Untitled From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette, Wisconsin, publ. 1901 - page 310-312

SAMUEL GRIFFITH, formerly foreman of the Rand & Laflin Powder Works at Platteville is now living on a farm in the town of Harrison, Grant county, and is spending the last measure of his life in the enjoyment of leisure and comfort that he has richly earned by years of honest industry and unbending integrity.

Mr. GRIFFITH was born in Ebensburg, Cambria Co., Penn., in October, 1838, son of Griffith and Hannah (RESE) GRIFFITH, natives of Wales and Cambria county, Penn., respectively. His parents moved to Platteville, Wis., in the fall of 1840, and spent their last days in this State, the mother dying in 1846, and the father in 1850. They left a family of five young children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the eldest. The eldest daughter, Harriet, born in Platteville, after her father's death returned to Pennsylvania, grew to womanhood, and married John TIBBIT; they are still living in Cambria county, that State. George, born in Platteville in 1843, died when ten years old. Newton, born in 1845, was a soldier in the Union army during the Civil war and was killed at the battle of the Wilderness. David, born in 1846, was drowned at Platteville in boyhood.

Samuel GRIFFITH obtained his early education in the schools of Platteville and at Ebensburg, whither he was sent after his father's death. He remained in Pennsylvania until 1859, when he came back to Wisconsin, and secured employment in the powder works of Rand & Laflin, of which in after years he became foreman, serving in that capacity from 1872 to 1894. The young powder-maker enlisted in August, 1862, as a member of Company E, 25th Wis. V.I. He was at the siege of Vicksburg, the battle of Chattanooga, and on Sherman's march to the sea; was a participant in the fierce fighting around Atlanta, the battle of Decatur, and in many other fierce and bloody struggles. He survived the perils of that might war, and returned home after close, to resume his position in the powder works.

Mr. GRIFFITH and Miss Margaret TRAVIS were united in marriage in 1877. Mrs. GRIFFITH is a member of one of the first pioneer families of Grant county, being a daughter of Abram and Sarah (CRAMIER) TRAVIS. Her father was born in Pennsylvania in 1798, was a soldier in the Black Hawk war, under Capt. Gentry and Major Roundtree. The mother was born in 1835 and came to Wisconsin the following year , by wagon, settling in the town of Harrison, Grant county, where he entered a large tract of government land. He put up a large hewed-log house, which was his home for ten years, and is still standing, in a good state of preservation. In 1846 he put up the house which Mr. GRIFFITH and his wife, Mr. TRAVIS' second daughter, now occupy. Mr. and Mrs. TRAVIS lived in this home as long as they were spared. Mr. TRAVIS was an Old-line Whig, and the first election in the town of Harrison was held in his own log house. He was widely known all over the country, where he was largely engaged in mining. He died in 1853, and she survived until 1894, reaching the venerable age of eighty-one years. Mrs. TRAVIS married for her second husband John PETTY, by whom she had one son, Moses, now a resident of Platteville. John PETTY is still living, hale and hearty for one of his years, and makes his home on the old farm. Seven of the children born to Abram and Sarah TRAVIS attained mature life, and came to occupy an honorable position in the world. Buckless C., his oldest child, was born on the present home in 1837, and was the first white child born between the Plattes; he married Miss Mary VANNETTA, and they live in Grand Island, Neb., and have seven children living. George W., born in the town of Harrison, Grant county, Aug. 24, 1839, is now a resident of Idaho. John H., born in Grant county in 1841, is a merchant of Loup City, Neb.; he is married, and has a family of eight children, James, Abraham, David, Anna, Nelly, Etta, Mollie, and Jessie. Mahala, born in 1843, is the wife of David C. PHILIPS, of Dubuque, Iowa, and has one daughter, Maggie, now Mrs. John KRUGER, of Chicago. Margaret, the wife of Samuel GRIFFITH, was born at their present home June 28, 1847, obtained her education in the public schools, and here has largely spent her life. Anthony, born in 1849, now resides in Loup City, Neb., where he is a merchant. Abram, born in 1852, migrated to the far West in his early manhood, and settled in Nevada, where he married Miss Julia EDWARDS; after their marriage the young couple moved on to California, where they lived many years, and where Mr. TRAVIS died in 1895, leaving his wife and one son, John.

After his marriage Mr. GRIFFITH bought the old TRAVIS homestead, where he has made his home to the present time. They have no children, but Mrs. GRIFFITH has brought up the son of her brother, Robert, who is now a young man and is making his home with them. Mr. GRIFFITH has always been identified with the Republican party, and was much interested in politics in his early life, when he worked as a printer in the office of the Cambria (Penn.) Times. He is a member of Sherman Post, No. 66, Grand Army of the Republic, at Platteville, and takes much interest in its associations. For thirty years he has been a member of the I.O.O.F., and belongs to Platteville Lodge, No. 6. Mr. GRIFFITH is one of the solid men of the county and has many warm friends. Mrs. GRIFFITH is a woman of fine character and much housewifely ability, an efficient worker in all benevolent causes and societies, and her home is always open to the needy and friendless. She is a member of the Rachel Rebekahs and the Order of the Eastern Star.




This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck