Jane Ann Griffing Bradley

A search of census, church and city records seem to indicate that Harry Allen Griffin was the father of 10 children. Harry’s primary occupation was as a sailor a heritage from his father. Local histories suggest that the ships from the coast of Connecticut mainly plied their trade in the Long Island Sound and on to the Caribbean islands. If this were true Harry could have been gone for extended periods but in all likelihood he did not take long sea voyages of months or years duration. Nevertheless I think his life as a sailor is the reason that his family is not found in the Connecticut records. There is no record of him in the 1820 or 1840 census records. His lack of permanence or church connections means there is very little documentary evidence for his children. There is a death record for a unnamed child in Guilford but the only other family connections we have comes from families who have traced their family tree backward to Harry Allen Griffin. One of these family trees traces their linage back to Harry and his wife Ursula Wright Dickinson’s daughter Jane Ann Griffing. In the archives of the New Haven Palldium there is a notice of the marriage of Jane Ann Griffing to John Curtis Bradley December 4, 1846. In the New Haven town records is the record of her death. She is identified as Bradley, Jane A. Her maiden name Griffing, wife of John Bradley, parents, Harry and Ursula. The date, December 20, 1890 at the age of 61 years, 8 months and 20 days that calculates to a date of birth on about April 1, 1829. The location of her birth is given as Madison. In the same town records is the death notice for her husband John, dated March 9, 1893, John C Bradley, birth: Cromwell (Middlesex County, Connecticut), occupation: agent, parents: John and Sarah, Ireland. John’s parents later made their home in Wallingford, New Haven County. Jane and John raised their family in Gilford. John is referred to in most records as a peddler or agent. My translation is that he made his living selling a specific line of products for a company. We find the birth records for all of their children except Angeline in the Guilford town records. Ellis, born December 7, 1849------ Ida, January 10, 1854------Etta, February 11, 1855------ John Bertrand, April 10, 1859------ The first 4 children are identified as the children of John Bradley and Jane Griffing, the remainder as the children of John. ------Susan, born December 17, 1861 the record also notes her death February 21, 1863------ George, May 30, 1866------ Jennie, November 7, 1867. We also have a death record for George from the New Haven records . George died on November 13, 1893. The record names his parents John and Jane. We also have a copy of John Bertrand’s marriage record. There is not a record for the birth of Angeline in the Guilford records. We do however have a birth record for her 1st child Benjamin. His parents are identified as Odell Stevens and Angeline A. Bradley. The transcripts from the Meeting House Hill Cemetery in North Guilford lists a family plot for part of the family. “Ellis D. Bradley, son of John & Jane A., died May 15, 1863, age 14.” Sgt. John Bradley. Co. F. 7th Regt. C.V.. died March 10, 1893, Civil War-State Stone”. “Susie I. Bradley, daughter of John & Jane A., died Feb 20, 1862. Age 2 yrs. 3 mos.” Some of the dates in the transcript differ from other records. The definitive work on this family tree was done by Ellen Wright. She lists the family as ; Angeline A. 1848-1949------Ellis Dexter 1849-1864------Ida Jane 1853-1934------Etta M. 1855------John B 1859------Susan Irene 1861-1863------George 1866-1893------Jennie Ursula 1867.------Jane Ann / Harry Allen / Edward / James / Samuel Griffin.------Here are a few documents from the life of Jane Ann Griffin; 1-2- Her death record. 3-4- John Bradley’s death record. 5-6- George’s death record. 7-13- Birth records for all of her children except Angeline. 14- Marriage record for John. 15- Birth record for Angeline’s son Benjamin. Click on images to enlarge.