the Trans-Mississippi Department throughout its career. It first saw service with the Army of New Mexico in the spring of 1862, one of the few unmounted units in that command. It subsequently saw service in Louisiana and Arkansas. The specific higher command assignments include:
March 1, 1862: Attached, Army of New Mexico.
September 30, 1862: Second Brigade, First Division, Trans-Mississippi Department.
April 1, 1863: Attached, District of Western Louisiana, Trans-Mississippi Department.
December 31, 1863: Sabine Pass, Texas, District of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, Trans-Mississippi Department.
September 30, 1864: Third (Texas) Brigade, First (Texas) Division, Army of Trans-Mississippi.
Officers inicluded:
Caraway (or Carraway), Nathaniel Jackson, Major.
Coupland, A.J., Lieutenant Colonel.
Jones, James H., Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel.
Roberts, Oran M., Colonel.
Roundtree, Thomas H., Major.
Although the regiment's first assignment was in the Army of New Mexico, there is no record of its having taken part in any of the engagements fought that far west. Records have been found identifying the unit in a number of other engagements later in the war in both Louisiana and Arkansas.
William C. Griffin fought in the following battles (#s refer to locations on maps):
1862:
October 24 - November 6: Operations in the LaFourche District, Louisiana (1).
1863:
January 14: Engagement, Bayou Teche, Louisiana (detachment) (2).
February 12 - 28: Operations on Bayou Plaquemine and on the Black and Atchafalya (3) Rivers, Louisiana.
March 31 - April 1: Operations from Milliken's Bend (4) to New Carthage (5), Louisiana.
April 9 - May 14: Operations in Western Louisiana and in the Teche Country.
April 12 - 13: Engagement, Fort Bisland (6), Bethel Place, Bayou Teche (2), near Centreville (7), Louisiana.
April 14: Engagement, Irish Bend, Louisiana (8).
April 17: Action, Bayou Vermillion, Louisiana (9).
May 21 - 26: Operations on Teche Road between Barre's Landing (10) and Berwick City (11), Louisiana.
May 22: Skirmish, Barre's Landing (10), Bayou Teche, Louisiana.
June 7: Actions, Milliken's Bend (4) and Young's Point (12), Louisiana.
June 20-21: Action, LaFourche Crossing, Louisiana (1).
June 23: Action and Capture, Brasher City, Louisiana (13).
July 12-13: Engagement, Cox's Plantation, Donaldsonville (14), Bayou LaFourche, Louisiana.
September 7: Action, Morgan's Ferry, Atchafalaya River, Louisiana.
September 29: Action, Sterling's Plantation on Bayou Fordoche near Morganza (15), Louisiana.
October 3 - November 30: Campaign in Western Louisiana and Operations in Teche Country.
October 9-10: Skirmishes, Bayou Vermillion, Louisiana (9).
October 21: Actions, Opelousas (16) and Barre Landing (10), Louisiana.
October 24: Action, Washington, Louisiana (17).
November 3: Action, Grand Coteau, Bayou Bourbeau, Carrion Crow Bayou, Buzzard's Prairie, Louisiana (18).
November 11: Action, Bayou Vermillion, Louisiana (9).
November 20: Action, Camp Pratt, Louisiana.
1864:
March 10 - April 10: Operations against Bank's Red River Campaign, Louisiana.
March 14: Capture, Fort DeRussy, Louisiana (detachment) (19).
March 14 - 26: Operations against Advance from Franklin, Louisiana (20).
March 31: Action, Natchitoches, Louisiana (21).
April 7: Engagement, Wilson' s Farm (22) near Pleasant Hill (23), Louisiana.
April 8: Skirmishes, Bayou de Paul (Carroll's Mill) (24) near Pleasant Hill (23), Louisiana.
April 8: Battle, Sabine Cross Roads (25), Mansfield (26) near Pleasant Hill (23), Louisiana.
April 9th: Engagement, Pleasant Hill, Louisiana (23).
April 16 - May 3: Operations against Steele's Expedition from Little Rock (27) to Camden (28), Arkansas.
April 18: Engagement, Poison Springs, Arkansas (29).
April 25: Engagement, Mark's Mills, Arkansas (30).
April 30: Engagement, Jenkin's Ferry, Saline River, Arkansas (31).
During the summer of 1864, the Eleventh Texas Infantry was ordered to Shreveport, Louisiana. After serving there for a short time, the regiment was moved to Marshall, Texas. Early in 1865, it was again moved, this time to Hempstead, Texas.
Although the regiment was included among the Confederate Trans-Mississippi forces surrendered at Galveston on June 2, 1865, records show that the unit had been disbanded at Hempstead in late May, 1865.
William is reported on the roll for January and February, 1864. The latest comment on file listed him as "absent sick in hospital at Marksville, Louisiana since February 25, 1864".
The following obituary for William C. Griffin appeared in the May 15, 1908 edition of the Alvarado newspaper:
"Elder W.C. Griffin died in South Alvarado Saturday night from paralysis. He has been a resident of Johnson county for 24 years and for 17 years of this time has been preaching the faith of the Free Will Baptists. The remains were buried Sunday at Dukes graveyard. A wife and six children survive him".
(Note: The 5th Sunday meeting program of the Alvarado Baptist Association convened on Thursday, May 28th at 8:30 and went through Sunday).
III. Joseph Franklin Griffin ("Joe"): He was born on October 28, 1835 (one source says 1837) in Hawkins county, Tennessee. He married Susannah Elizabeth Edwards on February 23, 1861 in Cherokee county, Texas. He died on October 12, 1905 in Val Verde, Texas in Milam county and is buried in the family cemetery. (Note: See separate post on this blog for the Joseph Griffin family).
IV. James M. Griffin: He was born on March 20, 1839 in Hawkins county, Tennessee; he was a farmer. James was married to (1) Parolee J. Mallory on November 15, 1860 in Cherokee county, Texas. He was married a second time to (2) Sarah Ann Darbison on March 17, 1869 in Van Zant county, Texas. James died on November 20, 1917 in Wood county, Texas and was buried in Liberty cemetery in Hopkins county, Texas.
V. Nelson R. Griffin: He was born about 1842 in Hawkins county, Tennessee; he was a farmer.He was married to (1) Mary E. White on September 21, 1865 in Cherokee county, Texas. His second marriage was to (2) Catherine G. Murray on August 3, 1868 in Van Zandt county, Texas.
VI. Mary Ann Griffin ("Margaret"): She was born about 1845 in Talladega, Talladega county, Alabama.
VII. George Washington Griffin: He was born about 1847 in Talladega county, Alabama (Another source says he was born in Texas). He married (1) Nancy E. White on October 22, 1865 in Rusk, Cherokee county, Texas. His second marriage was to (2) Ellen Fay Darbison Goodnight ("Ellen") on December 20 (or 5th?), 1867 in Rusk, Texas in Cherokee county. She was born in 1849 and died in 1939. George Washington Griffin served in Company B of the 14th Texas Cavalry, CSA. He died on January 6, 1881 in Dye, Cooke county, Texas and is buried in the Dye cemetery (Note: One source said that he is buried in Gainesville, Texas). They had the following children:
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| Children of G.W. Griffin & Ellen Darbison |
Front row (left to right):
1. Minnie M. (Griffin) Allamon
2. Adolphus Griffin
3. Cordelia (Griffin) Lisembe
Back row (left to right):
1. Georgia (Griffin) Allamon
2. Vernettie (Griffin) Holland
A. Albert Vaughn Griffin: He was born in 1866 and died in 1939.
B. Adolphus Caranus Griffin ("Adolphus"; "A.C."): He was born in 1869 and died in 1947. He married Katy Vennoy.
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| Adolphus Caranus Griffin |
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| Possibly Katy Vennoy? (Picture was next to Adolphus' picture on left) |
C. Cordelia Griffin ("Delia"): (Note: Delia has no middle name). She was born on September 18, 1870 in Van Zant county, Texas (possibly in Gainesville), She married Calvin Eugene Lisenbe ("Gene"). He was born on November 1, 1867 in Shorter, Alabama (outside Montgomery, Alabama). He and Delia got married on June 17, 1888 (87?) at the Bell Plains Methodist Church (which is no longer there). He died on September 22, 1947 in Belton, Texas (Bell county). Delia was reared in Cook county, Texas, then went to Holland, Texas after her father died. Her mother re-married after her husband died. Delia died on September 1, 1943 in Belton, Texas and is buried in the North Belton cemetery.
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| Gene & Delia (Griffin) Lisembe |
(Note: Cornelia had a daughter whose married name was Mrs. Wilkerson. Glenn & Billy Blair spoke with her in 1979 about the Griffin family. She lived in Nolanville, Texas. She had the family Bible and an obituary for Cordelia Griffin. She also said she has an older sister who lives in Austin, Texas)(See Note # 2 at bottom of this post for more early Griffin information from this visit). Calvin and Cordelia (Griffin) Lisembe had the following children:
1. Willie Eugene Lisembe: He was born on January 1, 1890 in Bell county, Texas. He died on January 30, 1971 at Scott & White hospital in Temple, Texas.
2. George Chapple Lisembe: He was born on December 17, 1894 in Bell county, Texas. He died on February 11, 1946 in Belton, Texas (Bell county). He is buried at Little River, Texas.
3. Pauline Marie Lisembe: She was born on August 12, 1897 in Bell county, Texas. She married Walter Hale. They live in Austin, Texas.
4. James Franklin Lisembe: He was born on August 13, 1901 in Bell county, Texas. He lives in Killeen, Texas.
5. "Jo" Lisembe Teague: She was born on January 30, 1905 and lives in Sherman, Texas.
6. Marie Ellen Lisembe ("Helen") (Mrs. Brock): She was born on November 10, 1907. She lives in Trenton, Texas.
7. Susan Louise Lisembe: She was born on November 22, 1910. She lives in Nolanville, Texas.
D. Vernettie Griffin ("Nettie"): She was born in 1875, married a Mr. Holland, and died in 1963.
E. Minnie Mae Griffin ("Minnie"): She was born in 1879, married a Mr. H.E. Allamon, and died in 1972.
F. Georgia Ann Griffin ("Georgia"): She was born in 1881, married a Mr. T.E. Allamon, and died in 1962.
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| Some of the Griffin girls |
Identification of the above picture (left to right):
1. Minnie Mae Griffin ("Minnie")
2. Cordelia Griffin ("Delia")
3. Ellen (Griffin) Goodnight
4. Vernettie Griffin ("Nettie")
VIII. Margaret Jane Griffin: She was born on January 20, 1850 in Talledega county, Alabama. Margaret married Robert Dallas Smith on November 26, 1868 in Henderson county, Texas. She died on January 27, 1936 in Salado, Bell county, Texas and is buried in Salado cemetery.
(Note: There is another Sylvanus Griffin on the Tennessee census; not our Sylvanus because he is too young. Could he be a son of Sylvanus and Mary? He was living with another family and maybe stayed behind when the family moved to Texas. Possibly Sylvanus and Mary were married in Jefferson county, Tennessee because this is where the younger Sylvanus was in 1850).
Sources:
1. Griffin Family Cemetery records/ tombstones. Milam county, Texas.
2. LaNita Murray: Temple, Texas in Bell county. (Major source of information).
3. "Find A Grave" website: Information about George Washington Griffin, who married Ellen Fay Darbison. Memorial originally created by Sharon Rhoades on January 29, 2009. Image of his tombstone was taken by "Pat" on March 30, 2010.
4. Information from the family Bible of Mr. & Mrs. John Griffin.
(Note: Other sources for this post are listed under the George Washington Griffin family post).
5. "Find A Grave" website. Memorial # 69059893. Created by: BeNotForgot. Added to website on April 28, 2011. Maintained by Janice (O'Bryan) Byington.
6. E.A. Limmer, Bell County, Texas.
7. Glenn & Billy Blair conversation with Mrs. Wilkerson in November, 1979 at her home in Nolanville, Texas (about the early Griffin family).
Notes:
1. Family summary of Henry S. Wilson & Mary L. Wilson (parents of Edward Cyrus Wilson, who married Mary Frances (Griffin)):
"Henry S. Wilson was born on November 23, 1841. His wife, Mrs. Mary L. Wilson, was born on March 11, 1846. The Wilsons moved to Davilla from Kansas in 1875 and he established a general store. During the years he purchased land and raised cattle as a sideline. He served as postmaster at Davilla twice from 1887-1893 and 1897-1900. The post office was located in his store. They were the parents of the following children:
a. Helen Wilson: She married a man named B.H. Keith.
b. Pearl Wilson: She married (1) Boyd F. Foster and (2) James W. Courtney.
c. Herbert S. Wilson: He married Mary ___________.
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| Mr. & Mrs. Herbert S. Wilson (and daughters, Mabel and Artie) |
d. Edward Cyrus Wilson: He married Mary Frances Smith.
e. Hugh Wilson: He married Beulah Sanders.
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| Hugh Wilson (brother of Edward Cyrus Wilson) |
Mrs. Mary L. Wilson died on March 9, 1903 and Mr. Wilson died on April 6, 1911. Their marked graves are in the Davilla cemetery."
2. Notes from Glenn & Billy Blair visit with Mrs. Wilkerson in November, 1979:
"The Griffins were Methodist. I remember when Pearl (Griffin) Digby taught school at Bell Plains. My grandmother (Goodnight) lived out there. My oldest brother lived out there. They used to board a lot of teachers from the Armstrong and Bell Plains schools. I'm not sure if Pearl boarded with them or not.
My grandfather's Civil War record is in Austin. He's buried at Gainesville, Texas in a community called 'Dye'. There is a Civil War marker at his grave. My grandmother's twin sister married Jim Griffin. Mabel lives in Belton. I have the old Bible about my parents.
Cordelia's mother had a brother who was a doctor whose office was either in Jail, New Mexico or Dennison, Texas.
In 1921, Cordelia's family washed away at Summers Mill and Cordelia lost her family Bible. Then they moved to Salado, Texas. Cordelia's Sunday School class gave her the current family Bible that's almost falling to pieces now. It's not up to date.
See page # 200 for Cordelia Griffin's obituary.
Mabel Griffin's father was Jim Griffin. Mabel lives in Belton and could help me. Mabel's grandmother is buried next to George W. Griffin. They died of pneumonia about the same time and were buried close together. Mabel's grandmother was my grandmother Griffin's twin sister". (Note: Double check this fact; Mrs. Wilkerson may have gotten her generations confused).
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