Z 2348.000 Griffin (Henry C.) and Family Papers

Z 2348.000
GRIFFIN (HENRY C.) AND FAMILY PAPERS

Biography/History:

Henry Clay Griffin was born in Natchez, Adams County, Mississippi, on September 10, 1844, his parents being Alonzo Mercer Griffin (b. ca. 1811 - d. ca. 1872) and Maria L. Cordery (b. ca. 1818 - d. ca. 1886). Henry was the fourth of the twelve children. His father A.M. Griffin formed a partnership with T.W. Clay on November 24, 1846 as Griffin & Clay, a wholesale and retail grocery that operated on the corner of Main and Commerce streets in Natchez.

At the age of seventeen, Henry joined the Natchez Fencibles, later the Company G, 12th Mississippi Regiment in 1861. During his service as sergeant, Henry fought primarily in the Virginia Campaigns of the Civil War, including the Battle of Seven Pines and Frazier’s Farm, where he received a severe wound to his foot. The injury affected him throughout his life.

On February 14, 1870, a meeting of the Natchez city council made Henry city clerk, and later the citizens elected him mayor in 1872, a position he held until 1882. Henry served as state senator for the Natchez district beginning in 1875. After serving ten years as mayor, Henry became a special agent of the general land office for the federal government in 1884. He held this position until 1890 when President Harrison appointed Henry as postmaster of Natchez. Also in 1890, Henry campaigned as a Republican candidate for Congress in the sixth district.

Henry married Hattie E. Beard (b. January 20, 1858 - d. September 9, 1892), also a Natchez native, on August 11, 1877. Together they had four sons: William Thomas, Harry B., Marion, and Charles Cordery. Hattie succumbed to illness and died on September 9, 1892. Three years later in 1895, Henry married his second wife Fannie Douglas Schofield. Henry Clay Griffin died on December 17, 1901 and Henry Clay Griffin is buried in the Natchez City Cemetery.

The oldest of the four Griffin children, William Thomas Griffin was born in 1878 to Harriet and Henry C. Griffin. Educated in Natchez, he excelled as a student. In 1898, at the age of sixteen William joined the 1st Mississippi Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company C, as sergeant during the Spanish American War. At the time of his father’s death in 1901, William was serving as deputy collector of customs for the Pearl River district. It is unknown what became of William when he returned from service, however he lived in Gulfport at the time of his youngest brother’s death by an accidental gunshot wound.

During World War I, William served as a private from 1918-1919 and served the remainder of the war in France. In 1922, William married Mary Elisabeth Hilton and together they had three children: William Thomas, Jr., Henry Marion, and Elisabeth Ann Griffin. In 1940, William injured himself when he fell in Norfolk, Virginia, and later died of complications from a surgery on October 17 that same year.

Scope and Content:

The Henry C. Griffin and Family papers consist of four hand-tinted and seven black and white photographs of different sizes with photocopies of original labels, two pension bureau forms, two photocopies of pages from Natchez city directories, a United Daughters of the Confederacy membership certificate, and newspaper clippings. While the photographs serve the purpose of visual representation of the Griffin family, the photos also show the growth development of Henry C. Griffin’s children. The newspaper clippings, ranging from 1877-1928, document the Griffin family’s notable events from obituaries to accidents in Natchez, Mississippi.

Series Identification:

1. Series 1: City Directory. 1899.

   This series consists of two photocopies of pages from the Chittenden Directory Company’s 1899 Natchez City Directory. The directory lists Henry C. Griffin’s siblings and in-laws with check marks beside each name. The Beards, the family of Hattie E. Beard, marked in the directory indicating that Henry kept in contact with Hattie’s family after her death. The directory is detailed, not only listing addresses, but also occupations of family members.

   Box 1, Folder 1

2. Series 2: Family Papers. 1927; 1940; 1949; n.d.

   This series contains originals and photocopies of two documents pertaining to William T. Griffin’s pension; a letter addressed to his wife, Mary E. Griffin explaining his death on October 17, 1940; and a United Daughters of the Confederacy membership certificate to Marion Griffin, Henry C. Griffin’s sister.

   Box 1, Folders 2-4
   Box 2

3. Series 3: Photographs. 1855; 1882; 1888; n.d.

   This series contains eleven original photographs accompanied by photocopies showing identification when available. Four photographs are hand-tinted and seven are black and white. While most of the photographs are of Henry C. Griffin’s three sons, there is a photograph of Henry’s second wife, Fannie, and one of his sister, Marion. One hand-tinted photograph is of an unidentified woman who may possibly be Henry C. Griffin’s Mother, Maria L. Griffin.

   Box 1, Folders 5-9

4. Series 4: Newspaper Clippings. 1877; 1892; 1897; 1899; 1901; 1906; 1928; n.d.

   This series contains photocopies of ten newspaper clippings that document notable events in the Griffin family life in Natchez, Mississippi. Newspaper clippings include obituaries of Hattie and Henry Griffin, as well as Hattie’s mother, Clara A. Beard, marriage notice, accidents involving Harry B. Griffin, an undated genealogy clipping, and Hattie and Henry’s marriage notice. These clippings also contain information on William’s younger brother, Harry B. Griffin.

   Box 1, Folder 10

Box and Folder List:

• Box 1
  • Series 1, Folder 1: Natchez directory pages, 1899, with markings indicating Griffin family members (photocopy).
  • Series 1, Folder 1: Natchez directory page, 1899, with markings indicating Beard family members (photocopy).
  • Series 2, Folder 2: William T. Griffin Pension certificate, 1927.
  • Series 2, Folder 3: William T. Griffin Letter, 1940 (original and photocopy)
  • Series 2, Folder 4: William T. Griffin Veterans Administration Questionnaire, 1949.
  • Series 3, Folder 5: Henry C. Griffin, Fannie C. Griffin, [2 photographs], n.d.
  • Series 3, Folder 6: Unidentified woman, [1 photograph], n.d. (hand-tinted)
  • Series 3, Folder 7: William T. Griffin, [2 photographs], n.d. (black & white)
  • Series 3, Folder 8: William T. Griffin, Henry C. Griffin, Harry B. Griffin [5 photographs], 1882; 1888; n.d. (black & white)
  • Series 3, Folder 9: Marion Griffin, [1 photograph], 1855 (hand-tinted)
  • Series 4, Folder 10: Newspaper clippings, 1877; 1892; 1897; 1899; 1901; 1906; 1928; n.d. (photocopy; Originals restricted to control folder)
• Box 2
  • Series 2, Folder 1: United Daughters of the Confederacy Membership Certificate, Marion Griffin, 1922.