Phebe Elizabeth Griffin 1823

Phebe Elizabeth Griffin died as a very young women leaving but a very faint footprint in history for us to follow. Her headstone in the Indian River Cemetery reads “Phebe Elizabeth Grinnell, wife of Giles C., d. Feb 2, 1847 age 24”. In the town records we find her marriage record. “This may certify the Giles C Grinnell and Elizabeth Griffin both of Clinton were by me this day lawfully joined in marriage, Clinton June 10, 1846 E. L. Huntington Minister of the Gospel”. The Reverend Huntington was pastor of the Killingworth Congregational 1st Society. He married most of the Griffin girls but arrived in Clinton too late to marry the oldest sister Maria Louisa. Phebe’s name appears in several deed records as Phebe Elizabeth Griffin. All of the deeds are associated with the property formerly belonging to Mary Griffin or James Griffin. The extended Griffin family seems to be clustered around those properties. Seemingly there are no direct links to her parents. But, when viewed as part of the mosaic that is the history of Clinton we find her clearly in the family picture of James Needham Griffin Jr. and his wife Jemima Rossiter.------ Giles was born in Essex, Connecticut probably about 1821 to William Grinnell and his wife Lucretia Luskin. The family later moved to Clinton. After Phebe’s death Giles remarried taking Harriet E. Spencer as his 2nd wife. Deed records demonstrate that he remained close to the rest of Phebe’s family. Giles is listed in the town history of Clinton numbered among its prominent merchants his business, Boots and Shoes. Giles represented Clinton in the Connecticut General Assembly in the years 1877 and 1878. He is buried in the family plot in the Indian River Cemetery next to his two wives and several of his children the date recorded as December 23, 1886 at the age of 65.------ Phebe and Giles had one child, a son Charles, he too died very young, His headstone reads “Charles C. Grinnell son of G. C. and P. E. d., Oct 19, 1849, age 2 yrs, 8 mos, 17 dys”. A simple calculation puts his date of birth on the same date as his mother’s death. We have posted a deed record in which he inherits the property previous owned by his mother in conjunction with Chauncey Griffin.------ Phebe Elizabeth / James N / James Needham / James / Samuel.