| 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. - - -
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1732 - 1795 (63 years)