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GRANTS PASS COURIER, "PIONEER ISSUE", DECEMBER 31, 1927
LONG TRIP OVER PLAINS RETOLD BY MRS. GRIFFIN
"My maiden name was Mary Ann Hamlin," says Mrs. Mary Ann Griffin of Grants Pass. "I was born in Illinois the last day of August, 1841, 87 years ago. When I was about five years old my father moved to Iowa and from Bennington, Iowa we left for Oregon, April 1852. I was then about eleven years old. My father had three wagons and my uncle had one. After traveling this way about two or three weeks we overtook a train of about thirty wagons and traveled along behind them for protection. When we came to the forks of the road where California turns off, most of the train went to California, while we and several other wagons, came on to Oregon.
I had a riding pony which I rode along with the train, helping to drive the cattle, father had fifty head of loose cattle. A Pawnee Indian came to our camp every day for nearly a week and wanted to buy my pony. Father wouldn't sell him, so one night the Indian came and stole the horse.
When we were about half way across we all had the measles. We were all pretty sick and one of my sisters died and was buried beside the trail.
About that time I lost one of my shoes and as there was no place to buy any more, I came barefoot the rest of the way across.
Just before we reached the end of the trail the Indians stole all our horses but one mare and a colt. A man in the party shot an Indian dog and the Indians were on the war-path. The next day after they had stolen our horses the volunteers met us and came with us the rest of the way across. They were just in time as we probably would have been attacked that night.
We reached where Medford is now sometime in November that fall. My father took up a donation claim just south of where Medford is now. I lived there and married William Griffin, who come across the plains in '48 and settled in the Willamette Valley, moving later to Jackson County on Griffin Creek, southwest of Medford. Sometime later we moved to a homestead down the river from Grants Pass about sixteen miles, where we lived the rest of my husband's life. Thirteen children were born to us, seven of whom are living now.
Soon after my husband's death I moved to Grants Pass where I have lived ever since."
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OBITUARY - MARY ANN GRIFFIN (Newspaper unknown)
Mary Ann Hamlin Griffin, who passed away Sunday, January 31, and was buried Wednesday, February 3, was born in Illinois, August 31st, 1841, going from there to Iowa at the age of 4 and in 1852, at the age of 11, crossed the plains by the ox team route and with her parents Mr. and Mrs. James Hamlin settled on a donation land claim south of Medford, Oregon. On August 15th, 1857 she was married to William M. Griffin at Jacksonville, Ore. To this union were born 13 children, seven of whom survive her. H. L. Griffin of Medford, Oregon, B. S. Griffin, and Mrs. Lelah Boyd of Alturas, Cal., W. F. Griffin, G. H. Griffin, Mrs. F. F. Grove and Mrs. J. G. Wertz, of Grants Pass, Oregon. She is also survived by two brothers, William Hamlin and Jeff Hamlin of Medford, Oregon, and two sisters, Mrs. Rose Davis of Trail, Ore., and Mrs. Julia Doubleday of Butte Falls, Oregon. She is also survived by 26 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. In 1877 she moved from Jacksonville and settled on a homestead near Shan creek in Josephine county, later going to Grants Pass, where she lived for 20 years, recently coming back to the Shan creek district, where she died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Lydia Wertz, with whom she made her home, less than a mile from her old homestead, being at the time of her death 90 years and five months of age. She was left a widow by the death of her husband April 13, 1901.
Mrs. Griffin united with the Church of God 37 years ago, at the home of Rev. U. G. Clark and had steadfastly clung to her convictions continuously since that time. She was loved, admired and respected by all who were privileged to know her and will be mourned by a host of friends as well as her immediate family. She was possessed of a keen memory and could paint many vivid word pictures of the early days among the Indians of southern Oregon and in her very last days could relate the happenings of the long overland trip to the very smallest details. Grandma Griffin, as she was known to so many, enjoyed excellent health and the end came suddenly and very peacefully. A perfect ending to a long and useful life.
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Mary Ann Griffin
GRANTS PASS, Or., Feb 6 - (Special) - Pioneer friends from all over southern Oregon came here Wednesday for the funeral of Mary Ann Griffin, 90, who died Sunday. She was buried in the Griffin cemetery, south of Medford. "Grandma" Griffin, as she was known, was born in Illinois, August 31, 1841. At the age of 11 she crossed the plains and with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Hamlin settled on a donation claim south of Medford. On August 15, 1857, she married Willim M. Griffin at Jacksonville, Or. To this union were born 13 children, seven of whom survive, included H. L. Griffin of Medford, B. S. Griffin and Mrs. Lelah Boyd of Alturas, Cal.; W. F. Griffin, G. H. Griffin, Mrs. F. F. Grove and Mrs. J. G. Wertz of Grants pass. She also is survived by two brothers and two sisters, 26 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
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MARY A. GRIFFIN, AGED 90, PASSES IN SHAN VALLEY
Mrs. Mary A. Griffin died suddenly Sunday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Lydia Wertz, near Shan creek, about 15 miles fom this city.
Funeral services will be held at Hall's Funeral Home Wednesday morning at 11 o'clock. Interment will be at the Griffin cemetery near Medford, where she will be buried beside her husband.
Mrs. Griffin probably held the record as the oldest resident of this section, being at the time of her death, 90 years, and five months. She crossed the plains in an immigrant train when 11 years old and settled with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Hamlin, on a donation claim south of Medford and her entire life has been spent in southern Oregon.
Mrs. Griffin was the mother of eleven children, seven of them now living, including H. L. Griffin, of Medford, B. S. Griffin and Mrs. R. A. Boyd of Alturas, California, W. F. Griffin, G. H. Griffin, Mrs. F. F. Grove and Mrs. J. G. Wertz of Grants Pass.
Mrs. Griffin has never been sick. She was a typical pioneer, always happy and despite her advanced age always appeared much younger than her years.
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Note: Marriage date of August 15 is in error. They were married on August 13, per Jackson County marriage record.
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GRANTS PASS COURIER, "PIONEER ISSUE", DECEMBER 31, 1927
LONG TRIP OVER PLAINS RETOLD BY MRS. GRIFFIN
"My maiden name was Mary Ann Hamlin," says Mrs. Mary Ann Griffin of Grants Pass. "I was born in Illinois the last day of August, 1841, 87 years ago. When I was about five years old my father moved to Iowa and from Bennington, Iowa we left for Oregon, April 1852. I was then about eleven years old. My father had three wagons and my uncle had one. After traveling this way about two or three weeks we overtook a train of about thirty wagons and traveled along behind them for protection. When we came to the forks of the road where California turns off, most of the train went to California, while we and several other wagons, came on to Oregon.
I had a riding pony which I rode along with the train, helping to drive the cattle, father had fifty head of loose cattle. A Pawnee Indian came to our camp every day for nearly a week and wanted to buy my pony. Father wouldn't sell him, so one night the Indian came and stole the horse.
When we were about half way across we all had the measles. We were all pretty sick and one of my sisters died and was buried beside the trail.
About that time I lost one of my shoes and as there was no place to buy any more, I came barefoot the rest of the way across.
Just before we reached the end of the trail the Indians stole all our horses but one mare and a colt. A man in the party shot an Indian dog and the Indians were on the war-path. The next day after they had stolen our horses the volunteers met us and came with us the rest of the way across. They were just in time as we probably would have been attacked that night.
We reached where Medford is now sometime in November that fall. My father took up a donation claim just south of where Medford is now. I lived there and married William Griffin, who come across the plains in '48 and settled in the Willamette Valley, moving later to Jackson County on Griffin Creek, southwest of Medford. Sometime later we moved to a homestead down the river from Grants Pass about sixteen miles, where we lived the rest of my husband's life. Thirteen children were born to us, seven of whom are living now.
Soon after my husband's death I moved to Grants Pass where I have lived ever since."
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OBITUARY - MARY ANN GRIFFIN (Newspaper unknown)
Mary Ann Hamlin Griffin, who passed away Sunday, January 31, and was buried Wednesday, February 3, was born in Illinois, August 31st, 1841, going from there to Iowa at the age of 4 and in 1852, at the age of 11, crossed the plains by the ox team route and with her parents Mr. and Mrs. James Hamlin settled on a donation land claim south of Medford, Oregon. On August 15th, 1857 she was married to William M. Griffin at Jacksonville, Ore. To this union were born 13 children, seven of whom survive her. H. L. Griffin of Medford, Oregon, B. S. Griffin, and Mrs. Lelah Boyd of Alturas, Cal., W. F. Griffin, G. H. Griffin, Mrs. F. F. Grove and Mrs. J. G. Wertz, of Grants Pass, Oregon. She is also survived by two brothers, William Hamlin and Jeff Hamlin of Medford, Oregon, and two sisters, Mrs. Rose Davis of Trail, Ore., and Mrs. Julia Doubleday of Butte Falls, Oregon. She is also survived by 26 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. In 1877 she moved from Jacksonville and settled on a homestead near Shan creek in Josephine county, later going to Grants Pass, where she lived for 20 years, recently coming back to the Shan creek district, where she died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Lydia Wertz, with whom she made her home, less than a mile from her old homestead, being at the time of her death 90 years and five months of age. She was left a widow by the death of her husband April 13, 1901.
Mrs. Griffin united with the Church of God 37 years ago, at the home of Rev. U. G. Clark and had steadfastly clung to her convictions continuously since that time. She was loved, admired and respected by all who were privileged to know her and will be mourned by a host of friends as well as her immediate family. She was possessed of a keen memory and could paint many vivid word pictures of the early days among the Indians of southern Oregon and in her very last days could relate the happenings of the long overland trip to the very smallest details. Grandma Griffin, as she was known to so many, enjoyed excellent health and the end came suddenly and very peacefully. A perfect ending to a long and useful life.
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Mary Ann Griffin
GRANTS PASS, Or., Feb 6 - (Special) - Pioneer friends from all over southern Oregon came here Wednesday for the funeral of Mary Ann Griffin, 90, who died Sunday. She was buried in the Griffin cemetery, south of Medford. "Grandma" Griffin, as she was known, was born in Illinois, August 31, 1841. At the age of 11 she crossed the plains and with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Hamlin settled on a donation claim south of Medford. On August 15, 1857, she married Willim M. Griffin at Jacksonville, Or. To this union were born 13 children, seven of whom survive, included H. L. Griffin of Medford, B. S. Griffin and Mrs. Lelah Boyd of Alturas, Cal.; W. F. Griffin, G. H. Griffin, Mrs. F. F. Grove and Mrs. J. G. Wertz of Grants pass. She also is survived by two brothers and two sisters, 26 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
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MARY A. GRIFFIN, AGED 90, PASSES IN SHAN VALLEY
Mrs. Mary A. Griffin died suddenly Sunday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Lydia Wertz, near Shan creek, about 15 miles fom this city.
Funeral services will be held at Hall's Funeral Home Wednesday morning at 11 o'clock. Interment will be at the Griffin cemetery near Medford, where she will be buried beside her husband.
Mrs. Griffin probably held the record as the oldest resident of this section, being at the time of her death, 90 years, and five months. She crossed the plains in an immigrant train when 11 years old and settled with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Hamlin, on a donation claim south of Medford and her entire life has been spent in southern Oregon.
Mrs. Griffin was the mother of eleven children, seven of them now living, including H. L. Griffin, of Medford, B. S. Griffin and Mrs. R. A. Boyd of Alturas, California, W. F. Griffin, G. H. Griffin, Mrs. F. F. Grove and Mrs. J. G. Wertz of Grants Pass.
Mrs. Griffin has never been sick. She was a typical pioneer, always happy and despite her advanced age always appeared much younger than her years.
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Note: Marriage date of August 15 is in error. They were married on August 13, per Jackson County marriage record.
Family Members
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William Henry Hamlin
1843–1932
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Sarah Maria Hamlin
1845 – unknown
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Martha Ellen Hamlin
1846–1861
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Eliza Jane Hamlin Anderson
1849–1897
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James H Hamlin
1851 – unknown
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Baby Girl Hamlin
1852–1852
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George Washington Hamlin
1853–1931
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Thomas Jefferson Hamlin
1855–1951
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Rosanna L Hamlin Mathus
1858–1944
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Lucinda Hamlin
1863–1879
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Julia Ann Hamlin Doubleday
1865–1957
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Andrew Jackson "Bud" Hamlin
1867–1945
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Isabel Ann Griffin
1858–1872
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John Miller Griffin
1859–1859
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Sallie Alice Griffin Grove
1860–1935
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Henry Lee Griffin
1864–1937
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Willis Franklin Griffin
1866–1936
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Eliza Emily Griffin Van Dorn
1868–1896
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Marion Lafayette Griffin
1870–1920
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Nellie Anna "Alma" Griffin
1872–1872
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George H Griffin
1874–1955
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Lelah Norine Griffin Boyd
1878–1949
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Bertram Stanton Griffin
1881–1964
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Lydia Griffin Wertz
1883–1970