Laramie County WY Archives Biographies.....Griffin, James H. 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 June 19, 2009, 2:55 am

Author: Bowen & Co. (1903)

JAMES H. GRIFFIN.

    Among the more prominent of the oldtime citizens of the state of Wyoming, is
Mr. James H. Griffin, a native of Dearborn county, Indiana, who came to the
territory of Wyoming in 1875 and has since seen the country west of the Missouri
River pass through all of its stages of development from the wilderness and the
barren alkali desert to its present civilization. He comes of a family of
pioneers, being the son of David and Elizabeth (Andrews) Griffin, the former a
native of Virginia and the latter of Indiana. The father came to Indiana with
his parents from the Old Dominion when but one year old, in 1810, and grew up
with and took part in the development of the great Middle West. Not having a
taste for farming in which occupation his father was engaged, David Griffin
served an apprenticeship to and learned the profession of piloting on the Ohio
and Mississippi Rivers and followed that responsible profession during all the
years of his active life, voyaging between Pittsburg and New Orleans. During
this early period in the history of the country most of the transportation, both
of passengers and freight, was on river steamers and many of these vessels were
veritable floating palaces, the river pilot in those days being a personage of
the greatest importance, for hundreds of lives and millions of dollars in
property were daily entrusted to his skill and care. The father of our subject
followed this responsible occupation from early manhood to old age, more than
forty-seven years, and was considered one of the safest and most reliable of the
great number engaged in that important calling. In 1885 he retired from business
after a long life of activity, responsibility and usefulness, and removed to
Wyoming, where he made his home with his son, James, up to his death in 1887.
The mother survived him, dying in Hamilton county, Ind., in 1898, where he was
residing with a daughter. James H. Griffin grew to manhood in Dearborn county,
Indiana, and received his early academical training in the common schools and in
the graded school at Aurora. He resided in the old home in Dearborn county,
following the vocation of brick moulder most of the time until 1875, when,
having arrived at mature manhood, his birth having occurred on December 12,
1852, he determined to seek his fortune in the far West and came to the then
territory of Wyoming and secured employment on the ranch known as the "J. H. D.
ranch," owned by the Durbin Bros., on Horse Creek. He remained here for two
years and went to the ranch located on Bear Creek, owned by Seabury and
Gardiner, with whom he remained for seven years, being foreman during the
greater portion of that time, having entire charge of the extensive interests of
his employers. In this capacity he had an excellent opportunity to thoroughly
familiarize himself with the management of the stock business and in 1884 he
took up a ranch adjoining his present ranch property and personally engaged in
the cattle and horse business. He remained at this place, meeting with
substantial success and constantly increasing his business, until 1892, when he
purchased the ranch where he now resides and where he is extensively engaged in
cattle and horseraising. Here he has 520 acres of land patented, with large
adjacent range, and also controls several thousand acres of leased lands, all on
Bear Creek, one of the finest and most picturesque sections of the state. Mr.
Griffin is considered one of the solid and substantial stockmen of Wyoming, and
beginning in the early days without capital and with few advantages of outside
support, he has, by economy, good judgment and careful and practical management,
built up a success-fid and prosperous business. On March 19, 1881, Mr. Griffin
was united in marriage at Mississippi county, Mo., to Miss Tillie J. Shreve, a
native of Indiana, a daughter of Thomas and Malinda (Andrews) Shreve. Her
parents came from their native state of Indiana to Nebraska, in 1880, settling
in the county of Otoe, where they followed farming, subsequently however,
removing to Cass county, where they continued in the same occupation until their
death, which occurred in 1901, the mother passing away on March 27, and the
father on March 31, in that year, both being buried in Cass county. To Mr. and
Mrs. Griffin has come a family of five children. Gertrude M.; Ola E. and Lola M.
(twins); Ruth D.; Sadie L.; all are living, and all residing at the parental
home except Gertrude, who was married on November 12, 1901, to F. W. Hughes and
they reside near Phillips, Wyo. Politically. Mr. Griffin is identified with the
Republican party, taking an active and patriotic interest in public affairs,
believing it to lie the duty of every citizen to give a portion of his time to
the promotion of the public welfare, but he has never held or sought any public
office with the exception of postmaster of Phillips, which he has held for
sixteen years.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

PROGRESSIVE MEN OF THE STATE OF WYOMING

ILLUSTRATED

A people who take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors, will
never achieve anything worthy to he remembered with pride by remote
generations.—.MACAULAY.

CHICAGO, ILL.
A. W. BOWEN & CO.
PUBLISHERS AND ENGRAVERS
1903


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