Notes:

Abraham Griffin ('5), son of Richard & Mary Smith Griffin, was born at Nine Partners, Dnchess Co., N. Y., April 16, 1700.

He came to 'Canada in 1786, with his parents & other members of the family. It is believed that he served in a loyal colonial regiment during the revolutionary war. He married Miss Mary Roy, Jan. 9, 1794; she was born Feb. 27, 1772. They settled in Grimsby township. Abraham served in the militia during the war of 1812-14. He died May 14, 1818.

CHILDREN:
Abraham Griffin, b. May 26, 1798 ; d. Oct. 29, 1842.
Edward, b. Jan. 12, 1801.
Jemima, b. March 9, 1803; d. May 30, 1827.
Stephen, b. Feb. 4, 1806.
Mary, b. Feb. 19, 1808 ; m. Isaac Dennis ; was living at Campden, Ont., in 1890.
Richard, b. Nov. 22, 1809.
Catherine, b. Aug. 10, 1812.
Roy Griffin, b. Aug. 23, 1815; d. in 1890; never married. - - -

Family/Spouse: Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Abraham GRIFFIN, .2nd was born in 1798 in Grimsby, Lincoln Co., Ontario; died on 29 Oct 1842.

Notes:

. 1790 Census, Fishkill, Dutchess Co., New York; Page 79, Family 439:
Richard Griffin: Free Males: 2; Free Boys 16 & Under 2; Free Females (all ages) 7 [Total 12].

. 1790 Census, Fishkill, Dutchess Co., New York;
age 86, Family #746: Richard Griffin, the 2nd:
Free Males: 1; Females 1. Total 2]. also:
Lewis Griffen: Male 1, Boys 2, Females 6, Others 1. Verify identity. Lewis is Family 1757.
. 1790 Census, Fishkill, Dutchess Co., New York;
Richard Griffin: 3 males, 2 boys, 7 females. Family # 339.

. UCLPetition 55,
To John Graves Simcoe, Lieut. Gov. & Commander of the Province of Upper Canada, In Council.
The petition of Richard Griffins. Sen. of the Township of Grimsby, That your petitioner has been 7 years in the Province [1788] & had 7 sons, 6 of whom serve in the militia & have received Lands on their own account;
That your Petitioner has received 200 acres only, of which he has nearly cleared the one half, he humbly prays your Excellence will be pleased to grant him an addition there to, & as in duty bound your Petitioner will ever pray.
Signed, Newark, 18 Aug 1795, Richd. Griffin, Sr.,
Envelope: Rec. Aug 19, 1795. Recommended for 200 acres in addition. No. 257. Entered Land Book Page 41.
Ref: UCLP 55, Vol. 203, G Bundle 2, 1795, Microfilm C2028, p267.

X-Ref: A subsequent Petition 29 by grandson Abraham Griffin dated 3 Aug 1821, received his grandfather's land.

. In 1787 left Nine Partners, New York, with his wife Mary (Smith) & 10 of their 11 children & headed for Canada. Bethiah who was married to Solomon Hill) did not follow until 1795.
Cairn on southwest corner of West & Griffin Streets in Smithville, Ontario as a memorial to Smithville's first settler.

Ontario Land Registry, Niagara North Book 102, p263
Lot 8, Con 9, Township of Grimsby
. 1798, Dec 31, Patent. The Crown, Richard Griffin, All 198 acres
. 1804 July 14, Bargain&Sale, Abraham Griiffin eteu, to Smith Griffin, 107 Acres
. 1831 Mar 9, B&S, Smith Griffin, to Abraham Merredith 80 Acres, £150.
. 1881 Mar 9, B&SSmith Griffin, to Wm. Merredith, 37acres, £80
. 1883 Sep 26, B&S, Wm. Merredith, to Robt Weddle, 37A, £150
. 1884 Jun 11, B&S, Abrqham Meredith, to Axxxber? Tisdale, 4.5Acres, £250.

Niagara North Book 102, p266
Lot 9, Con 9, Township of Grimsby
. 1798 Mar 18, Patent, Crown, to Tonchlin? Griffin, all 200 Acres
. 1804 Feb 10, Bargain&Sale, T Griffin, S. Grffin, 200 Acres, £100


. A Pioneer Family: Richard Griffin, eldest son of Edward), born June 22, 1732, was a school teacher, farmer & miller. He married Mary Smith, daughter of Judge Abraham Smith, New York. They had 12 children, 7 sons & 5 daughters, all of whom, except the eldest daughter, came to Canada in 1786.
Early in that year Richard & his second son, Edward, then 22 years of age, came over & selected as their future home the site of the present village of Smithville, South Grimsby, Lincoln Co., where the family was allotted 800 acres of land. The father then returned to Duchess County for the rest of the family, leaving Edward alone in the vast wilderness, which he lived to see become a well populated & prosperous settlement. The arrangements for moving & the wearisome journey through a wild country occupied 6 months. Part of the family came by barges up lake Ontario from Rochester to Niagara, bringing their mill machinery, & the others followed the Indian trail, bringing their live stock through the forest, western New York not being then settled. Rochester consisted of little more than a blacksmith shop & a tavern. The settlement of this family in South Grimsby became known as the Griffin Settlement, & is sometimes yet called Griffinville, though they themselves called it Smithville, in honor of their mother. Great was the rejoicing of Edward on the arrival of his relatives, for a lonely time had been his lot, though he had kept himself busy building a log house & manufacturing rude furniture to make it as civilized as possible. Richard lived long enough to see his family well established in this pioneer home & several of them married. He died in 1794, aged 62 years. Most of his children lived to very advanced age. Edward, the pioneer of pioneers, died Aug. 13, 1862, aged 98 years, as his Monument in the Methodist churchyard states.
Ref: Ancestors & descends of Richard Griffin of Smithville, ON., Compiled by Justus A Griffin, Hamilton, Ont., 1924.

. The Story of Smithville, (Twenty Mile Creek), by Frank E Page, 1923
Three brothers, Edward, William & Richard, from Wales. Shortly after their arrival in America the Griffins moved to Qucman's Landing on the Mohawk River. Richard Griffin referred to had a son Richard who had a family of 11children; 7 sons & 4 daughters. Ned or Edward was the eldest son & was, no doubt, named after his grandfather's brother, Edward. Abraham was the next son Smith who was named after his mother, who was a Smith. Smith's wife was a sister of Solomon Hill. Bethiah Griffin, a daughter, was married to Solomon Hill. These with 7 others made up the Richard Griffin family.
By 1787 they were seeking a new home in Upper Canada. These streams emptying into Lake Ontario get their names from the distance which their mouths is from the mouth of the Niagara River, at an Indian named, Kenachdaw, meaning "Lead River. Both Indian & white hunters having in days of yore often replenished their magazines with this metal along the stream, found mostly at points that were afterwards known as Smithville. The Griffins had formerly been millers & had brought with them 2 old-fashioned grinding stones, & were now seeking to locate a homestead where a water power was available. Edward Griffin, better known as Ned, eldest son, & Abraham journeyed up the Jordan to spy out the land. These 2 sons of Richard Griffin had an object in following the winding course of the Twenty Mile Creek.
The Griffins had formerly been millers & had brought with them 2 old-fashioned grinding stones, & were now seeking to locate a homestead where a water power was available. Arriving at a point which in their judgment was the most suitable locate as it appeared the most promising of the Rivers emptying into Lake Ontario. Unable to ford at its mouth, so they detoured a considerable distance inland until a fording place was reached. After crossing the stream it was necessary to follow it on the other shore, back to the lake. Their progress on this important journey was at the rate of 3 or 4 miles per day. Following Lake Ontario they arrived eventually arriving at Twenty Mille Creek. In the valley of the Twenty Mile Creek, oaks & pines grew measuring from 5 to 6 feet in diameter & as straight as a candle. The oaks were 60 to 70 feet in height & the pines from 100 to 175 feet. The 2 returned to reported to interested listeners what they had found.
The following week Richard & his son Ned journeyed to the new home & took up the homestead of 800 acres from the Crown, which was afterwards known as the Griffin estate. They worked hard & in a few days the men had completed the log dwelling which will be described in the next chapter. Richard returned to the camp & Ned remained for some time alone in the new log house, clearing the land & making rough furniture, such as chairs & tables, out of limbs of the forest for the new home. Ned Griffin can truly be called the first white settler who resided in Smithville. - - -

Birth:
Alt Loc: Fishkill, Dutchess, NY.

Died:
Lot 6 Con 9.

Buried:
Lincoln Co., Ontario.

Richard married Mary SMITH in 1757 in Fishkill, Dutchess Co., New York. Mary (daughter of Judge Abraham SMITH, Jr. and Mrs. Margaret (Abe.2) SMITH) was born in c1734 in Connecticut; died in 1794 in Smithville, Lincoln Co., Ontario; was buried in Smithville United Church Cemetery. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Mary is the daughter of Margaret & Abraham Smith.

UCLPetition 44, G Bundle 2, C2029, p224.
To Peter Russell, Petition of Mary Griffin, Widow of Ricd. Griffin.
Your Petitioner came into the Province with her late husband & family of 10 children, that there late husband had received 400 Acres of land. Your petition prays your Honor w . ill please to grant her such further quantity, as your honor may think proper.
Signed, Mary HERXMARK Griffin. Petition rec. 1797 Feb 27.

. Affidavit: I do hereby certify that I have been acquainted with Richard Griffin ever since he come to this province to settle & that he came in 1787 & brought with him a wife & 10 children, married most of them now & are become settlers in the Home District. during his lifetime he conducted himself as an honest industrious man & became to be well affected to the Constitution of Grate Britain. Signed, Nath. Pettit.

Envelope: Read 1797 Mar 1, Order 550 Acres family lands, PR. Entered land Book B, page 247.

Ten children of Mary Smith & Richard Meredith are:
John Meredith, 1794- 1867,
Richard Meredith, 1796 - 
Mary Meredith, 1798 - 1868,
Abraham Meredith.3rd, 1800 - 1882,
Ann Meredith, 1804 -1880,
William Meredith, 1806 - 1891,
Deborah Meredith,1807 - 1880,
Jesse Meredith, 1807- 1865,
Bethia Meredith, 1811 - 
Elizabeth Meredith, 1812 - 1896. - - -

Notes:

Edward Griffin ('3), son of Richard & Susanna (nee Haight) Griffin, married Millicent Bishop. After living near his brother Jonathan, White Plains, N. Y., for a time, he migrated northward & settled at Nine Partners, Duchess Co., where he raised his family; was a prominent member of the Society of Friends in that place & died there in 1787.

. Children of Edward Griffin & Susanna Haight:
Richard, b. June 22, 1732; d. in 1794. Bridget, b. March 24, 1734. Susanna, b. July 24, 1736. Isaiah, b. July 30, 1738. Thomas, b. Feb. 6, 1741. Obadiah, b. March 9, 1743. Amy, b March 24, 1746. Sarah, b. Jan. 30, 1748. Miriam, b. May 3, 1749. Elizabeth, b. Dec. 25, 1752. Gershom, b. April 1, 1755. Jonathan, b. May 11, 1759.

. UCLPetition 119, G Misc 1789-95, C2042, p454.
To. Lt. Go. John Graves Simcoe,
Petition of Edward Griffin, Your petition has been upon Lot 6 on the Gore in the Township of Gainsborough, parys to be confirmed in the same.
Dated at, Newark, 28 Oct 1794. [No signature by E. Griffin.]
Envelope: Granted 1794 Oct 27th.

. In the war of the American revolution 3 of the 7 sons of Edward (3) were loyalists, viz., Richard, Thomas & Obadiah. The latter two took an active part in the British service, & 2 of the sons of Richard are said to have served in loyal colonial regiments. The remainder of Edward's family apparently were non-partisan, being Quakers. Thomas, a lieutenant in a loyal colonial regiment, was captured with a number of other loyalists, among them his brother Obadiah & a cousin named Joseph Griffin. They were imprisoned in Albany jail. Thomas was tried by the so-called Committee of Safety & sentenced to be hanged for the crime of having accepted a commission in the British service. His was not a solitary case of that kind, other instances being recorded & probably many unrecorded. When the jailer announced to him that he was to be hanged next day he said, "The man who will hang me is not born;" with his handcuffs he knocked down the jailer, took his keys & liberated himself & his fellow loyalists. Joseph Griffin escaped to Canada & years later gave evidence at the sittings of the court appointed to adjust loyalist claims. Thomas & Obadiah made their way to Nova 'Scotia. They received grants of farm land, also lots in the new city of St. John. Thus they became pioneers in another new province, that part of Nova Scotia becoming the Province of New Brunswick. Thomas married there & had 13 children, of whom little is known, though a grandson named Thomas H. Griffin was President of an Electric Light Co. in the city of Amherst, Nova Scotia, in 1891.

. About 1814 Obadiah migrated with his family to Upper Canada & remained a year with his relatives at Smithville. Of Obadiah ' s family we have record of only one son, Obadiiah; he had 10 children, of whom one, Jacob, was born at Smithville, Lincoln Co., Nov. 5, 1815. He became a Baptist preacher, & his eldest son, Rev. Zebina Flavius Griffin, b. Nov. 14, 1844, spent many years as a missionary in India. On his return, in 1893, he wrote a book entitled "Daily Life in Bengal," which is very interesting & marvelously concise. It was highly commended by the press for its accuracy & inclusiveness.
Ref: Ancestors & descends of Richard Griffin of Smithville, ON., Compiled by Justus A Griffin, Hamilton, Ont., 1924. - - -

Birth:
Alt DOB 1710

Died:

Edward married Millicent TAYLOR in 1731 in Dutchess Co., New York. Millicent was born in c 1710 in Nine Partners, Dutchess, New York; died in By 1759 in New York State. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
Alt Surname Bishop, Alt DOB 1712

Died:
Alt DOD Oct 1795

Abraham married Mrs. Margaret (Abe.2) SMITH est 1762. Mrs. was born in c 1715 in Connecticut; died after 7 Apr 1764 in Philips Patent, Dutchess, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The children of Margaret & Abraham Smith are:

1. Abraham SMITH. 2nd Born: Aft 1730, Dutchess, New York
2. Ann SMITH B. Aft 1730, Dutchess, New York;
3. Charity SMITH.1, b. Aft 1730, Dutchess, New York;
4. Mary SMITH.1;

5. Girl Smith Aft 1730 - b. 1764, Dutchess, New York
6. Mary SMITH.2 Born: Abt 1734 Connecticut - d. At. 1780, Ontario?
7. Ann SMITH - 1736 Conn.;
8. Charity SMITH.2 Abt. 1738, Dutchess, New York;
9. Jemina SMITH- Abt. 174, Dutchess, New York;

10. Bethiah SMITH, b. 1738 Putnam Valley, Putnam, NY & died Aug 1798, ed Mills, Dutchess, New York, Buried: Hill Family Plot, Carmel, Putnam, New York;

11. Abraham SMITH.III, born 24 Oct 1763 Putnam Valley, Putnam, New York, Died 25 Oct 1813 Putnam Valley, Putnam, New York buried: Red Mills Prby Church.

Verify duplicate names for Abraham.2 & 3, and Charity Smith. - PJA - - -

Birth:
Verify Alt Name: Mary

Notes:

. WILL of Richard Griffin married Susanna Haight, daughter of Nicholas Haight, of Flushing, Long Island. Richard appears to have spent his life at Flushing according to some records, & accumulated considerable property. He had a family of 15 children.
He died in I722 or 1723, In his WILL, dated October 27, 1722, & was probated February 5, 1723, he mentions Susanna & 14 children.
He does not mention his third child, Richard, & it is supposed that he died earlier.
He made two specific bequests. First to "my eldest son, Samuel, £30 to be paid him next third month" &
to "son Joshua £20 when he comes out of his apprenticeship."
Then he bequeaths, "To my dear & loving wife Susanna, all my lands, housings, orchards & meadows with all the rest of my estate, real & personal, whatsoever, wholly to dispose of & use as she shall think best for the bringing up of my children, & if she die my widow she shall have full power to distribute whatever of my estate may be remaining, but if she chance to marry again then she shall have one-third of all when the land & housing is sold & all in a condition to be divided.

. During the revolution, a number of the sons in the 7th generation of American Griffins who lived in the Nine Partners, New York were Loyalists. Isaiah's sons, Joseph & Charles, were in Jessup's Royal Rangers, Samuel, being too young, had remained on the farm in Charlotte County. Joseph & Charles, as well as some of their cousins, were imprisoned in Albany's jail. William Griffin, a farmer in Charlotte County, was "committed as a dangerous person, examined & recommitted", a petition in his favor, & he was released on bail"
Ref: MINUTES of the Commissioners for Detecting & Defeating Conspiracies in the State of New York, vol. 11, 1780-81.

. The Exodus to Canada
Isaiah Griffin's sons. Joseph & Charles, as well as some imprisoned cousins, escaped & rejoined Jessup's Royal Rangers. This group moved up the Hudson River & took refuge in Quebec.
Samuel Griffin was granted as an United Empire Loyalist Lot 4, Con 2, Elizabethtown, Yonge Twp., Leeds Co., Ontario.

. Richard Griffin, eldest son of Edward, born June 22, 1732, was a school teacher, farmer & miller. He married Mary Smith, daughter of Judge Abraham Smith, New York.
They had 12 children, 7 sons & 5 daughters, all of whom, except the eldest daughter, came to Canada in 1786. Early in that year Richard & his second son, Edward, then 22 years of age, came over & selected as their future home the site of the present village of Smithville, South Grimsby, Lincoln Co., where the family was allotted 800 acres of land.
The father then returned to Duchess County for the rest of the family, leaving Edward alone in the vast wilderness, which he lived to see become a well populated & prosperous settlement. The arrangements for moving & the wearisome journey through a wild country occupied six months. Part of the family came by barges up lake Ontario from Rochester to Niagara, bringing their mill machinery, & the others followed the Indian trail, bringing their live stock through the forest, western New York not being then settled. Rochester consisted of little more than a blacksmith shop & a tavern. The settlement of this family in South Grimsby became known as the Griffin Settlement, & is sometimes yet called Griffinville, though they themselves called it Smithville, in honor of their mother. Great was the rejoicing of Edward on the arrival of his relatives, for a lonely time had been his lot, though he had kept himself busy building a log house & manufacturing rude furniture to make it as civilized as possible.
Richard lived long enough to see his family well established in this pioneer home & several of them married. He died in 1794, aged 62 years. Most of his children lived to very advanced age.
Edward, the pioneer of pioneers, died Aug. 13, 1862, aged 98 years, as his Monument in the Methodist churchyard states.

. An essay written in 1878 by Mr. Abishai Moore tells of their efforts. The following extract from the essay summarizes the facts : "In or about 1792 a Methodist class was organized in Smithville, or as it was then called, Griffin Settlement. There was a large family of these Griffins, & they appear to have had considerable influence in the community in those days. They all became members of the class, & proceeded, as was the custom among those early Methodists, to go out into the highways & seek those to whom they could tell the glad tidings. In a short time the little class at Griffin Settlement became an important institution in the locality, & many of the leading families of the district became connected with it, among them being the Merritts, Johnsons & Wrongs. - - -

Died:
Will Probated.

Richard married Susannah HAIGHT in c 1694 in Flushing, Queens Co. Long Island, New York. Susannah (daughter of Samuel HAIGHT and Sarah NOBLE) was born in c 1676 in Flushing, Queens Co. Long Island, New York; died on 17 Nov 1760 in Flushing, Queens Co. Long Island, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Susanna is the daughter of Sara Noble & Samuel Haight

1. Elizabeth GRIFFIN b: 1694 in Flushing, Queens, New York, United States
2. Samuel b: 1696, marred Elizabeth Hopper
3. Richard b.1598, Flushing, died by 1722
4. Deborah GRIFFIN b: 1700 in Flushing
5. Joshua b: 1700 in Flushing, Apprentice 1722, Moved to Duchess County by 1740. Resided Fishkill.
6. Jonathanb: 31 May 1708 in Long Island City, Queens, NYd. 1786, married Sarah Budd, no children;
7. Edward b: 1710 in Long Island City, Queens, NY, d, 1787, married Millicent Bishop
8. James b: 1714. Flushing, Bristisch Army officer, d. Boston;
9. Joseph b: 1718, d. d. at Nine Partners at advanced age. ;
10. Isaiah b: 1721, d. 177, moved to Nine partners., physician;
11. Miriam b: 1722
12. Abraham Griffin b: 1724 in Flushing, Queens, New York.

The Griffin Family
Nearly all of Richard's (5) family, like that of their father & grandfather, were members of the Society of Friends, or Quakers. They became pioneers in the
then newly settled parts of New York State.
Of Samuel, little is known; his eldest son is mentioned In the will of Jonathan, but nothing further has been learned of him. Jonathan settled in White Plains & Scarsdale, became wealthy, was a captain & a Presbyterian elder, as learned from his Monument still remaining in a churchyard at Scarsdale.
The other sons all settled in Duchess County, New York, 4 of them at Nine Partners (now called Washington Precinct).
There can be some confusion here. Some genealogists state that these sons of Richard moved up the Hudson River to Charlotte County. This is very probably true, but inconsistent with today's political boundaries. Charlotte County was created in 1771 & consisted of a very large area of New York, including some parts of Vermont, Charlotte County no longer exists. It was divided into numerous present day counties, including Duchess & Washington Counties. The majority of references concerning Griffins center about the town Fishkill, which is about 10 miles up the Hudson River from West Point - - -

Died:
Alt DOD 27 Nov 1760

Notes:

Birth:


Died:
verify.

Abraham married Anna LANE. Anna (daughter of George LANE) was born est 1678 in Rye, Westchester Co., New York; died before 1712 in White Plains, Westchester Co., New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
Alt Loc: Connecticut Colony.