David M. Griswold

GRISWOLD, WITHROW, PIATT, MEISNER

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart (email)
Date: 8/10/2006 at 15:38:24

Winterset Madisonian, Winterset, Iowa
December 14, 1955

D. M. GRISWOLD Of Winterset Dies

Pioneer Madison County Resident was 92 Years of Age

D. M. Griswold of Winterset, one of the pioneer residents of Madison county, died Monday, Dec. 12, 1955, at Memorial hospital in Winterset. He was 92 years of age.

Mr. Griswold had a long and varied career in this community. He was a native of Ohio, where he was born in Marion county on Sept. 5, 1863, a son of Martin and Mary Withrow Griswold. In 1866 he came with his parents to Madison county. His father farmed in Grand River township until 1871, when he moved to Penn township.

Mr. Griswold was educated in the rural schools of this community, and attended the Dexter Normal school at Dexter. For many years he served as a public school teacher, also farming at inervals.

He was a pioneer in the telephone business, after leaving the teaching field. In 1899 he was elected secretary of the Hawkeye Telephone company. He remained with that concern for 13 years, and for five years was general manager for 14 counties.

He had been a resident of Winterset since 1915. After leaving the telephone company he operated a farm in Madison township for many years. He was elected clerk of the Madison county district court for three terms, and served as Madison county's representative in the state legislature during two terms. He also served as justice of the peace in Winterset for 13 years in later life

He was married March 11, 1891 to Lulu E. Piatt, of Penn township. They were parents of three children, one dying in infancy. A daughter, Alice, died as a young woman.

Mr. and Mrs. Griswold observed their golden wedding anniversary in 1941. Her death occurred in 1951, after 60 years of marriage.

Mr. Griswold is survived by one son, Dr. Glenn H. Griswold of Winterset; a granddaughter, Mrs. Helen Meisner of West Des Moines, a grandson, Dr. David Griswold of Winterset; and two great grandchildren.

Funeral services were to be held this Wednesday at 2 p.m. from Anderson's home for funerals, conducted by the Rev. George DeF. Fisher, pastor of the First Prebyterian church of Winterset. Burial was to be made in the Penn Center cemetery.