Edgar LeRoy and Albert Bailey Griffin

 Article from The Genealogical and History Magazine on the life of Edgar LeRoy Griffin.

Edgar LeRoy Griffin was the 2^nd son of Albert Bailey Griffin, the latter being born at Essex, Vermont where he converted to the gospel. The early labors of Albert Bailey Griffin were on the farm helping his parents, hauling wood, tending cattle and sheep, and clearing heavy timbered land, of which there was a great deal in Vermont. Albert was industrious, moral and religiously inclined. He embraced the gospel in 1843. In obedience to gospel principles and to counsel of the priesthood, and of those placed over him, he left the old home to go west and help build up the kingdom of God in the Rockies. To make this journey he was outfitted with one yoke of oxen, one cow and one old wagon, with scant supplies.  

Leaving Nauvoo on 15^th April 1846 and traveling alone to Garden Grove, he overtook the main company with Brigham Young. A small company was ready to start with Apostles P.P. Pratt, Orson Pratt and Willard Richards. They were to pick out roads and establish settlements and invited Albert to go with them. They stopped at a place known as Mt. Pisgah and a settlement of the Saints was built there. From there he went on to Council Bluffs with the main company. He helped build the first road used in crossing the Missouri river, and was the first to move into a log cabin at Winter Quarters where he stayed for two years. In 1848 he left for Salt Lake with Heber C. Kimball’s company. He was chosen as a captain of 10. The Saints were liberal in helping each other when necessity required. They were frequently visited by bands of Indians, but no harm was ever attempted. They depended on the buffalo for meat, and on one occasion a great herd came towards them, guns were fired amongst the herd which scattered them, some going in front and some behind the wagon team, no damage being done.The only real loss on the way was an ox of Brother William Clayton’s. One child was born on the road. Utah was reached about the middle of October 1848. Albert Bailey Griffin was an honest tithe payer and always ready to obey the call of the Priesthood. He was at one time a Bishop’s counselor and at the death, by drowning, of Bishop L.W. Roundy, acted in his stead until the place was filled. He was a seventy. In civil life he co-operated in institutions in a missionary capacity. He was also a sergeant in the Black Hawk war. For a time he settled in Sugar House, and was on the Church farm for a period of 11 years not knowing what recompense to expect over his living expenses. It was whilst on this farm that Edgar Leroy was born, 17^th March. 1855 and was blessed at Sugar House by William Smoot father of our present Apostle and Senator Reed Smoot. In 1863 the Griffin family moved to Coalville, stayed one year, then moved to Long Valley. By now Edgar LeRoy was eight years of age and was baptized by John Berry and confirmed by his father. At Long Valley they had a prosperous farm and a promising crop, the wheat just bursting into head, when the Indians came and drove every one out. The family never returned. This was 1868. So they next settled in Kanarra. Here they kept a feed stable. On one occasions the Indians came and took boards off the barn, stole the horses, leaving only Brother Smith’s mules, which were hobbled. They shot arrows into the two mules and left.

(The history of Kanarraville describes the event “ The people of Kanarra had never had trouble with the local Indians, but October 31, 1869 a tribe of Navajo’s raided them. They took all but a pair of hobbled mules and two or three horses. The men went to New Harmony and next morning and got horses to follow them, and they also got some friendly Indians to go with them. They followed them over Kanarra and Cedar Mountain, and finally from a ledge over the lake below they saw the Indians and horses. The Indians had their moccasins off to warn their feet, and when the Kanarra men and Indians rushed them they ran way leaving their moccasins and their horses. The victors took both the horses and the moccasins, leaving the Indians to freeze or starve. The Navajos made their way back to Arizona without shoe or horses through the snow. The people of Kanarra were never bothered by Indians again, from their one experience with them came the name, “Navajo Lake”.)

Edgar LeRoy was telegraph operator and assistant postmaster to his father. In 1874 he was married to Clara Stratton at the St. George Temple. About 6 years later Brother A.F. Macdonald was called to Maricopa Stake and was given the privilege to call whom he would. He asked Brother Edgar L. Griffin to go with him, which he did. Leaving St. George on Dec. 15, 1879, they crossed the Colorado 1st of January, and reached Mesa 4^th Feb 1880 and have resided here ever since.  He was called as first superintendent of Sunday School for Maricopa Stake, also 1^st Ward clerk. Brother Griffin is father of 7 children, one infant being drowned in ditch at one year. Other 6 living to maturity.