John was born in Killingworth Connecticut son of Samuel
Griffin 2nd and Mercy Bailey. He grew up on the family farm in the
house next to the “burying yard”. John was one of six boys in the household as
they approached adulthood the need to find farmland of their own became
paramount in their lives. All of Samuel and Mercy’s sons left Killingworth
except Worden who bought his fathers home and farm. For the young men of
Killingworth looking for land of their own Vermont represented the next
frontier. The Griffin boys ended up in Essex, Vermont which was one of seven
towns in the county of Chittenden chartered in June 1763.
Essex was described as an area six miles square bounded on
the south by the Winooksi River. This area was to be parceled into 72 equal
shares among 66 Grantees named in the charter. The Grantees organized several
expeditions to survey the area. Their records contain detailed lists of the men
involved. John’s name was among those
listed. My assumption is that he was the point man for the family’s move from
Killingworth to Essex. The Grantees subdivided their holdings into lots that
averaged about 110 acres and offered them for sale as either one-half or full
lots. Samuel and John purchased Lot 142 and Samuel Jr. Lot 81.
The first real settlement of Essex started in earnest in 1783 and it seems
likely that the Griffins were in the first few waves of settlers in the new
community. By 1798 they had already purchased additional farmland. In April 1800 John purchased 6 acres form Dan
Morgan next to Lot 142. I think this was
his “home lot”. Dan also purchased a “home lot”. They both probably worked the farm together
with their father who by this time was certainly retired, although, the
original purchase was in his name. When Samuel died in 1808 ownership of the
farm passed into John’s hands. Over the next 20 years he purchase several
additional parcels surrounding the original Lot 142. Dan moved to his own farm in Westford.
In the existing Griffin histories there is no information on
John other than to record his birth and death in Essex in 1832. I have no
inkling as to why nothing was written concerning his family. He is
buried in a family plot next to his parents Samuel and Mercy in the Essex Common
Burial Ground. Buried next to John is Doct. Truman Griffin. The headstone reads
May 10, 1829 age 27. Next to him is
Chloe Griffin and her stone reads “dau of John & Mary in the 16th yr of her
age”. Truman belongs to none of the other Griffin families and Chloe is clearly
identified as John’s daughter and John’s wife is identified as Mary. Armed with
this information the search was started to assemble a portrait for the family
of John Griffin. Looking for his wife Mary I found a reference in a Tyler genealogy
for the marriage of Mary Tyler to John Griffin. In the town records of
Richmond, New Hampshire is their marriage record. “May certify that John
Griffin of Essex in the state of Vermont and Mary Tyler of Richmond were joined
in marriage, Moses Tyler Justice of
Peace” the day February 1, 1801. Moses was Mary’s father. John moved
Mary onto the newly purchased home lot and they began to raise a family. We
later find that John sold the original home lot he must have moved into his
father’s house with his passing. The 1810 Census shows a family with two boys
under the age of 10 and 2 girls under 10. In 1820 the Census listed one boy
under 16 and one boy over age 16, one girl under 10 and one girl over 16. The
1830 census 1 boy age 20 to 30, 2 girls under age 10 and 1 girl age 20 to 30.
The next piece in the puzzle is provided by John’s will, John having died, in
1832. In the will Mary is named the executor and assumes the following
obligations. She is named guardian to Charlotte and Fanny Sinclair who are identified
as granddaughters. Mary is also made guardian to Malinda who is over the age of
14 and a 2nd daughter under the age of 14. The name of the second
child is illegible although it starts with a “J”. Both are identified as daughters of John
Griffin. One of the provisions of the will is the requirement that they sell
part of the property to pay off John’s debts, to do so required, the signature
of all of his heirs. They write “we the undersigned legal heirs to the estate
of John Griffin…” it is signed.
“Mary Griffin guardian to Malinda Griffin.
Mary Griffin guardian to Charlotte and Fanny Sinclair and
“J” Griffin.
Mary Griffin
Samuel Griffin”
Looking for the parents of Charlotte and Fanny Sinclair we
find a marriage record for Freeman Sinclair and Eunice Griffin February 24,
1827. Eunice’s death is recorded October 27, 1831 leaving her two girls in her
mothers care. Given the hint of a daughter Mary we looked for a marriage record
for her. In the family records of
Erastus Tyler, a nephew of Mary Tyler, he records his marriage to Mary Griffin
daughter of John and Mary Griffin. Her tombstone in Granville, Ohio lists her
date of birth as June 2, 1811. The
Barbour records for Killingworth includes the following “ Samuel of Essex, Vt.,
m Lodah Field ,….Nov 4, 1832”. So
gradually bit-by-bit a picture of the family of John and Mary Griffin comes
into focus. With a lack of direct evidence, birth records, etc. we are left to
add up a number of clues. In the family history of the Tylers we find that Mary
had sisters named Malinda and Chloe with Truman being a common Tyler Name.
John’s daughter Mary also named her girls Chloe and Malinda. In the of the land
deed records for Essex we find several interesting deeds. In a deed dated May
3,1833 Mary is identified as the administrator of the estate of John Griffin,
late of Essex. By order of the probate
court she sells 17 acres from Lot 123 and 5 acres of Lot 140 to Samuel Slater
to meet John’s debts. In 1837 we find Mary’s children selling their inheritance
from their father back to their mother. Erastus and Mary Tyler of Granville,
Licking, Ohio with the note “late of John Griffin seized”. Samuel of
Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio “late of John Griffin seized”. Malinda and Erastus
and “Jane” Bentley of Jericho, Chittenden, Vermont. This gives an identity to
the “J” in the will. With this evidence in hand we can try to fix dates to John
and Mary’s children.
Truman, from cemetery records, 1802 to May 10, 1829. John
and Mary married in 1801.
Chloe, from cemetery records, 1803 to October 11, 1819.
Eunice, married in 1827, her husband was born in 1802, she
was listed as under age 10 in the 1810 Census. Born after Chloe, her birth date
was probably in the 1804 to 1806 range.
Samuel, according to census records, was under age 10 in
1810 and between ages 20 to 30 in 1830 Census. With Eunice, he must have been
born, in the 1806 to 1809 range.
Mary, her headstone, gives her date of birth as June 2,
1811.
Malinda, the 1830 Census lists 2 girls under the age of 10.
John’s will indicates that in 1832/33 she was over the age of 14. This puts a date of birth in the 1816 to 1818
range.
Jane, was under the age of 14 at her fathers death. This information and subsequent census
records from her marriage indicates that she was probably born about 1820.
It remains to be seen what additional information may come
forth concerning the family of John Griffin but let it now suffice to say that
they are no longer strangers to us.
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