Richard Griffin

1732 - 1795

• Name	Richard Griffin  [1]
  Born	22 Jun 1732	Nine Partners, Dutchess Co, New York   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  Died	08 Oct 1795	Grimsby, Lincoln Co, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  Notes	According to the Annals of the Forty, History of Grimsby Twp., Richard Griffin was the son of Richard and Susanna (Haight) Griffin, and was born in 1732. he married Mary, daughter of Judge Abraham Smith of New York. He was a school teacher, farmer and miller. Richard fought with the British during the War of the Revolution and, with his wife and family, emigrated to Canada in 1786. The journey, in a canvas-covered wagon, took six months as they cut a trail through the unbroken brush. They were fortunate to advance three or four miles in a day. The Griffins came by way of Rochester, NY, which at the time consisted of a blacksmith shop and a tavern. In The Story Of Smithville, this is the account given of their removal to Canada: "With a year's worth of provisions in ox carts they must have traveled north along the Hudson River to Albany, then west along the Mohawk trail toward Western New York and the Niagara River. At that time anything past Canandaigua was Seneca Indian Territory. It was reported that they traveled 4 miles per day. When they reached the Genesee River a raft was built and the women and children floated down to Lake Ontario, there they followed the shore line west to the mouth of the Niagara and into Canada. The men rejoined them at the Niagara River and they continued about 40 more miles west. These early Griffins developed commerce where none existed before." For his faithfulness to the British, Richard Griffin received 800 acres from the Crown, in Lincoln County, south of Grimsby. They first camped at the mouth of The Twenty (Jordan on Lake Ontario) and from there Richard and his sons journeyed inland in search of a mill site. When they reached a place on Twenty Mile creek, they selected lots 6,8,9 and 10 Concession IX for their home. This settlement was first called Griffintown. Later it was renamed by the youngest son, Smith Griffin, in memory of his mother, whose maiden name was Smith. From then on it was called the village of Smithville. According to the Historical Atlas of Lincoln and Welland, Ontario Compiled by H. R. Page, page 10. In 1787, Richard Griffin, with a family of seven sons and four daughters, from what was then called Nine Partners, N.Y., settled on the Jordan, (20 mile creek) now Smithville. Before removing the whole family to the new home, they encamped at the mouth of the stream for a few weeks, while Abraham, and Edward, two of the elder sons, followed the stream on Monday to their lands, where working to clear the ground and erect dwellings until Saturday returned to the encampment by the same crooked route. Soon however the whole family moved into their new mansion in the forest, each son and daughter almost immediately selected lots for themselves, settled in life and soon began amongst other duties to replenish the earth. In an essay written in 1878 by Abishai Morse -- "In or about 1792 a Methodist class was organized in Smithville, or, as it was then called, Griffin Settlement. There was a large family of these Griffins and they had considerable influence in the community in those days. They all became members of the class and in a short time it became an important institution in the locality, and many families of the district became connected with it." THE GRIFFIN FAMILY At the close of the Revolutionary War, Richard Griffin and his son Ned left their old home atTarrytown, Holland, New York State, and went to seek a new home in Canada. Proceeding downthe river Niagara, they crossed the river to Niagara at the same place where Joseph Wardell andfamily crossed in the "Wardell Ark." Going west they came to the River Jordan which they followed,looking for a suitable place to build a home. At last they found a location that seemed ideal. The oldriver with its flats, pines, oaks, beeches and maples, seemed more beautiful and sublime than anythingthey had dreamed of. So Richard Griffin decided at once that this was to be his future home. Heand his son Ned located a homestead of eight hundred acres; and immediately proceeded to build alog cabin. When it was completed, he left Ned to stop up the cracks and chinks with mud, and tomake the household furniture, such as tables, stools and cupboards. Richard then started on thereturn journey to Tarrytown to get the rest of the family. Ned stayed behind, and was kept busilyengaged in making their home habitable. For six long months, he never heard the sound of human voice, nor saw any living being, except the prowling wild animals, which made the forests ring withtheir wild cries at night. He was alone--miles away from any other habitation--in a howlingwilderness, never knowing whether or not his father and family would arrive in safety, and with nocompanionship, save that of the beasts of the forests from whom he had to guard himself night andday. It was enough to terrify the bravest heart. But he was sustained by an unfaltering trust in Godand plenty of hard work. He alone in that six months cleared an acre of land, besides the work ofconstruction about the cabin. As the time approached when Ned might expect his loved ones home, he shot a deer, and hadall in readiness for a feast of welcome when they should arrive. At last the happy day came when hesaw the little company approaching in the distance. Joyfully he ran to meet them, and led them backto the home he had worked so hard to prepare. In his great joy he jumped upon the table andexecuted a dance-- the first dance in Smithville--for that little log cabin was the beginning of the nowpopulous town of Smithville, and Richard Griffin and his son Ned, the first white men to settle there. [4]
  Person ID	I25474	Bryant
  Last Modified	21 Sep 2003

  
  

  Father	Edward Griffin,   b. 1709, Flushing, Queens Co, New York ,   d. 1788, Nine Partners, Dutchess Co, New York
  Mother	Millicent Bishop,   b. Abt 1711,   d. Oct 1795, Nine Partners, Dutchess Co, New York
  Married	Abt 1730	New York
  Family ID	F2042	Group Sheet

  
  

  Family	Mary Smith,   b. Abt 1734, probably, Connecticut ,   d. Aft 1780, Ontario, Canada
  Married	1757	Nine Partners, Dutchess Co, New York
  Children	1. Amelia Griffin,   b. 1758, Nine Partners, Dutchess Co, New York   2. Abraham Griffin,   b. 16 Apr 1760, Nine Partners, Dutchess Co, New York ,   d. 14 May 1818, Lincoln Co, Ontario, Canada   3. Bethia Griffin,   b. 1762, Nine Partners, Dutchess Co, New York ,   d. Aft 1812, Ontario, Canada   4. Edward Griffin,   b. 1764, Nine Partners, Dutchess Co, New York ,   d. 13 Aug 1862, Smithville, Lincoln Co, Ontario, Canada   5. Miriam Griffin,   b. 15 Apr 1765, Coeymans Twp, Albany Co, New York ,   d. 17 Mar 1856, Grimsby, Lincoln Co, Ontario, Canada   6. Nathaniel Griffin,   b. 1766, Nine Partners, Dutchess Co, New York ,   d. 27 Aug 1855, Middleton, Norfolk Co, Ontario, Canada   7. Isaiah Griffin,   b. 24 Apr 1771, Nine Partners, Dutchess Co, New York ,   d. 12 Apr 1865, Waterdown, Halton Co, Ontario, Canada   8. Smith Griffin,   b. 09 Aug 1772, Nine Partners, Dutchess Co, New York ,   d. 28 Sep 1849, Brantford, Brant Co, Ontario, Canada   9. Jonathan Griffin,   b. 1774, Nine Partners, Dutchess Co, New York ,   d. 20 Oct 1812   10. Elizabeth Griffin,   b. 1776, Nine Partners, Dutchess Co, New York   11. Mary Griffin,   b. 05 Mar 1778, Nine Partners, Dutchess Co, New York ,   d. 1873, probably, Smithville, Lincoln Co, Ontario, Canada   12. Richard Griffin,   b. 1780, Nine Partners, Dutchess Co, New York ,   d. 1807, Smithville, Lincoln Co, Ontario, Canada
  Family ID	F2036	Group Sheet

  
  

• Event Map		Born - 22 Jun 1732 - Nine Partners, Dutchess Co, New York Married - 1757 - Nine Partners, Dutchess Co, New York Died - 08 Oct 1795 - Grimsby, Lincoln Co, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Maps   = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Sources

  [S72] Griffin-Smith, Fam. Group Shee, Linser, Jan, (P.O. Box 521, Cohasset, MN 55721, 10 May 1997). [S267] Griffin, Pioneer Family, Griffin, Justus A., (The Griffin & Richmond Co., Hamilton, Ontario, 1924), p.25. [S111] Todhunter, Griffins and Haight, Todhunter, Doreen, (Canadian Genealogist Volume 1, No.4: 213-221, 1979). [S350] Wardell Family History, Smith, Gertrude P., (Jackson, Moss & Company, Printers, Toronto, Ontario, 1910).