Sisters Sabra and Maryetta Griffin Havens

Worden Griffin was born September 6, 1772 in Killingworth, Middlesex Co, Connecticut. His birth is recorded in the Killingworth Congregational 2nd Society records. He was the son of Samuel Griffin Jr. and his 3rd wife Mercy Bailey. ------------ Worden grew up on the Griffin Lot on Roast Meat Hill with his 10 siblings. In the late 1790s when his father and brothers made the move to Vermont, Worden stayed behind having either purchased or inherited most of his father’s property. Worden died February 17, 1847 and rests in the Burying Yard next to his wife Rhoda Hull. The Burying Yard is separated from the home lot by a stacked rock fence.---------- Rhoda was born in Killingworth October 19, 1773. She died one year after Worden on December 9, 1848. They married February 15, 1796 the marriage is recorded in the Killingworth town records. ----------- There are very good records available for Killingworth. Many of the town records were entered into pages in the land deed ledgers. In addition the Congregational Society kept detailed records. In addition the Society’s leading Deacon, Abraham Pierson, kept a personal record of births, deaths and marriages. That record keeping came to an abrupt end in 1802. In those records you can find the birth records for 3 of Worden’s children, Harmon Mercy and Sabra. In addition the census records note that there was a 4th child a female born into the family between the years 1800 and 1810. Who this 4th daughter was and who she may have married remained a mystery for a long time.--------------- Sabra Steevens Griffin’s birth is recorded in both the Society records and in Pierson’s Journal on Nov 27, 1796. That is the only record for Sabra in Killingworth. Most of what we know of Sabra comes from the family histories written by the family of Silas Havens of Niantic/East Lyme Connecticut. Sabra and Silas probably married in about 1814. The Haven histories note that Sabra Griffin’s parents were Worden Griffin of Middlesex, Ct and his wife Rhoda Hull. They note that Rhoda was the seventh daughter in her household. In the world of folk magic and medicine that coincidence was considered to be providential. These family details are a perfect match for our Worden and Rhoda Hull Griffin. In addition the Griffin siblings used many of the same family names in naming their children. --------------- The Havens histories note that Silas married Sabra Griffin. On her early death they note that Silas then married Sabra’s sister who they called Marietta/Maryetta. In Silas’s pension records for the War of 1812 his widows are listed by their maiden names Sabra Griffin and Maryetta Griffin. Looking for the identity of Sabra’s sister in the Killingworth records they came up with the only other sister on record in the family of Worden Griffin, Mercy. That is why many of the early genealogies refer to Silas’s 2nd wife as Mercy Marietta/Maryetta. ---------------- Within the last ten years the true identity of Mercy Griffin has came to light. Mercy married Daniel Stevens. Together they raised a large family in Killingworth. We have documented that family in the Blog. So if the 2nd wife was not Mercy who was she? It turns out that Maryetta was the female child listed in the 1810 census who was unnamed in the Killingworth records. Silas, Sabra and Maryetta share a headstone in the Union Cemetery in East Lyme, Connecticut.------------- Sabra and Silas had 5 children, Charles, William, Abigail/Abby, Julia and Eliza. Sabra died on February 28, 1826 at the tender age of 30. Probably living in her household was her sister Marietta. Her name is alternate spelled Marietta or Maryetta. Silas married the younger Griffin sister September 24, 1826.------------ The census records record the birth of a female child in the household of Worden Griffin of Killingworth, CT in the 1810 census. The census notes that see was born in the time span of 1800 to 1810. The Havens family records Maryette’s birth as December 1809. Her headstone notes her death on April 13, 1884 at the age of 74. Silas and Maryetta had a family of 12 children, Silas, Sabra Angeline, Cynthia Marietta, Sanford Wilson, Joseph Francis, Nelson Monroe, Melissa Jane, Alfred Worden, Sophia Amelia, Theresa Florilla, Wilson Edson and Herman Edgar.------------------ Sabra-Maryetta / Worden / Samuel / Samuel Griffin Sen. of Killingworth, CT