Abraham D. Griffee Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1413-1414 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.


	ABRAHAM D. GRIFFEE, register of deeds of Potter county, is a 
native of the state of Iowa, having been born in the city of Oskaloosa, 
on the 21st of September, 1861, and being a son of Abraham and Nancy 
(Higgenbotham) Griffee, the former of whom was born in Virginia and the 
latter in Ohio, while their marriage was solemnized in the state of 
Ohio. The Griffee family is. of German extraction and was founded in the 
old and patrician state of Virginia in the early colonial era, with 
whose history the name has been prominently identified. The father of 
the subject was reared and educated in Virginia, and as a young man 
removed thence to Ohio, where he maintained his residence for a few 
years, and then about 1840, made the long overland journey to Iowa with 
team and wagon, being accompanied by his wife and their three children, 
the other four of the children in the family having been born in the 
Hawkeye state. He became one of the pioneers of Mahaska county, where he 
reclaimed and improved a valuable farm, and there he continued to reside 
until his death, which occurred in 1886. He became a man of prominence 
and distinctive influence in the community and passed away in the 
fullness of years and well-earned honors. His devoted wife was summoned 
into eternal rest in 1899, and of their children all are still living, 
the subject of this review having been the sixth in order of birth. 

	Abraham D. Griffee was born in the town of Oskaloosa, Iowa, and 
from his sixth year was reared on the farm and in his youth was accorded 
the advantages of the excellent public schools of his native state, 
completing a course in the high school at Oskaloosa. He continued to be 
associated in the work and management of the home farm until 1884, when 
he came to South Dakota and took up land in Faulk county, whose 
organization had been effected about a year previously. Upon this pre-
emption claim he made good improvements, the place being eligibly 
located near the village of Seneca, and there he continued to be engaged 
in farming and stock growing until 1893, while he still retains 
possession of the property, which has greatly appreciated in value in 
the intervening years. In the year mentioned he came to Gettysburg, the 
official center of Potter county, and here engaged in the grain 
business, owning an interest in the elevator here, and he continued to 
be identified with this line of enterprise for the ensuing five years, 
at the expiration of which he disposed of his interests in the same and 
turned his attention to the lumber business, at which he was engaged 
until 1900. In 1900 he was elected to the office of register of deeds of 
Potter county. He gave an able and systematic administration of the 
office and was chosen as his own successor in the fall of 1902, for a 
second term of two years. He manifests a lively interest in public 
affairs and is an uncompromising Democrat in his political adherency, 
having been an active worker in the party cause. Mr. Griffee is a man of 
ability and has been successful in his business affairs since casting in 
his lot with the people of South Dakota. In addition to his landed 
interests in Faulk county he is also the owner of valuable realty in 
Potter county. Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order, 
Knights of Pythias, Ancient Order of United Workmen, Modern Woodman of 
America and Independent Order of Odd Fellows. 

	On the 2d of February, 1886, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. 
Griffee to Miss Mary E. Douglas, who was born and reared in Lonaconing, 
Maryland, being a daughter of Capt. John W. and Ellen Douglas, and a 
sister of Herbert Douglas, who is now an official of the Crow Creek 
Indian reservation. Mr. and Mrs. Griffee have one daughter, Rhea, who 
was born on the 19th of July, 1887.