Griffith, Robert W.

GRIFFITH, WARREN, LONG, DRAKE

Posted By: mjv (email)
Date: 3/30/2021 at 15:17:34

Robert W. Griffith, residing upon section 13, Clay Township, is a pioneer of 1848, and is one of the best known and most highly respected citizens of Washington County. He is a native of Sussex County, Del., born Sept. 22, 1804, and is a son of Paris and Sarah (Warren) Griffith, who were also natives of Delaware, but of English descent their ancestry were Quakers, who came to this country with William Penn in 1680. They reared a family of seven children, of whom three are now living: Robert W., the subject of this sketch; Bayard, a large farmer and stock-dealer in De Witt County, Ill., and John, a resident of Monticello, Piatt Co., Ill. In 1805 the family moved from Delaware to Pickaway County, Ohio, where Paris Griffith purchased wild land and opened up a farm. His father died in Pickaway County, Ohio, April 20, 1828 at the age of fifty-one years and eleven months, and was buried in the old Salem church-yard in that county. The mother survived the father some fifteen years, and died in Crawford County, Ohio, at the age of sixty.

The subject of this sketch grew to manhood in Pickaway County, Ohio, and received but a limited education in the common schools of that early day. When a youth he was endowed with extraordinary strength, to which was coupled a will to make something of himself. After leaving the parental roof, he engaged as a farm-hand one year for $ 8 per month. He then struck for higher wages, desiring of his employer $9 per month; that amount was considered too high by his employer, and he therefore left and engaged with another man for that sum. After working one year his wages were increased to $10 per month, and at that sum he continued with his employer for two years. Nearly every dollar of wages in that time he saved. He now thought it time to choose a helpmeet for life and, forming the acquaintance of Miss Eleanor Long, they were united in marriage Dec. 27, 1832. She was a native of Northampton County, Pa., born near the Delaware River, April 3, 1813, and was the daughter of William and Sophia (Drake) Long, the former of German and the latter of English descent.

In 1834 Mr. Griffith moved from Pickaway to Crawford County, Ohio, and to what was known as the Sandusky Plain, purchased 200 acres of land and improved a farm. Crawford County at that time was almost a wilderness, and the land purchased was mostly prairie, but he settled in a small grove. Leaving he wife and child at the house of a friend, about four miles away, he went to his land and, erecting a temporary structure through the forks of some trees, and covering it with slabs and boughs of trees, he there lived until he could erect his log cabin. After the erection of his cabin, which was of the typical kind, with mud and stick chimney, he returned for his wife, and they at once commenced until 1846, in the meantime improving an excellent farm. Desiring to come West, where the advantages would be greater and land cheaper, he sold his farm in Crawford County and started west. On reaching Macon County, Ill., two of his children were severely hurt, one being kicked by a horse and the other being run over by a wagon. He therefore stopped, for the purpose of caring for the little ones, and while there was induced to purchase a farm of 940 acres of land. After living there about one month, he became very much dissatisfied, and offered $500 to be released from his contract. This was refused, and it finally cost him $1,100 to secure a release. Packing up his personal property, he once more turned his face westward and started for Iowa. Arriving in Washington County, he purchased 200 acres of land on section 13, Clay Township, where he has since continued to reside.

To Mr. and Mrs. Griffith thirteen children have been born, and all are living with the exception of one. Elias, born Oct. 2, 1833, is a farmer residing in Franklin Township; Eliza, born June 27, 1835, is the wife of Thomas Bane, a farmer residing in Smith County, Kan., Samuel, born Jan. 14, 1837, is a farmer residing in Franklin Township; Mary, born May 28, 1838, is the wife of William Hart, a farmer in Harrison County, Mo.; Isabella, born July 21, 1840, is the wife of Thomas Whittaker, a farmer in Clay Township; Jane, born April 19, 1842, is the wife of Jacob Engle, a farmer in Keokuk county, Iowa; George W., born Jan. 2, 1844, is a farmer residing in Franklin Township; Martha, born July 10, 1846, is the wife of Wellington Harbaugh, a harness-maker in Lincoln, Kan.; Sarah, born Oct. 12, 1848, is at home; John Q., born April 20, 1850, died Dec. 2, 1874; Harriet, born Oct. 18, 1852, is at home; Robert, born Feb. 20, 1855, is in charge of the home farm; Abigail, born June 11, 1857, is the wife of Albert Reahkopf, residing in Clyde, Kan.

Since coming to Washington County, Iowa, Mr. Griffith has been exceedingly prosperous. To his original purchase of 200 acres on section 13, he has added by subsequent purchase until the home farm now contains 640 acres, in addition to which he has 320 acres on section 35, Clay Township, a total of 1,120 acres. In addition to this, he has given to his children as they left the parental roof, in all, 900 acres of land which, added to his present estate, would make for him a grand total of 2,020 acres of land. The old cabin in which he first lived on coming to Washington County, has long since given place to a fine two-story brick residence, which is convenient in every respect. On the premises is probably the finest barn in Washington County, being 50x100 feet, 20-foot posts and 10-foot basement. It is fifty feet from the ground to the comb. The foundation is of natural stone work, three feet thick. It is erected upon the hillside, and therefore requires but three outside walls for the basement. The three walls contain 400 perch of stone. The roof required 60,000 shingles, and the sides, 8,000 feet of siding, made of inch flooring. There are twenty-nine windows in the barn, which is surmounted by a cupola ornamented with weather vanes. It will stable thirty head of horses, 100 head of cattle, and in addition, will hold 200 tons of hay. The barn was erected at a cost of $5,000, and was built just 100 years after the Declaration of Independence. About eighty feet from the house is a never-failing spring of water. By means of hydraulic pressure, water is furnished from this spring to both house and bar.

As already stated, few men are better known in Washington County than Robert W. Griffith, the pioneer of 1848. He has been industrious as the day was long, and in addition to his general farming, has made a specialty of stock-raising, which has been to him a source of considerable revenue. His grade of stock will compare favorably with that of any other farmer in Washington or adjoining counties. He has always been willing to lend a helping hand to every public enterprise, and in the construction of the railroads through his section of the county, has given much of his means. His home has always been a hospitable one, himself and wife doing all in their power to render comfortable and happy those spending tie beneath their roof. The poor, in him have always found a friend. No man stands higher in the estimation of the people than does Robert W. Griffith, the subject of this sketch. See portrait upon an adjoining page.

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington County, Iowa (1887). Excerpt from Biographical Sketch of Robert Griffith, page 371. Portrait found on page 370.