Sermon Texts from Abraham Pierson Killingworth 2nd Society

Family of James and Polly Griffin as recorded in the land deeds

James and Polly Needham Griffin

The history of James Griffin starts on page 336 in the Land Deeds Record, “James ye Son of Samuel and Mary Griffin as born July ye 23d, 1733”. James married Polly Needham Feb 24, 1757. The marriage is recorded on page 298. Their children are recorded on page 272. Killingworth had a wonderful tradition of reserving blank pages in the record books on which family records were gathered and recorded. The document lists: James Needham, March 29, 1760, Edward, May 8, 1762, Allen, May 5, 1766, Polly, March 25, 1769. James and Polly died at relatively young ages, dying the same day, August 17, 1774. The assumption is that they must have succumbed to one the epidemics that swept the Americas in that age. They are buried in the Indian River Cemetery in Clinton. Polly’s headstone reads, Polly wife of James. James’s records, Capt. Bishop’s Co. Fre. & Ind. War. As a result of their early demise we find very little in the historical record concerning how and where they lived. From the clues we do have it is possible to frame some idea of their lives. Other sections of the blog provided a view of their lives as members of the Griffin Clan in the community and at church. For James my assumption is that he took on the role of the oldest son and followed in his father’s footsteps. James and his father purchased very little property. This seems to indicate that they made a living as craftsmen rather than farmers. James and Polly’s children and grandchildren lived in present day Clinton, then the Congregational 1st Society of Killingworth. I think it’s a fair guess to assume that James was a carpenter by trade living in Clinton probably involved with the ship building industry that was thriving on a fairly large scale at that time. I think that he did very well. His headstone indicates that he held the rank of Captain in the Militia. Historically those positions were held by men of some stature in the communities in which they lived. These men were capable of recruiting and at times outfitting military units. Another indication of his success was mirrored in the success of his son Edward. His level of success usually indicated that he enjoyed advantages offered to the sons of successful fathers. Edward was a ships captain and latter a ship owner. The ships used at the time had values in excess of $40,000.00, a large sum of money. The records concerning their children are also a bit sketchy. James Needham married Polly Stevens of Killingworth on November 7, 1780. Census records indicate they had a least three children, two girls and a boy. Family histories identify the boy as James N. Griffin his father using the full Needham spelling. In Killingworth a Polly Griffin married a Nathaniel Hurd. Dates and the use of a prominent family name argue that she was the daughter of James Needham and Polly Stevens. Edward married Submit Dewolf, July 1, 1782. His children are identified in his will Henry, Charles Needham, Edward Hargreave, Fanny, Polly, Julia, and Submit. Allen appears one time in the historical record, the recording of his birth. Polly was born 1769. Her death was faithfully recorded in the records of Abraham Pierson, December 17, 1784.

Marriage Records for brothers James and Samuel Griffin

Fire Place similar to the Griffin House

Samuel and Mary's family as recorded in the Book of Land Deeds

Was Samuel Griffin in the maritime trades ?

Was Samuel Griffin involved in the maritime trades?
By a twist of fate it is the lack of certain historical clues that may point us to the occupation of Samuel Griffin. This information may in turn lead us to the discovery of where he was born and who his family was. Recent discoveries added together with negative evidence provides interesting clues as we search for Samuel Griffin. Life in early Killingworth revolved around the two Congregational congregations. They were referred to as the 1st and 2nd Societies. The first group of settlers in Killingworth settled along a strip of land in what is now modern day Clinton. Although primarily an agricultural society its location on Long Island Sound guaranteed a connection to the sea and the maritime trades; fishing, cargo hauling and shipbuilding. With the expansion north, the town grew to a point, where those in North Killingworth developed a desire for their own separate congregation, one closer to their homes, making church attendance, a somewhat mandatory activity by the norms of the day, a more convenient proposition. Such a division was always hard for these early communities but by 1735 Killingworth was divided into the 1st and 2nd Societies. The division not only represented a geographical division but also a division of interests. The northern congregation, the 2nd society, was referred to as the farmers. The 1st Society on the shoreline turned more and more to the sea. Locating a historical figure in either of these societies is the first step in figuring out what professions they may have pursued. In Samuel’s case its what we have not found that provides us with clues. The buying and selling of property was a very active and diligently recorded business in Killingworth. Samuel Jr. made numerous land transactions in accumulating a working farm. The same is true for his son Worden and his sister Thankful and her husband Nathan Buell. They all lived in the 2nd society. The same is true of all the families in the 2nd Society. But there is no evidence of Samuel buying or selling property. His son James was involved in only two land transaction involving a home lot. Subsequently we find James and his sons and grandsons living in Clinton with little or no farming property. James was referred to as a carpenter as was his son James Needham. His grandson James N. ended up in Boston working as a shipwright. James’s son Edward is referred to as Capt. Edward Griffin a wealthy sea captain. Their marriages and deaths are all recorded in Clinton in the 1st Society. In addition in a recently discovered deed we find Samuel Jr. selling his home lot as he made the move to Vermont with five of his sons. As part of the description of the property he lists a joiners shop. Did Samuel’s boys inherit a connection to wood working from their father? Does the fact that he owned very little property indicate that he earned his living as a craftsman? Did he live in Clinton? Did his son James take over the family business leading his progeny into the maritime trades, and thus not need to buy property himself? The history of Killingworth suggests you did one or the other. If not farming then was it the sea? A final clue comes from his grandson Edward Griffin. Edward made a number of land purchase all concerning town lots in Clinton. His goal seems to be the consolidation of his holding in one part of town. In one of his last purchases dated 1798 he includes a description of the property as being “bounded on the north and east by Samuel Griffin Lands”. Was it Samuel Griffin’s home lot? Had it remained in the family occupied by his father? I think so. To find the historical Samuel Griffin and his wife Mary Beckwith I think we need to turn our gaze to the sea.