James and Polly Needham Griffin

The history of James Griffin starts on page 336 in the Land Deeds Record, “James ye Son of Samuel and Mary Griffin as born July ye 23d, 1733”. James married Polly Needham Feb 24, 1757. The marriage is recorded on page 298. Their children are recorded on page 272. Killingworth had a wonderful tradition of reserving blank pages in the record books on which family records were gathered and recorded. The document lists: James Needham, March 29, 1760, Edward, May 8, 1762, Allen, May 5, 1766, Polly, March 25, 1769. James and Polly died at relatively young ages, dying the same day, August 17, 1774. The assumption is that they must have succumbed to one the epidemics that swept the Americas in that age. They are buried in the Indian River Cemetery in Clinton. Polly’s headstone reads, Polly wife of James. James’s records, Capt. Bishop’s Co. Fre. & Ind. War. As a result of their early demise we find very little in the historical record concerning how and where they lived. From the clues we do have it is possible to frame some idea of their lives. Other sections of the blog provided a view of their lives as members of the Griffin Clan in the community and at church. For James my assumption is that he took on the role of the oldest son and followed in his father’s footsteps. James and his father purchased very little property. This seems to indicate that they made a living as craftsmen rather than farmers. James and Polly’s children and grandchildren lived in present day Clinton, then the Congregational 1st Society of Killingworth. I think it’s a fair guess to assume that James was a carpenter by trade living in Clinton probably involved with the ship building industry that was thriving on a fairly large scale at that time. I think that he did very well. His headstone indicates that he held the rank of Captain in the Militia. Historically those positions were held by men of some stature in the communities in which they lived. These men were capable of recruiting and at times outfitting military units. Another indication of his success was mirrored in the success of his son Edward. His level of success usually indicated that he enjoyed advantages offered to the sons of successful fathers. Edward was a ships captain and latter a ship owner. The ships used at the time had values in excess of $40,000.00, a large sum of money. The records concerning their children are also a bit sketchy. James Needham married Polly Stevens of Killingworth on November 7, 1780. Census records indicate they had a least three children, two girls and a boy. Family histories identify the boy as James N. Griffin his father using the full Needham spelling. In Killingworth a Polly Griffin married a Nathaniel Hurd. Dates and the use of a prominent family name argue that she was the daughter of James Needham and Polly Stevens. Edward married Submit Dewolf, July 1, 1782. His children are identified in his will Henry, Charles Needham, Edward Hargreave, Fanny, Polly, Julia, and Submit. Allen appears one time in the historical record, the recording of his birth. Polly was born 1769. Her death was faithfully recorded in the records of Abraham Pierson, December 17, 1784.