Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 867
WILLIAM GRIFFITH

William GRIFFITH, a farmer of section 8, Allen Township, has been a resident of Harrison County for a third of a century, coming as he did to those parts in the spring in 1868, when all was yet new and wild and the signs of civilized life were few and far between. He came to the county with his parents, being only sixteen years of age at the time. He remained at home until he had reached the years of his majority. He then worked out by the month and learned the carpenter's trade, which business he followed for seven years, and then bought the place he now occupies, consisting of one hundred and twenty acres. This was wild land, and he set about breaking it up, and erected a house, 16x24 feet, with a wing; he also set out an orchard, provided shade trees, and now has all enclosed within a fence and seventy five acres under the plow, while the balnce is pasture and meadow land.

Our subject was born in Pennsylvania, in October, 1853. He is the son of Amos and Elizabeth GRIFFITH, both natives of Pennsylvania. They had a family of eight children, and our subject was the sixth in the family. The children were named as follows: Thomas (deceased), Mary, Emma, Martha (deceased), Leonard, William, Frannie (deceased) and Isabel.

Our subject remained in the Keystone State until fifteen years of age; when he came to Iowa. He obtained an ordinary common school education, but commenced life with no other capital than a sound mind and a strong constitution. His father enlisted when he was a small boy, and while his father served his country in the civil War, his family saw many hardships in consequence of his absence. About 1870, before our subject bought a farm in Iowa, he spent aobut eight months in Texas and then spent a year in Illinois.

He was united in marriage October 5, 1880, to Dorthula J. COFFMAN, the daughter of Pleassant and Margaret COFFMAN, natives of Iowa and Virginia respectively, who reared a family of seven children�George, James, Dorthula (deceased), William, Dora, Alice, and Wallace (deceased).

Our subject's wife died april 19, 1891, leaving a family of four children�Amos J., born October 24, 1882; Marion R., October 21, 1884; Jacob B., Marach 5, 1886; and Nora, January 4, 1890.

Mrs. Dorthula J. GRIFFITH (wife of our subject), was born in Apanoose County, Iowa, December 15, 1862, and while yet very small emigrated with her parents to Utah, where they all remained several years, returning to Iowa in 1867 and settling in Harrison County, where they have since remained. The deceased received a good common-school education and was an honored member of society.

Politically, our subject is in sympathy with the Farmers' Alliance movement. He belongs to Mondamin Lodge, NO. 392, I.O.O.F.

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