Susan Amelia Griffin, Susan A. Calhoun, Susan A. Bradley

Identifying the children of Harry Allen Griffin has proven to be a formidable task. As the prodigal son he was left out of his fathers will. It seems he led a wanderer’s life a life at sea. We have been unable to find birth records for any of his children. Instead we have discovered them one by one in the New Haven County communities where they were born and raised their families. Harry lived in what is now Madison, Connecticut. Madison became a separate city in 1826 dividing off from Guilford. The town records that start in 1826 are detailed and well organized. Anyone spending any amount of time reviewing those records quickly becomes familiar with a set of patterns. Madison was a small place in the early 1800’s. The town clerks were very familiar with each family in Madison. For anyone who has spent anytime editing written material it’s easy to understand the clerk’s mindset. Being familiar with everyone in town they would edit for clarity. If two people shared a name they would consistently use a middle initial for clarification. If the party involved was from somewhere other than Madison that information was always added. Based on this familiarity with the Madison records we have been able to identify two of Harry’s children. There was only one permanent Griffin family in Madison that of Harry Allen Griffin. In the town records we find the marriage certificate for the marriage of William L. Griffing to Fanny M. Bradley, which notes “ both of Madison” dated July 16, 1849. In the town records the marriage is again recorded with the ages of the young couple listed as 24 and 19. We find the young couple in Clinton in the 1850 census. After that they seem to disappear. In a land record we find a deed recorded under William’s name in which Fanny Margaret Griffin receives her inheritance from her father Benjamin Bradley whose wife Fanny is also noted. The age of 24 on his marriage record puts William’s date of birth at 1825 a match for the census records for Harry’s family.------ We also found a death record for a Susan A. Bradley. The record, spread across two pages of the ledger, lists her, as Susan A. Bradley age 68 died April 8, 1893. It notes that she was born in Madison. On the 2nd page is listed the cause of death and it lists her father as Harry Griffin( Harry's wife was Ursula Wright). Her marriage certificate is also found in Madison. It notes that Albert Calhoun of Killingworth married Susan Amelia Griffing of Madison February 1, 1846. Albert and Susan, like her brother William, also made their home in Clinton. In the 1860 census we find listed Albert Calhoun 36, Susan Calhoun 37, Catherine 13, Jane (after her aunt Jane Ann) 10, Elisha 9, Alfred 6, Fanny 4, Franklin age 2. Apparently the couple returned for a time to Madison where one of their children was born. The town records note that Fanny M. Calhoun was born March 17, 1856 (age 4 in the 1860 census) to Albert Calhoun and Susan Griffing Calhoun. Fanny was apparently named after her uncle William’s wife. History shows that Albert died while serving in the Civil War in 1863. In the 1870 census Susan has remarried to William J. Bradley. The family, including the Calhoun children, is living in Essex. The census lists William J. Bradley 34, Susan A. Bradley 42, Alfred Calhoun 13, Fanny 12, Frank 11, Albert 9, and Susan Bradley age 2 The town records note Susan’s birth in 1868 her parents listed as William J. Bradley and Susan A. Bradley. Susan and William are buried in the Hammonesset Cemetery in Madison. Her headstone notes that she was the wife of W. J. death on April 8, 1893. Next to her is William J. Bradley, Civil War soldier, died September 28, 1916.------ Susan Amelia Griffing 1823/4 to April 8, 1893 / Harry Allen Griffin / Edward / James / Samuel Griffin.------William L. Griffing 1825 to sometime after 1850. / Harry Allen Griffin / Edward / James / Samuel Griffin. Click on images to enlarge.