Willis M. Griffin 1853-1916

GRIFFIN, LINTNER, DEHARPER, HANKIN

Posted By: Judy Kelley, volunteer (email)
Date: 9/26/2010 at 11:45:44

RESIDENT OF LETTS DIES AT HOSPITAL

WILLIS M. GRIFFIN SUCCUMBS IN THIS CITY.

Well Known Resident of Louisa County Passes Away At Local Hospital Of Long Illness

An illness of more than two years ended in the death of Willis M. Griffin, a well known resident of Letts, at the Hershey hospital late yesterday afternoon. A complication of ailments terminated in his demise. He was sixty-three years of age.

The remains were taken to the family residence in Letts last evening where funeral services are planned to be held tomorrow afternoon. Interment will be made in a Letts cemetery.

Mr. Griffin was a native of Cedar county, where he was born in 1853. During the past ten years he made his home in Letts, being one of the leading citizens of that place.

Wide business interests claimed Mr. Griffin at Letts. He was proprietor of the Griffin opera house, held the controlling interest in the Griffin Hardware company and was one of the managers of the Iowa Telephone company at Letts. He had been a patient at the Hershey hospital for three weeks.

To survive him he leaves his widow and two children, R. H. Griffin and W.S. Griffin, both of Letts. Two sisters and two brothers also mourn his death. They are Mrs. E.B. Lintner of near Letts; Mrs. L. Deharper of Winfield; Clem Griffin of Chicago and Frank Griffin of northern Iowa. A niece, Mrs. Charles Hankin of East Tenth street, Muscatine, also survives.

Source: LCHS scrapbook; newspaper clipping with handwritten date of Oct. 13, 1916