The history of the brothers Asahel and Joel Griffin are closely linked. They followed the American dream of opening
new lands, moving on several times in their lifetimes. But they always lived
close to each other. They were the only children born of Samuel and Mercy
Nettleton, Mercy dying soon after Asahel’s birth. They grew up with the
children from their father’s other two marriages on the farm on Roast Meat Hill
in Killingworth Connecticut. The
recorded history of the Griffins starts on page 336 of the Land Book. Samuel
Griffin and his wife Mary recorded the births of their children. It starts Mary
the daughter of Samuel & Mary Griffin was born December the 7th
1728. The other children are listed Thankful, Jerusha, James, Jeremiah and
Samuel born February 10, 1739. Samuel married Marah Griffen (her family name
was Griffen with an “en”) May 17, 1759 the marriage recorded in the Land Book.
They had three daughters Lois, Phebe/Polly and Azubah. Marah died August 13,
1763. Samuel then married Mercy
Nettleton the marriage is recorded in the church records, as May 15, 1766. The
church records give the baptismal dates of their two boys as Joel, s Samuel
Griffin bp Oct 4 1768 and Asahel, s Samuel Griffin bp Jan 29, 1769. Mercy must have passed away not long after that
because we have the record of Samuel marrying Mercy Stevens
(Bailey) March 15, 1770. Mercy and Samuel had six children together. The two
brothers grew up as part of the Griffin clan of eleven in Killingworth. As young men seeking land and fortune they
moved together to New Haven, Addison County, Vermont. They later moved together
to Franklin County, New York. Asahel is
buried in Moira, New York and Joel in Rushford, New York. Asahel’s genealogy is
well document and widely distributed, Joel’s family history has been a bit of a
mystery. What follows is information that has come forth in the past few years.
There is very little direct evidence or sources but what evidence is available
is quite compelling in its testimony of the family of Joel Griffin.
Samuel and Mercy raised their clan of eleven Children on the
farm on Roast meat Hill. Samuel bought the first 2 1/2 acres from his brother
in law Benjamin Turner in 1761. The original deed describes the property as
north of the burying yard and west of the highway. In five subsequent purchases
he acquired twenty acres surround the original lot and had some twenty plus
acres near by. The location was and is
still called Wolf Meadow and form 1761 to the present only one house site has
been occupied. The current house sits on the original foundation and the design
fits the period, except for parts of the flooring that have been replaced, it
is possible that it is the original structure built by Samuel. The main floor
consisted of a small foyer and one large room dominated by a large fireplace
covering most of the north end. All the cooking was done in the fireplace
facilitated by built in swinging arms and fire grates. There is a trap door
giving access to the basement. The walls are built of shaped stone and the
beams are large hand hewn timbers. A small staircase off the foyer leads to the
second story room. The whole interior of the house was covered in bead board.
Additional rooms have been added on, first by Worden Griffin, and then by later
occupants. It is still a very beautiful little house still being enjoyed by its
current occupants. The original 2 1/2 acre site consists of forested gently
rolling hills borded on one side by low swampy ground south by the burying yard
and east by the original road all in all a very peaceful beautiful place to
raise a family.
Killingworth by 1735 had divided into two separate
congregations. The people of the northern second society were referred to as
the “farmers”. The economy seems to have revolved around dairy cows with the
farms growing crops to support the animals. Hay, grain, corn and garden crops
were said to do very well and fruit orchards seemed numerous and highly valued.
The original land grant for Killingworth is now the city of Clinton, Starting
in the early 1700’s the city in order to attract new settlers and give land to
their offspring, began awarding land grants in the unoccupied northern part of
the city. The cost to the settler was a simple filing fee. By 1750 most of the property had been
allocated. The years between 1750 and 1800 saw the land further subdivided and
in some cases consolidated. By the time Samuel’s boys were old enough to strike
out on their own most of the available land in Killingworth was taken. As a
result all of Samuel’s boys, except Worden, left for Vermont. Worden bought his
fathers farm and stayed in Killingworth he is buried next to the house in the
“burying yard”. Samuel and three of his boys ended up in Essex, Vermont and
Joel and Asahel ended by close by in New Haven, Vermont. In the 1790 Census we
find Joel married with a daughter. He married Submit Alvord, daughter of John
Alvord, who is also listed in the 1790 Census in New Haven. The marriage is
noted in the history of the family of Alexander Alvord. It notes “Married Joel
Griffin of St. Lawrence Co. NY, Res. Bangor Franklin Co. NY” . Asahel stayed in
New Haven but Joel moved on to Swanton, Vermont. On page 15 of the land book is
recorded the birth of three more children. “Oramel Griffin son of Joel &
Submit born in Swanton March 26th. 1794”. Milton born January 18th
1796, Lois October 8th 1797. Joel owned several large tracts of land
and had a concession to maintain the bridge over the river that divided the
town. Joel and Asahel lived within 20 miles of their father and half brothers
in Essex, Vermont. Family names suggest that they maintained a close
relationship. Dan named a son Joel and Asahel named a son Worden. Joel gave his
sister’s name to his daughter Lois. All are listed in their father’s will.
Joel last appears on the tax records in Swanton in 1804.
Some information indicates that he maintained some presences there until 1807.
By 1810 he and Asahel are both living in Franklin County, New York some 80
miles west. Asahel settled in Moira and several generations of his family
remained there. Joel is listed as one of the earliest inhabitants of Bangor
most subsequent records list his residence as Malone. It seems that the impetus
for the New York move may have originated with his brother in law Wolcott
Alvord who was involved in a project to survey part of Franklin County and
received an invitation to settle. The lure of land was still a driving force in
early 19th century America.
From the biography of his son Oramel it appears that the large tracts of
land that Joel acquired were raw forested land that the family was obliged to
clear. The families circumstance are described in the biography of Oramel “ His
parents, thought not poor were not in affluent circumstances, and he engaged
actively in clearing land and all the labors incident to the struggles of
pioneers in a a new colony”. The family spent the next 20 plus years farming
the recovered property.
Putting together a picture of Joel’s family has proven very
difficult. The only recorded births are those of Oramel, Milton and Lois. The
search for the rest of Joel and Submit’s children begins with the 1810 Federal
Census. The 1810 census lists Joel and Submit’s residence as Bangor, New York.
It lists one boy under the age of 10, two boys age 10-16, and two boys age
16-26 and Joel. It lists four girls under the age of 10, one girl age 10-16 and
one girl age 16 to 26 and Submit. Eleven children in all. Drawing information
from previous and later Census records it appears that the 1810 census shows
the family in its entirety. From these sources I have drawn the following
conclusions. Of the girls the oldest was born in New Haven, Vermont and listed
in the 1790 Census making her about age 21 in 1810. Lois was 13 in 1810 and
must be the girl listed age 10-16. A daughter Sophia was born in Swanton,
Vermont about 1803. The last three daughters were born in Bangor only one of
whom has been identified, Saphronia. Of the boys the two boys listed as age
16-26 are probably Oramel age 16 and Milton even though he was only 14 or
15. Of the two boys listed ages 10-16 we
have Joel Jr. born about 1800 in Swanton and Aaron born about 1798/99 in
Swanton. There is no information available on the youngest boy probably also born
in Bangor.
The next 30 years in the history of Joel and Submit’s family
and the stories behind identifying their children revolves around their son
Oramel. Tracing Oramel began with the discovery of his name on a list of men
who served in the war of 1812 from Franklin County. The record states that he
moved to Livingston Co, NY by 1821. Oramel moved to the Livingston and Allegany
County area of Western New York and over the next 60 years became very
successful becoming one of the leading citizens in those counties. Describing
his early years his biography states, “ often pursued his studies by the light
of burning brands on the land he was engaged in clearing”. It seems that he
left the hard farming life behind and made his way via his intellect. He worked
as a clerk and teacher and by dint of his hard efforts was invited by his
employer to become a partner. He later struck out on his own, opening a dry
good store in Rushford, New York. The
history Rushford and Rushford People writes of him, “Oramel earned his 1st
hundred dollars by falling trees for a living. With this money he early opened
a store in Rushford and continued in that business over 25 years, accumulating
it was supposed $100,000.”. He married the daughter of a prominent family
Caroline Gary and they had a family of four. With his success Oramel began to
accumulate property. He bought a large tract of land next to the Genesee Valley
Canal, a part of the canal system that fed into the Erie Canal. The area and
town he started was named in his honor, Oramel, New York. The location of the
town of Oramel was at one of the locks on the canal system and served the area
as a “port”. where goods were loaded and unloaded. Oramel was a fee collector
for the canal. As the area grew he developed the adjoining property adding to
his wealth. Later he expanded his land purchases into Michigan. Having achieved
a good deal of success Oramel reached out to his family. The county history
writes of him, “ He removed his parents and several members of his family to
Rushford and rendered them such assistance as they required”. And so it is that
we find the bulk of Joel and Submit's family gathered in Allegany County, New
York. Joel and Submit are buried in the family plot in Rushford along side
Oramel and Caroline, Joel Jr. and his wife Clarissa and Oramel's two boys
Jackson and Solon.
It seems that Oramel’s family joined him gradually in
western New York. Joel died in Rushford, September 15, 1833. We discover his
brother, Joel Jr. when in 1838 a Presbyterian congregation was formed, listing
among its founding members, Joel Jr. and Clarissa and Submit Griffin. Joel Jr.
and Oramel are also linked as brothers in the town history, Joel Jr. being
described as a small farmer and produce dealer. He was also clerk for the local
chapter of the anti-slavery society. We find his brother Milton in nearby New
Hudson. Census records list him as a
goldsmith. The census records indicate that he was born in Vermont in 1796. In
the 1860’s we find Milton’s daughter living with Oramel’s sons in Michigan.
Referring to Milton the local history writes, “One of the Griffins who came to
Rushford was a little peculiar, unlike the other members of the family, and
some one, knowing his name was Griffin asked “Uncle Joel” if he were his
brother. “Yes,” said he, but quickly added, He’s Oramel’s brother too.” This
reply became one of the proverbs of the town.”.
The only evidence connecting the fourth brother Aaron to Joel’s family
is the 1820 and 1830 Census records in Malone. The original records are
organized by neighborhoods. We find Milton, his father Joel, and Aaron all
living as neighbors, in fact, Aaron and Joel lived next to each other. The
dates involved are consistent with Aaron being born in 1798/99 in Swanton. Aaron disappears after the 1840 census. It seems he died before he had a chance to
join the family in western New York. The first start in identifying the sisters
begins with a notice in the Malone Palladium where we find the wedding
announcement for Solon Nichols of Chateaugay and Sophronia Griffin of Malone in
October 1828. The Alvord family history also makes note of the marriage, the
only bit of information it contains concerning Joel and Submits’s family. In
the 1850-60-70 Census records for Allegany County we find Solon and Sophronia
living in New Hudson by Milton. Solons full name was Solon Jackson
Nichols. It is interesting to note that
Oramel named his two boys Solon and Jackson, and that Solons name is on Joel’s
will as a witness. Solon is listed in the census records as a merchant. It is
my guess that he was a partner with Oramel. In the 1880 Census in Kalamazoo,
Michigan we find Solon and Sophronia living in close proximity to Jackson
Griffin who had occupied his fathers property there. The clues to the identity
of Sophia were found quite by accident. In discussing the history of the area
churches in the volume Rushford and Rushford People we find a description of a
local choir. In describing its members the author writes, “Mrs. Hitchcock a
sister to Joel Griffin”. In the 1850
census we find the only Hitchcock in Oramel (Caneadea), Augustus Hitchcock and
his wife Sophia. They have two children Augusta and Jackson. In the 1880 census
record for Solon and Sophronia in Michigan we find Sophia Hitchcock as part of
the household, listed as age 77. By the time of the 1890 Census all of Joel and
Submit’s children have passed from the scene no longer appearing in any Census
record. Joel’s generations maintained a presents in Allegany county into the
1970’s. They occupied a place in the highest levels of society. Any one
visiting today can introduce themselves as Griffins and will still be
recognized as being connected to local history.
It should be noted that the author has reviewed primary
sources for all of the records and histories cited in this narrative.
Killingworth Records Vol 1 , 2 Town Clerk
Land Records for Killingworth Town Clerk
Union Cemetery records Killingworth
Church Records First Congregational Church Killingworth
Connecticut
Rushford and Rushford people by Mrs. Helen Josephine Gilbert
Allegany County and its People by John S. Minard
History of Allegany County N.Y. by F.W. Beers
History of Allegany County, New York 1806-1879 by Robert M.
French
A Genealogy of the Descendants of Alexander Alvord An Early
Settler of Windsor, Connecticut and Northampton, Massachusetts by Samuel Morgan
Alvord 1908
Land Records Swanton, Vermont
Town Records Swanton, Vermont
1790 Census New Haven, Addison, Vermont
1810, 1820,1830,1840 Census, Franklin County, New York
Extracted marriage records from the Malone Palladium
1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 Census Allegany County, New
York
Church records from Rushford First Presbyterian Church
1880 Census Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo, Michigan
1860 Census Barry, Barry, Michigan
