Cerona Griffin Piper

We would like to present a family story submitted by a descendant of Cerona Ellen Griffin. Cerona was born in Copley, Summit County, Ohio in 1835 to Charles N. Griffin and Elizabeth Bell. Their story is part of the Blog. She married Henry G. Piper. Together Cerona and Henry raised a large family in Michigan. Her family tree is Cerona/Charles N. /Edward/James/Samuel Griffin. An amazing part of the story of Samuel and Mary Griffin, who started a family in 1728 in Killingworth, Connecticut, is how far and wide their family roots have spread, in this case, all the way to New Mexico. My name is Tom Howorth and I link to the Griffin family tree through my Great-Great Grandmother Cerona Ellen Griffin. Cerona was married to Henry G. Piper. They had a son, Harry Griffin Piper, who was married to Elizabeth Soule (ancestor of George Soule from the Mayflower). Their son, Marshall LaVern Piper, is my Grandfather and was married to Sarah Jane Jenks. My parents are Charles and Joan Howorth. What follows is part of a diary that my Grandmother (Sarah Piper) has kept since she was married until today. She is now 93 years old. The text in brackets are my additions for clarification. Excerpt from the journals of Sarah (Jenks) Piper [my maternal grandmother] 1896 Feb 10 Harry Griffin Piper & Elizabeth Soule were married in Sheridan, Michigan. They started their lives together by taking up a homestead at Moddersville, MI. They drove their cattle from Sheridan up there. The first born, a girl, was stillborn from a fall. Leah was born Feb 7, 1898. Clarence come along Dec 28, 1900. Agnes was born May 3, 1903. Charles was born Dec 2, 1906. Emma was born April 22, 1908. Leah was sickly and Dad had a bit of TB [tuberculosis]. They decided to go West for their health. The Shraugers went to homestead in Las Vegas, New Mexico too. The land was given to them. In the Spring (Sept) of 1909, the men went on ahead to make the settlement. Harry Piper, John Almo, Frank & Harold Shrauger settled within a three mile radius. The wives and families left by train from Sheridan later and headed for the West. They were 35 miles East of Las Vegas. A big canyon was to the South & West of the folks where there was a flowing well. Mother took her washing there to do it. The others had windmills. The school & community building was to the West of them about two miles. Jan 26, 1911 Ethel was born ahead of time. A doctor had to come from Vegas to help. Only time Mother [Elizabeth] had a doctor. Marshall came July 16, 1914. Robert was born Sept. 18, 1917. The flu hit the US in 1918 & 1919 and Leah her husband, Bill Mathews, died in the hospital. Mother had to help there too. In 1921, Aug 17, Glen was born real small. A teacup fit over his head. He was carried on a pillow. The drought come for the next two years. The ground dried up and the crops all blew into the canyon. In 1923, the men started working their way back to Michigan. The women packed their clothes in trunks and left the homes as they lived in them. They come from Las Vegas by train. Mother had Charles, Emma, Ethel, Marshall, Robert & Glen. Agnes come on before with Mart Sherd. Clarence was working on the Bell Ranch. They stayed with Grandma Soule and Dad [Harry] did day work for Uncle Mart Sherd and other farmers. In 1924, they rented Uncle Vern Sherd’s farm. The kids went to the Castle School. Mother took care of a dwarf lady, Clara Supp after her stroke in 1929. She gave the folks [folks=Elizabeth and Harry] her farm then when she died. They lived there then. Clarence fell with a horse and met Faye Stanfield in the hospital & married her. TB of the bone set in and he died 1933. Charlie and Agnes took the folks out to Tucumcari, N.M. for the funeral after Charlie & Mart rode a [motor]cycle out to see Clarence earlier. Mart [my grandma’s nickname for grandpa, Marshall] & I [Sarah] married April 24, 1937 and we bought the 90 acre farm from the folks May 3, 1939 after Joan [my mother] was born Jan 1, 1939. The folks moved into Tillic North’s House, where we moved from across the road. Dad Piper died May 14, 1940 after Son [my uncle Lee Piper was nicknamed “Son”] was born April 28, 1940. Mother & Glen moved to the Albert Warren house in 1941. Jan 14, 1942 Glen & Eleanor were married. Mother started working for people. Later she had to stay around with the kids until she died Oct. 26, 1959. They are both buried at the Sunny Hill Cemetery, North of Palo, and East and South of Fenwick, Michigan. Below is the death record for Cerona. The first document lists, among other items, the date, the second part lists her parents.