James Needham Griffin

James Needham was the oldest child of James Griffin and his wife Polly Needham. There is very little documentary evidence concerning James Needham Griffin and his family. His birth is recorded in the land records as March 29, 1760. His marriage to Polly Stevens on November 7, 1780 is found in the 1st Church of Killingworth Marriage Records, collected by the Rev. Fredrick Bailey, first published in 1906. The last piece of property he bought is recorded in Volume 18 of the land deeds on March 5, 1808. The 1790 Federal Census lists him in Killingworth, father of one son and two daughters. Data from the 1800 and 1810 census records are hard to track and interpret. There is no evidence of him in the 1820 Census. There is a record of the death of a James Griffin In Clinton in 1815. Whether or not this is James Needham is yet to be established. But what of his children? The story of those records is the story of Abraham Pierson. The source of many of the earliest vital records for many 17th and 18th Century American communities is contained in the volumes containing the land deeds. In early America the business of the English Crown was the distribution of land. This was accomplished by recruiting a group of prominent men and for a fee granting them the right to a section of land. This group, who were called the Proprietors, organized a survey, divided up the land and organized it for sale. The land was bought, sold and resold. This whole process was diligently recorded in the volumes of land deeds. The first volume usually contained the original land grant, the list of proprietors and the subsequent sale of the land. In the early days of a community the organization of the town, its officers and bylaws, road construction, taxes etc. were all recorded in these volumes. It also became a logical place to record the vital records: births, deaths and marriages. As each town grew the recording of these events transitioned to the churches and town clerks to be recorded in separate volumes. In Killingworth the books of land deeds was used much more extensive as a repository for these vital records. The driving force behind this effort was Abraham Pierson. As Killingworth grew it divided into the 1st and 2nd Societies of the Congregational Church. Abraham Pierson collected the records from the two societies and recorded the material in the land deeds creating, as it were; a master copy of the town’s records of is births, deaths and marriages. This became very important since much of the 1st Societies records were lost. Abraham’s efforts came to an end soon after 1800. The result is a gap in the records for the next forty years. It is in this gap that the families of James and his brother Edward were born. What we have for evidence is circumstantial but by its nature is still very compelling.

James Needham Griffin and Polly Stevens’ son was also named James Needham Griffin. To differentiate him from his father he was referred to as James N. Griffin. His direct descendants in their family histories and traditions have identified the connection although the name itself is proof enough. He married Jemima Rosseter and raised his family in the Killingworth Congregational 1st Society renamed Clinton in 1830. Evidence and hints from his family helps establish the identity of his sisters. His death is recorded in Clinton town records as December 1, 1863 at age 79 indicating a date of birth in 1784. The death record lists his occupation as a mechanic, indicates that he was widowed and that his cause of death was “injury by a fall”. Records lead me to believe that he inherited the original Samuel Griffin Homestead from his father who had also inherit it as the oldest son. In comparison to his contemporaries he bought and sold very little land but still had enough to gather his children close to him.

James Needhams' oldest child was Charlotte Griffin. There is no record of her birth, In Abraham Piersons personal notebook he records her marriage to Ansel Jones, January 9, 1800. The 2nd Society records list her death on September 27, 1804. Girls were marrying at about age 19 to 22 in that era arguing for a date of birth about 1781, her parents marrying in 1780. Although there were two other Griffin families in the area the date distribution for the births of the children argues that children born 1780 to 1790 belonged to James or his brother Edward. In addition the 2nd Griffin family group is well documented and easily identified. Records argue that all the Griffins in Clinton belonged to one or the other of the two groups.

Polly Griffin married Nathaniel Hurd, October 13,1806. In one of the most complete family records I have ever seen her birth is listed as February 9, 1787. Her birthday is consistent with a time frame for James and Pollys' children and its obvious that she was named after her mother. The evidence for her and her sister takes another interesting turn. Her sister having died in 1804, with the birth of her first daughter Polly gave her the name of Charlotte Griffin Hurd, not Charlotte but Charlotte Griffin. Anyone who has spent any time researching in this era can appreciate that this follows a rich tradition of honoring lost family members in such a fashion.

The arguments for the family of James and Polly is further played out in their extended family circle. James N. Griffin’s children were born in Clinton. Again there is no direct evidence of their connection to their father. In the marriage records for Clinton is recorded the marriage of a Susan Griffin to Zerah Brooks, December 31, 1843. In the 1860 Census James N. Griffin age 75 is part of the Brooks household. Also In Clinton is recorded the marriage of Maria Louisa Griffin to Zarah Brooks' brother Julius, September 22, 1839. In the 1850 Census living next to Maria Louisa and Julius is Chauncey Griffin whose age makes him a candidate to be Marias' brother. He is also buried next to Maria and her husband in the Indian River Cemetery in Clinton. In Chaunceys' will we find some intriguing connections. Dying with no family he leaves all of his property and possessions to Maria Louisa, who he identifies as Maria Louisa Griffin. In another twist he chooses Charlottes' husband Ansel Jones as the executor to his will. Also Susan Griffin Brooks, named a son Ansel Jones Brooks again seemingly a connection to her fathers’ sister Charlotte. In land records we find Ansel Jones providing mortgages for three of James N.’s children. Reviewing census records we see that these families all lived as neighbors. If you spend any amount of time studying the records for Clinton it becomes very obvious that these people shared a family connection. Dates place them in family groups.