1890 Buchanan and Delaware Counties History pgs. 482-485
GEORGE W. GRIFFITH (deceased). In the strife and
turmoil of this life where present success is the end sought for without regard
to the means employed to attain it, much of the fine gold of human character is
often lost, frequently through the domination of the finer by the coarser qualities,
and frequently through a total neglect of the cultivation of the better
feelings and purposes by which men should be actuated. It is only now and
then that we meet men who have unselfishly devoted the labor of their lives to
the good of their fellow-men and the upbuilding of
the community in which they reside.
The
gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch was one whose life was
crowned with good deeds, and surely no citizen of Delaware county is
better entitled to space in this volume than he is. Years ago he came to this
county and settled on a farm in Colony township, which
he had entered the year previous under the United States land laws of that date. He started
in life with what nature had given him - willing hands, a strong constitution
and an abundance of good common sense. By his honesty, industry and
perseverance he accumulated some little money in early life and was ever
afterwards self-sustaining and always able, when he chose, to act independently
and in accordance with his own plans and purposes. The contemplation of the
life of such a man is useful because it inspires others to emulate his virtues
and live up to the full measure of their endowments.
Mr.
Griffith was a native of Shellsburg, Bedford county, Pa., as were also his parents, William
and Elizabeth (Wolf ) Griffith. Of these, little or
nothing has been preserved in the traditions of the family. They were of Welsh
descent, however, being descendants of a thrifty, strong and long-lived class
of people. William Griffith was for many years a merchant in Pennsylvania, carrying on that business
successfully and extensively. His wife died in Pennsylvania in middle life, and he spent his
last years in this county, at the home of our subject, passing away at an
advanced age. The household of which he was the head consisted of six children,
he of whom we write, being next to the youngest. The date when he first opened his
eyes to the light of the world, was January 4, 1823. His boyhood was passed in his
native place in the usual way common to the customs of those times. His
educational advantages were limited, but he received sufficient education to
enable him always in after life to transact his business with as much accuracy
as the average college-bred man. His early and first training was in the
mercantile business under his father, with whom he remained and to whom he gave
the benefits of his labors until he was sixteen years old. He then started out
in the world on his own account, going first to Ohio, where he followed canal boating
for several years, and thence to the lead and zinc regions of Wisconsin and
Illinois, where he followed mining several years, meeting with more than an
average degree of success. In 1846 he made his first trip to Delaware county,
and filed on a tract of land in the vicinity of Colesburg.
Returning to Wisconsin he married the following year, and
coming again to Iowa, with his young wife, settled on his place in Colony
township, Delaware county,
and at once began improving it. In a few years it developed into one of the
most desirable places in that section of the county. After coming to Iowa he was always engaged in the
peaceful pursuits of agriculture. There was nothing remarkable in his
personality or his history. He was a plain,
unostentatious man, being singularly free from any evidences of that grasping,
over-reaching spirit by which many men are prompted in seeking a foot-hold in a
new country. All the trials of a pioneer life Mr. Griffith went through with,
bearing his part courageously and discharging his whole duty as a citizen, with
faithful axactitude, never aspiring to be more than an humble citizen. In about 1875 he moved to Greeley, where he spent the
remainder of his life, passing away November 27, 1886, in the home of his adoption, a
place in which he always took much interest and for which he always exhibited
much attachment and spared no pains or expense to make beautiful and pleasant.
In politics
he was an uncompromising republican, yet he took no special interest in political matters, further than every good
citizen is expected to take. He held a great many minor offices in his town and township,
and, being at the head of a family, he of course always took
much interest in the schools of his locality and all the social organizations
affecting the peace and happiness of his
home. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, being one of the charter members of the Colesburg
Lodge and in which order he always
exhibited a keen interest. In the labor of making for himself a home out of the rude and inhospitable
elements of the West, Mr. Griffith was ably assisted by his faithful
wife, and this record would fail of one of its chief purposes if it did not
preserve this
fact in connection with his
history. Mrs. Griffith accompanied
her husband to this county and stood
by his side, helping him in all the struggles until his death, bearing him the
companionship he sought with her hand for more than forty years.
Mr. and
Mrs. Griffith were married in Wisconsin, November
19, 1846.
Mrs. Griffith was born in Bullitt county, Ky., August 17,
1829, and is
a daughter of Zeely and Elizabeth Williams, both of
whom were natives of Kentucky, where they also lived and died.
Mr. and
Mrs. Griffith had born to them nine children, viz.-Frances J., who is now the
wife of B. F. Smith, a commercial traveler of Cleveland, Ohio. They have two children, George G.
and Lottie F.
Mary E.,
now the wife of James H. Robison, a farmer in Honey Creek township,
this county. They have two children-Frank and Jennie.
Alice, now
the wife of Joseph Robison, a farmer in Honey Creek township,
this county. They have one son-Charles.
Abbie,
the wife of Henry Vorewald, a farmer in Colony township, this county. They have nine children, viz. -
Annie, Frank, Georgie, Clara, Rose, Ida, Edward,
Willie and Henry.
Nathan, the
only son, lives at Greeley and is managing his mother's
affairs. He is one of the enterprising farmers of Delaware county.
He is also manager of the Greeley
Creamery. He
married Miss Nancy Landis, of Delaware county.
The issue of this marriage has been five children, viz.-
Ida, George, Elsie, Alice and Jonnie.
Ida, the
wife of Harry Wilson, a commercial traveler residing at Greeley, has two children, viz.-Clyde and Florence.
Anna, wife
of Clayton Mark, secretary of the Chicago Malleable Iron Works, has three
children, viz.-Clarence, Alice and Clayton.
Emma, wife
of J. L. Malvin, of Vernon, Tex., has three children, viz.-Lela,
Fred and Frankie.
Maud, the youngest of the family, who is still single and at home, is a
young lady yet in her "teens" and a great favorite in society. She was educated at Fayette, Iowa, and is highly accomplished, her
favorite studies being those of painting and drawing. Her greatest
accomplishment, however, seems to be that of being able to make friends with
all those with whom she comes in contact.
Mrs.
Griffith is a lady still well preserved and although having been relieved of many of the cares of her home and property by her
son, she is still active and not often found idle. The home is located in the south
part of Greeley, and while without pretensions to elegance is enriched by
an air of culture and refinement, and a most delightful retreat from the work
and worry of this world.
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