Harrison Griffin, Essex, Vermont, 1813-1895

Harrison Griffin was the youngest son in the family of Samuel Griffin and Sylvia Bradley. There are no surviving records that supply us with his date of birth. The census records indicate that he was probably born in 1813 in Essex, Vermont. The best hint comes from a letter written by his sister Electa to his brother Albert. The lettter is dated January 6, 1895. Elect wrote, "I recieved a photograph of Harrison's house and family he sat in his large chair, his hair is white as snow also his beard he is 82 in January. There is a commonly used date of death for Harrison December 12, 1890. Family tradition suggests that at the time of his death he was living in Colchester. There is a strong argument against the 1890 date. His wife Sylvia’s date of death was in 1895. In her death record she is listed as “married.” That document argues that Harrison died after 1895. Also there is a letter written by his brother, Albert, to his son, Charles, also dated in 1895, that referenced a living 82 year old brother Harrison. By 1890 and beyond both Colchester and Essex were keeping very detailed death records. It is easy to find the death records for both of Harrison’s wives but there is no record in either of those places for the death of Harrison Griffin. The same is true for his burial location. ---------- Harrison grew up on his father’s farm in the area know as the Lost Nation. By the time he was a teenager his father had amassed several hundred acres of farm and pasture land. The family history indicates that the Griffin’s were a typical farm family. This means that Harrison grew up working side by side with his siblings. The surviving family letters paint a picture of a very close family of modest means. The one thing they seemed to be rich in is foodstuff. There are descriptions of fruit orchards and maple groves. There are discussions of sheep herds. In surviving family letters there are wishes that the missing sibling were there to enjoy a good ham and beans supper. There are letter entries discussing the best potato varieties. One of the constant themes in the extended family is a reference to cutting timber and clearing new land. ---------- Harrison made his first land purchases from his brother Orlow and his father Samuel. Harrison bought and sold property until he settled on a farm in what is now Essex Junction. The farm was centered on the adjoining lots 28 and 33. You can find Harrison’s farm identified in the 1869 map of Essex. One of the landmarks for his property is the location of the Griffin School. In 1853 Harrison and Phebe Griffin sold a portion of their property to School District No-2. ---------- There are a number of purposed locations for the marriage of Harrison and Phebe S Larkin. We have posted a copy of the original marriage certificate below. The record is found in the Williston town records it is dated “This 6th day of Oct. 1841”. It is between Harrison Griffin of Essex and Phebe S Larkin of “Beekmantown in the State of New York”. ----------- Most of the current family histories for Harrison and Phebe are unclear on where Phebe was born and who her parents where. In her death record for example in the section that usually lists a person’s parents a listing, which often includes a mother’s maiden name there is only written “Larkin”. ---------- The hint for finding Phebe’s family is the hint of Beekmantown, N.Y found in her marriage record. It may seem out of place for a marriage in Williston, Vermont to include a person from Beekmantown, N.Y. until you refer to a map. On a map you will see that Beekmantown was located on the New York side of Lake Champlain across from Burlington and Essex. ---------- From the records of upper New York there are detailed well-documented records for the family of Hiram Larkin and Mary Marshall. The records include that of their daughter Phebe Sophia Larkin born in Beekmantown February 2, 1823. ---------- If you reference the history of Hiram, looking on web sites such as Ancesrtry.com, you will find posted a copy of his will. In the will he references his grandchildren, Ella and Ida Griffin who we recognize as the daughters of Harrison and Phebe Larkin Griffin. --------- Childbirth was not kind to Harrison and Phebe. There are five small headstones in the Griffin Plot in the Essex Common Burial Ground that reference Harrison and Phebe S Griffin. ---------- Griffin, infant son, June 18, 1842 ---------- Griffin, infant son Oct 12, 1843 ---------- Griffin, infant son Sep18, 1844 ---------- Griffin, infant dau June 21, 1845 ---------- Griffin, infant son Mar 5, 1848 ---------- The couple eventually had two daughters, Ella P Griffin born November 4, 1851 and Ida A Griffin born September 1855. There is a listing for Harrison, Ella and Ida Griffin in the school records in Essex. ---------- Phebe S Griffin’s death record, at the age of 34 years and 13 days, is found in the Essex town records. It is dated February 21st 1857. It lists the cause of death as ‘consumption”. There is evidence that whosoever supplied the vital information to the town clerk did not have much to offer. Under place of birth they entered “Essex” and under “Parents” they simple entered “Larkin” instead of the usually definitive identify found in most death records. ---------- We find a marriage record for Harrison Griffin, age 44, born, Essex and Sylvia M Baker, age 36, born Colchester, in the Colchester, VT town records. The marriage certificate is dated September 22, 1857. ---------- Found in the Essex town records is a birth record for “Dan B Griffin”. It is dated March 18 under the year 1860. Dan’s parents are identified as Harrison Griffin & Sylvia Baker. Likewise under the year 1863 we find record for the birth of Mariah E Griffin. The date is March 15. Mariah’s parents are identified as Harrison & Sylvia Griffin. ---------- There is a death record for Sylvia in the Essex town records. It is dated September 6, 1895. She is listed as Sylvia M Baker Griffin, age 73 years 5 months and 5 days, Female, married. Born in Colchester her parents are listed as Elisha and Melissa Baker. ---------- Harrison and Phebe are recorded in the 1850 Census in Essex. We find Harrison’s family living in Essex in the 1860, 1870 and 1880 census records. In the 1870 census we find listed in the household of Harrison and Sylvia Griffin, Ella-18, Ida A-14, Dan B-10, Maria E-7. ---------- In a letter written to his brother, Albert, dated April 4, 1871 Harrison wrote, ---------- “I have two girls, one past 19 and the other past 15 by my first wife & one boy past 11 and one girl past 8 by my 2 wife”. ---------- The 1880 Essex census lists the household of Harrison and Sylvia Griffin and their two children, Dan and Maria. Living next door we find the household of Miles Cunningham and his wife Ella. We find a marriage record in the Marriage Index of the Burlington, VT town records for a Miles Cunningham and Ella Griffin dated September 25, 1876. Ella and Miles raised a family of six in Burlington, VT. Ella’s death recorded is found in the Burlington town records. The record provides a date of birth, November 4, 1851 and date of death December 11, 1917. Her parents are listed as Harrison Griffin and Phebe Larkin. --------- We have been able to trace a marriage record for Ida in Massachusetts. The marriage is registered in Clinton, Worcester, Mass. Dated July 20, 1878 it is between Ida A Griffin, age 22, born Essex, VT, parents Harrison and Sophia and George L Taylor also age 22 of Massachusetts. Ida and George Taylor made their home in Bolton, Mass. The 1900 census lists her date of birth as Sept. 1855. It also notes that she did not have any children. There is a death record for Ida in Bolton dated April 4, 1918. It lists her as “Ida A Taylor wife of Geo. Taylor”. Her age is give as, 62 years, 6 months, 6 days. (September 28, 1855) It notes that she was born in Essex Junction, VT the daughter of Harrison Griffin of Vermont and Sylvia Larkin of New York. Note that she gave her stepmother’s fists name and her birth mother’s last name as well as her birth mother’s place of birth, New York. Ida was two years old at the time of her mother’s death Sylvia was the only mother she had know. --------- Dan B Griffin was born in Essex March 18, 1860. You can track Dan in the census records in Colchester. The census records indicate that he was a naturalist for the State of Vermont. Dan never married. There is a Death Certificate for “Daniel B Griffin” in the Colchester, VT town records. It lists his date of death as June 19, 1921 the son of Harrison B Griffin. ---------- Maria E Griffin was born March 15, 1863 in Essex VT. Her death record is also found in the Colchester town records. The date of record is February 5, 1898. It gives her full name as Eunice Maria Griffin; age 33 years, 11 months 5 days. It list her place of birth as Essex, VT the daughter of Harrison and Sylvia Griffin. It also notes that she was “single”.