Napa-Sonoma-Lake County CA Archives Biographies.....Griffith, Calvin C. 1830 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 9, 2005, 5:43 am Author: Lewis Publishing Co. CALVIN C. GRIFFITH, horticulturist, Napa County, who is one of the oldest pioneers of this place, having crossed the plains in 1845 with the new historical train that brought out the Hudsons, Yorks and many other well-known names in California, and that was the first train that brought wagons over the Sierra Nevadas. The hardships of that truly pioneer journey, the road-making through the mountains, is all a part of history and need not be enlarged upon here. Yet notwithstanding it all, and despite his sixty-one years, Mr. Griffith is still a young-looking, hardy, healthy as well as hard-working man. He was born in Chatham County, North Carolina, the son of James A. Griffith, and grandson of Mason Griffith, who served honorably throughout the Revolutionary war. On the father's side he is of an old Welsh family. On his mother's side the family is English, of the name of Rogers, also an old family, so that it will be seen Mr. Griffith comes of old families on both sides of the house. In 1835 the family removed to Macon County, Missouri, and engaged in farming and stock-raising. Ten years later, in 1845, the family set out as already mentioned for the West. Oregon was at first the destination, but meeting a man at Fort Hall, by name Greenwood, he gave them such glowing accounts of California that a part of the train, among them the subject of this sketch, set out for this place, under Greenwood's guidance. They reached Johnson's ranch, the first point in the Sacramento Valley, on October 17, and pushed on at once to Sutter's fort, glad enough to get a supply of fresh provisions. The Sacramento River was crossed on rafts, and on November 1, when at the Yount place in the Napa Valley. Mr. Griffith's father rented a portion of the Yount ranch, now owned by Colonel J. D. Fry, and put in grain. The outbreak of the Mexican war, shortly alter, however, disturbed all plans, and the family was forced to take refuge at Sonoma. The following incidents of that contest with its important results and the raising of the Bear flag, are related fully elsewhere and need not be gone into here. Mr. Griffith was a volunteer in Fremont's force, and saw active service for the greater portion of a year, being at the occupation of Los Angeles, and later at San Gabriel. In the spring of 1847 he was finally honorably discharged and returned at once to Sonoma. During this war he was first in the company commanded by Captain Hastings, was transferred at Monterey to that of Captain Sears, and in the southern country to Captain Hudspeth. He engaged in farming and stock-raising at Sonoma, although not there constantly. Mr. Griffith and Ben Moore were the men sent up to Clear Lake, in Lake County, after the murder of Kelsey and Stone by the Indians, to look after their cattle. They found Kelsey's head stuck in the window of their cabin. The Indians, however, did not molest them, but they had some very exciting adventures. Returning to the Napa Valley in 1853, he farmed near St. Helena till December, 1856. He then went to Sonoma County, near Santa Rosa, and engaged in agriculture until 1871, when he once more came to Napa Valley, after a short sojourn of four months at Knight's Valley, arid bought land near Rutherford. He then sold in 1883 and purchased his present place on the eastern edge of the valley, and where he resides with his family. He raises grapes, having a good-sized vineyard, hay, grain and stock. For four years past Mr. Griffith has been Road Master of road district No. 6, having forty-five miles of road under his charge. He is one of the most highly respected and popular men of the valley, known by everyone and regarded by all as an excellent citizen. He was married, September 6, 1855, to Miss Lydia Sensibaagh, at St. Helena. Mrs. Griffith is the daughter of Colonel Robert Sensibaugh, who has been a pioneer of more than one State, and is still living at the good old age of eighty-three years, in Wise County, Texas, to which place he went from California in 1861. Mrs. Griffith was born in Dade County, Missouri, in 1838, and came overland with her parents in 1852, residing from that time till the date of her marriage to Mr. Griffith in Napa Valley. Mr. Sensibaugh is of German descent, the son of Adam Sensibaugh. He married the daughter of Enoch Hudson, who was the father of the well-known Hudsons of Napa County. Mr. and Mrs. Griffith have seven children living and three deceased. The names of those living are: Oliver C., who is at San Francisco; Mary E., now Mrs. Harmon, and living at Los Angeles; Alice M., the wife of Fred W. Loeber, of St. Helena, a notice of whom appears elsewhere; Clara A., now Mrs. Taplin and residing near home; Albert G., farming in Chiles Valley; George and Jesse both at home. Additional Comments: Extracted from Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California. Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of Prominent Citizens of To-day. "A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendents." – Macauley. CHICAGO THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1891. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/napa/bios/griffith108nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 6.0 Kb