Wiley Griffin was born about 1780 in North Carolina. In the 1870 Cherokee Co., Al., census, he is listed as an invalid (87 years old). He is living with Vicey (age 53), Richard (age 20), and Fannie (age 5). In 1871, Wiley was living near Blue Pond, Alabama; and he filed a claim against the United States government for stores and supplies taken by General Sherman, Oct. 1864, Gaylesville, Al. This is found in Southern Loyalists. Wiley Griffin was living in Anson Co., North Carolina, in 1820. He was living near John Thomas, John Mullice, Wm. Mullice, James Mullice, and Solomon Mullice.
Wiley had the following children:
William Griffin,b.1813, SC, married Mary Elizabeth Love, b. 1824,Ga. William and Mary Elizabeth Griffin had the folowing children: Mary Ann,b. 1844, TX; Wiley, b. 1846,TX; Sarah Jane, b. 1848,TX.
Richard Griffin, b. 1818, NC, married Vicey (surname unk.), b. 1820, NC. Richard and Vicey had the following children: Jacob, b. 1842, Al; Alesey J. (female), b. 1845, Al; Richard, b. 1849, Al; Lydia Ellin, b. 1847, Al. Lydia Ellin married John B. Kelly , b. 11/1841. The Kelly's children were the following: Ida Kelly, b. 1872; Robert Reese Kelly, (5/8/1892-2/8/1953); Richard W. Kelly, b. Jul 1878; Minnie E. Kelly, b. Aug 1875; Lucy Ann Kelly (9/5/1882-6/271960); Oscar D. Kelly, b. 12/1889; Joseph R. Kelly, b. 12/1887; Marvin M. Kelly , b. 12/1891. The Kelly children were all born in Cherokee Co., Al. A descendant of Lydia Ellen Griffin Kelly has produced her confederate widow's pension application, which definitely states that Wiley Griffin was her father.
Thomas Griffin, b. 1821, NC...The Thomas Griffin family to follow.
Lewis Griffin, b. 1824, NC, married Louisa Jane Thomas Griffin, b. 1824, NC. Lewis Grifffin died from wounds or disease received during the War of the Rebellion. This is known because his wife, Eliza Jane, filed for the confederate widow's pension. The children of Lewis and Eliza Griffin are the following: Thomas Edmund, b. 1846, Al; Matilda, b. 1850, Al; Manda, b. 1852, Al., Margret J., b. 1854, Al; Lydia A., b. 1857, Al.
Serina Griffin, b. 1834, Al.
Serrilda A. Griffin, b. 1838, Al. Serrilda Griffin married James W. Humphrey in Alabama in 1853.
One unknown son, probably born between William and Richard ,married Martha Thomas, b. 1820, NC. Martha Griffin was living with her father in the 1850 Cherokee Co. census. She was 30 years old. She subsequently married Dave Humphrey of Al.
In summary, Wiley Griffin had the following children: William,Richard ,Thomas ,Lewis, Serina , Serrilda , and one unknown son.
The Thomas Griffin family came to Rusk Co., Texas, in 1858,from Cherokee, Co., Alabama. Thomas Griffin died in 1869 in Rusk Co. and is buried next to his wife, Sarah Arminta (surname unknown). Sarah was born in Tennessee in 1822. Thomas Griffin lived near his brother, William, in Rusk Co.
The Griffins had the following nine children:
William Robert (Bill) Griffin, b. October 3, 1841, in Cherokee Co., Al, died June 11, 1892. Bill married his first cousin Sarah Jane Griffin in Rusk Co., on January 18, 1866.
James L. Griffin, b. July 4, 1843, in Cherokee, Co., Al.
Alexander L.(Alex) Griffin was born May 23, 1845, in Cherokee Co., Al. He died March 17, 1927 and is buried next to his third wife, Willie Smith.The Alexander Griffin family to follow...
Sanala Mahaly A. Griffin was born 8/22/1847 in Cherokee Co., Al. She married Columbus C. Busby 1/13/1870 in Rusk Co.
Lewis C. Griffin was born 1/8/1840 in Cherokee Co., Al. He married Matilda C. Berry in Rusk Co., January 15, 1873.
Sarah Catherine (Kate) Griffin was born 12/12/1851 in Cherokee, Co., Al. She died in 1889. She married John T. Anderson, August 13, 1872, in Rusk Co.
Mary Ann Griffin, b. 3/3/1853, in Cherokee, Co., Al. She married Rev. William M. Gaddy 11/15/1871 in Rusk Co., TX.
Joseph Thomas Griffin was born 3/1/1857. Joseph was crippled. He died in 1894. He never married.
Elizabeth Griffin, b. 10/20/1859 in Rusk Co., Texas. Cemetery.
The Alexander L. Griffin family: Alex Griffin married Lemancy Dent, born about 1857, on January 19,1875. Alex and Lemancy had the following children:
John Thomas Griffin ( 12/14/1876-9/12/1928). John Thomas had one daughter.
Alex Jr. was born in 1879 and died as an infant or small child.
Richard Lee Griffin was born December 7,1880, in Pinehill, Texas, and died February 10, 1957, in Groveton, Texas. Richard Lee married Annie B. Turner, b. 1889 in Rusk Co., around 1906 in Rusk Co. Richard Lee and Annie Griffin had the following two children: Hinton Turner Griffin was born February 16,1907,in Pinehill, Texas, and died February 14, 1962, in Jeanerette, Louisiana. One daughter, Opal Juanita Griffin was born in 1909 and died in 1993.
Alex Griffin married Mary Ann Griffith (12/7/1866-12/12/20/1889 on 3/8/1889. Of this marriage, Dovey Griffin (12/10/1889-1/3/1890) was born.
Alex Griffin married Willie Smith,born 1873 in MS, on 1/4/1891. The following children were born: Maggie, b.1891, married Todd; Claude Robert (6/24/1893-10/27/1959, married Mae Julia; Monnie,(1900-1998) married Lonnie Frank Wedgeworth.
The Griffin Cemetery, Rusk Co., Texas:
The Griffin Cemetery is located about two miles east of Brachfield, north of Murvaul Bayou. There are 8-10 graves. The earliest is 1888; the latest is 1890. The cemetery is located in open country on a small hill among 2 or 3 large oak trees. The cemetery is located on private property. The graves that can be read are the following: Dovey Griffin, 12/10/1889-1/3/1890; Mary A. Griffin (12/7/1866-12/20/1889); Maud Griffin (6/21/1887-8/29/1888. From the dates, Maud must have been the child of Lemancy and Alex. The cemetery fronts the old Alex Griffin homeplace (no longer standing). It is believed that Alex Griffin buried two wives, Lemancy and Mary Ann, there as well as children and other family members.
This information has been found in census records, the Mormon website, the USGenWeb project as well as personal investigations in Cherokee Co., Alabama; Union Co., North Carolina; Anson County, North Carolina; Henderson, Texas; and Carthage, Texas. Among the individuals who have contributed information include the following: Mrs. Alisa Wuemling of Texas, Mrs. Jacqueline Busby of Texas, Mr. E. Ray Green of Texas ( who has contributed bountifully to the heritage book in the public library in Henderson, Texas), and Mr. George Thomas of North Carolina.
If anyone reads this and has information, I would be very grateful to receive it. Karen Griffin.
Here are some of my favorite websites:
Thomas, Griffin, Sharp families