Griffith, Harry Llewellyn 1872 - 1937

GIFFITH, CARPENTER, LATHROP, NOACK, STUMP, GRANNIS

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 6/20/2023 at 19:50:11

Clayton County Register, 01 Dec. 1937.

Seldom has this community been as shocked as it was late last Friday evening when it was learned that H. L. Griffith, editor and publisher of the Clayton County Register, had succumbed at Oelwein to a heart attack while enroute to Des Moines.

Apparently in his usual health he had been engaged about the newspaper office Friday afternoon making improvements on the mechanical equipment, and that same evening, in company with J. A. Druyer of Prairie du Chien, Wis., he had departed for Des Moines to attend a meeting of the board of directors of Iowa Newspapers, Inc., of which he was a member.

A short distance west of Oelwein Mr. Griffith complained of distress and suggested that they turn around to go back to Oelwein and consult a physician. The fatal heart attack struck him as he and Mr. Druyer arrived in Oelwein.

Harry Llewellyn Griffith was born at Buffalo Grove, near Aurora, Buchanan county, Iowa, on the 22nd of October, 1872, as the only child of David G. and Mary Anne (Carpenter) Griffith, and so at the time of his death had reached the age of 65 years, one month and four days.

He was a lad of eight years at the time when the family home was established here in Elkader, and after his graduation in the local high school. as member of the class of 1889, he was a student in the University of Wisconsin for about two years. Thereafter he worked at electrical engineering until 1895, and during a portion of this time he pursued advanced technical study in the Drexel Institute in the city of ___________ (possibly Philadelphia).

On January 01, 1893, he purchased an interest in his father's newspaper, the Elkader Register, and became a member of the firm of D. G. Griffith & Son, though he did not assume an active connection with the business until 1895, when, on account of impaired health, he returned to the parental home and incidentally assumed the business management of the paper of which he has maintained the ownership and control since the death of his father on August 27, 1910.

In September, 1907, was effected the consolidation of the Elkader Register and the Elkader Argus, and the newspaper was known for some years as the Register and Argus. Later Mr. Griffith took over the subscription list of the Nord Iowa Herold and in 1926 the Register and the Clayton County Messenger were merged, since which the newspaper has been called the Clayton County Register. No newspaper man in this county has had part in as many consolidations as had Mr. Griffith.

Though Mr. Griffith never sought public office, he was always considered a power in the Republican party, and an active worker in its ranks. Through the editorial columns of his newspaper he supported the principals of his party without fear or favor, and his editorials were copied far and wide.

One of his greatest prides was the improvement of his newspaper plant, and at the time of his death he could truthfully say that no plant, considering the size of the community served, boasted better or more modern equipment. Because he was mechanically inclined, the installation of much of this equipment was the result of his own handiwork.

June 16, 1896, he was united in marriage with Miss Flora May Lathrop, of Dubuque, but this union was short-lived, For on March 18th, the following year, death claimed her.

At Fayette, on January 01, 1907, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Griffith to Miss Abbie Helen Grannis, and five children have been born to this union, namely, Helen (Mrs. Harvey Noack), Chicago; Mary Golden (Mrs. Robert B. Stump), Twin Falls, Idaho; David G., student at the State University, Iowa City; Harold S., a member of the Register staff here, and Homer L., student in the Elkader junior college.

The subject of this sketch was a member of the Elkader Lodge No. 72, A.F. & A.M., Harmony Chapter No. 41, Royal Arch Masons, and had received the thirty-second degree of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Masonry, in De Molay Consistory at Clinton. He was active in the Elkader Commercial club, seldom ever missing one of its regular meetings, and both personally and through the columns of his newspaper he was ready to support any community project which was worthy of such support.

While his death was a shock, both to his family and the community, solace can be taken in the fact that he had died as he had lived - active in behalf of the better things in life. And so we write "thirty," which in newspaper parlance is "the end."

Funeral services were held at the Griffith home Monday afternoon at two o'clock with the Rev. N. O. Bartholomew of the Congregational church officiating. Burial was made in the East Side cemetery. Final Masonic rites were administered at the home and the grave by Dr. H. D. Brown.

Casketbearers were W. W. Davidson, _. F. Murphy, P. C. Buckman, E. F. Seifert, J. F. Becker, all of Elkader, and H. L. Swenson of Dubuque.

The courthouse, the post office and all business places in town remained closed from 1:45 until 3:00 p.m. as respect for the departed fellow-businessman.

Clayton Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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