Son of Burrel Griffin & Sarah "Sally" Throckmorton, married Elizabeth Howard 11 May 1865 in LaGrande, Union Co., OR
----------------
Shoshone Journal, Shoshone, Lincoln County, Idaho, March 2, 1906
LAND MARK GONE
J. F. Griffin, Pioneer of Oregon and Idaho, is Called to Rest
J. F. Griffin, one of the early settlers of the west and one of the most highly respected citizens of this section of the state, passed away at 5:15 o'clock, Tuesday afternoon, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. F. W. Gooding, the cause of death being general peritonitis. Mr. Griffin, who has enjoyed splendid health the greater part of his life, took suddenly ill last Sunday evening, his condition becoming so serious that a physician was called. As he was no better on Monday an operation was deemed advisable by his physicians and the same was performed Monday night. He did not seem to improve, however, but on the contrary, continued gradually sinking until he passed away Tuesday afternoon. He was concious (sic) the greater part of his illness, and when his son-in-law, F. W. Gooding returned from the east Tuesday morning, Mr. Griffin recognized him and conversed a short time with him in regard to his trip.
In the passing of Mr. Griffin, one of the land marks of Idaho and Oregon has been taken away.
Joseph F. Griffin was born in Cumberland county, Kentucky, on December 10, 1831. While he was still very young his parents moved to Macon county, Miscouri (sic), where they resided until he was 15 years old. In 1848, when people were coming west to find homes in the big, new country, his parents decided to join the throng and they moved to Rogue River, Oregon. While they were living here the Indians were very troublesome and it was as much as a person's life was worth to be seen alone very far from camp. At the time of the general uprising of the Indians, or what is now called the Rogue River war, Mr. Griffin, being now a strapping young man, joined the army as a volunteer in a company under the command of Captain Rice. He did not stay with this company long, however, but left it to join another company under command of Captain John S. Mills. During all this period of his enlistment as a volunteer, Mr. Griffin furnished his own equipment and horses and it was not until some time later that the government presented him with a little over $40 in greenbacks, a very small portion of what it cost him during his service, not counting his time. The trials and hardships that Mr. Griffin had to undergo while serving in the army were trying in the extreme, several times being in a battle where he was one of a very few men that escaped with their lives. In 1865 he was married to Miss Elizabeth Howard and the next year after his marriage he came to Idaho and took up some land in the Payette Valley. While here he was special division agent for a time under "Uncle" John Hailey; and later served a term in the territorial legislature. He remained in the Payette Valley until the spring of '81, and then hearing of the vast riches of the Wood River Valley, he joined the rush to again seek his fortune in a new country. The next spring, having taken up some 300 acres of land near Ketchum for farming purposes, Mr. Griffin moved his family from Payette, having left them there when he went to Wood River the year before, and took them to his new ranch near Ketchum. At this place Mr. Griffin has made his home until recent years, when he has been living with his son-in-law, F. W. Gooding, of this city.
The many people who were fortunate enough to make the acquaintance of Mr. Griffin have, through his demise, lost a true and loyal friend, and one whose place will be hard to fill. Mr. Griffin was an ideal husband and father, ever looking out and planning for the best interests of his family at no matter the cost to himself.
He leaves to mourn him besides his wife and sister, Mrs. John Hailey of Boise, four daughters, Mrs. F. W. Gooding and Mrs. G. B. Novinger of Shoshone, Idaho, and Mrs. Stone and Miss Leonora Griffin of Seattle, Washington.