griffithh
Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The
Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties,
State of Washington", published by Western Historical Publishing
Co., 1904.
HENRY B. GRIFFITH resides about
five miles east from Chelan Falls and is occupied in general farming and
stock raising, in which enterprises he has won a good success, owing to
his industrious ways and careful management in all lines. He was
born in Indiana county, Pennsylvania, on June 8, 1847, the son of Joseph
and Lydia (Row) Griffith, natives of Pennsylvania and descended from Dutch
stock. Our subject studied in the district schools until he was sixteen,
and then, it being 1863, enlisted in the Second Pennsylvania Battallion
of six months' men, under Captain Robert L. Ritchie. He served as
guard on the railroads and was discharged in February, 1864, at Pittsburg.
In August, 1864, Mr. Griffith enlisted in the Fifty-seventh Pennsylvania
Volunteer Infantry, under Captain E. C. Strous, being in Company K.
In December of that year his regiment was consolidated with the Eighty-fourth
and he was put in Company E, under the same captain. Mr. Griffith
remarks that there was scarcely a day in all this service that he was not
under fire. He was wounded, however, but once, and that was by a
spent ball. He participated in the battles of Petersburg, Five Forks
and was at the surrender of Lee. He also took part in the grand review
in Washington and the occupation of Richmond. Following the war,
Mr. Griffith attended school until he fitted himself for teaching, which
he followed for some time. In 1867, he migrated to Kansas, settling
in Labette county and there was occupied in farming for seven years.
In 1874, another move was made, this time to California, whence he journeyed
shortly to Walla Walla, in this state. He tilled the soil in Whitman
county until 1888, when he came on to Douglas county. Here he took
a homestead and timber culture claim where he now resides and since that
time he has constantly devoted his energies to farming and stock raising,
always laboring not only for the improvement of his own place, but for
the general good as well. He also has one-half section of school
land. Mr. Griffith has the following brothers and sisters, Joseph,
Mrs. Elizabeth McKesson, Mrs. Catherine Griffith, Mrs. Tobitha Huston,
Mrs. Missuri Vance, and Mrs. Lottie Torrance.
At Walla Walla, on February 5, 1878, Mr. Griffith
married Miss Francina, daughter of David and Sarah (Coleman) Morgan, who
were born in Virginia and Ohio, respectively. Mrs. Griffith was born
in Iowa, on March 12, 1854, and has the following named brothers and sisters,
John R., Abram M., Harrison, Mrs. Sarah Alexander and Mrs. Adaline Wagner,
also B. D., and Mrs. Eliza Frey, who are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Griffith
have become the parents of two children: Orin B., born in Pullman, Washington,
on January 12, 1880; Kate Ethel, born in Pullman, on April 19, 1885, and
now the wife of Conrad Winn in this county. Mr. Griffith is a member
of the I. O. O. F. and the G. A. R, while he and his wife are Rebekahs.
It is of importance in this connection to
note that Mr. Griffith, while living in Kansas, was detailed as one to
assist in exhuming the corpses of the unfortunate victims of the atrocious
Bender family, and reburying them in proper shape. Thus he became
especially acquainted with the deeds of that terrible family.
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