Jesse was born to Eleizer and Sarah Griffin in Liter, Illinois, the 7th of 10 children. He was a life long bachelor; was voted one of the "Eligible Bachelors in 1896" in Nokomis, Illinois.
In 1880 census he was a store clerk; probably was his mother's dry goods store in Liter. In 1883 a devastating cyclone destroyed the town, family store and home. Members of the family were injured and/or killed; his left leg was broken. The family moved to Nokomis after the destruction.
1900 census shows he was in Hardware. He lived in rented home on Union St with his mother and sister, Nellie who was a bookkeeper. 1910 census shows he was a Retail Merchant: Hardware and Furniture. He was a lodger on Maple St. In 1920 he was a Post Office Clerk and a boarder on State St.
When he died at the age of 78, he was a Newspaper Correspondent in Hillsboro, Illinios.
-----------------------------
This made the front page of The Hillsboro Journal dated Monday 16th August 1943
JESSE GRIFFIN DIES SUDDENLY AT HILLSBORO
Was Correspondent for Papers for 50 Years
Jesse S. Griffin, ‘correspondent' in Hillsboro for numerous newspapers and for press organizations, died suddenly Saturday morning in bed in his room in the house of Mr and Mrs Adam Macbeth. He was stricken with cerebral haemorrhage and died at 9:30. Mrs Macbeth has been specially kind and watchful of him since he has made his home there for the past several months because of his age and feeble constitution. When she noticed at 9:15 that he had not left his room, she investigated and found him lying unconscious on his bed. She immediately called Dr H. A. Seymour and some of his friends. Mr Griffin died shortly after the doctor arrived.
Despite his 78 years and poor health, Mr Griffin had continued constantly, in all kinds of weather and regardless of how he felt, to make his daily rounds and numerous telephone calls in search of news which he prepared for various newspapers. He was accurate and thorough in the preparation of his information and punctual in sending it to the sources where it was to be printed. If he missed getting a news story it was through no fault of his own and he was enthusiastic in the work he was doing and had done for years.
Jesse Stitch Griffin was born in Literberry, seven miles north of Jacksonville in Morgan County, Illinois on March 6th 1865, a son of Eleizer and Sarah Stimpson Griffin. His parents were native of England and came to the United States and settled in Morgan County in 1850. They were the parents of ten children. His father was engaged in business at Literberry.
It was while the family resided at Literberry that a cyclone struck the community and destroyed the Griffin home, killing some of the family and badly crippling others. Jesse Griffin was then 15 years old and he had his leg and arm broken. He often told his friends, in later years, how greatly interested were the people of the Jacksonville community in the family which had been brought to the hospital there following the storm. One knee was permanently injured in the cyclone, causing him to limp slightly the remainder of his days.
In the summer of 1879, Mr Griffin went to Nokomis and accepted employment in the J. W. Russell store during the summer but in 1884, he moved to Nokomis and accepted a position in the A.F. Weaver store. A year later, he formed a partnership with his brother, Alf Griffin in the furniture and hardware business. They continued that partnership until 1898. Alf Griffin disposed of his interest in the establishment to his brother, Jesse Griffin who continued as sole proprietor for a long time afterwards. In business, he became one of the prominent merchants of the community and was a leader in civic and community enterprises. He, with others established and conducted annually for several years, what was known as Bachelors Day at Nokomis, a celebration which, he as a press agent caused to become widely known as he sent snappy articles about the Bachelors'' association to newspapers far and wide. He retired from business at Nokomis in 1926.
Following his retirement from business, Mr Griffin was employed several years in the post office at Nokomis. After that he was employed at various times in the office of the county treasurer under John W. Rea and Owen Merriweather. He was an expert bookkeeper and at times had been employed at various banks.
Mr Griffin was an ardent Democrat and over a long period was a precinct committee man at Nokomis. He served at various times as secretary and treasurer of the committee and was chairman for two or three terms about 1904. He was enthusiastic in his efforts for the party over a long period but was not an office-seeker on his own account, never having been a candidate for any office, preferring to help his friends win these honours.
Mr Griffin was the dean of newspaper correspondents in the section of Illinois. Although he had never been directly connected with the publication of any newspaper, he had been associated with then for more than 50 years. When he was engaged in business in Nokomis, he was regular correspondent to various newspapers and although that work was done more for recreation than anything else he even then showed a knack of getting all of the news of the community and writing it in an entertaining way for the newspapers.
He had resided in Hillsboro for the past 20 years and most of that time was devoted exclusively to his work as a correspondent for numerous newspapers including those in Springfield, Decatur, St Louis and Chicago and for Associated Press, the United Press and the International News Service.
Mr Griffin had never married but at Nokomis he maintained a beautiful home where he supported his mother until her death. His father died at Nokomis in 1878. For many years, a nephew, who became Dr Fred Griffin, resided in the Jesse Griffin home in Nokomis. Dr Griffin is now a prominent practitioner residing at Mexico, Mo.
Jesse S Griffin was the last survivor of his family. His brother, Alf Griffin, widely known in the Nokomis community, died at Decatur, December 14th 1942. A brother, Dr. Stimpson Griffin, was killed in in the Literberry cyclone. A sister, Ruth, who was Mrs. G. W. Rucker, died in 1914 at her home in Jacksonville and a sister, Nellie, who was the wife of the late Rev. John Strain, died several years ago at Afton, Ia., and another brother, John Bunyan Griffin, died many years ago. Besides the brother, Dr. Griffin, two or three of the younger brothers and sisters were killed in the cyclone and the others died in infancy.
He was a member of the Lutheran church at Nokomis for many years but since he located here he had been affiliated with the Lutheran church in this city and was a regular attendant at its services. He was active in the Lutheran Brotherhood.
Surviving are several nephews and nieces, among them being Mrs Harrison Fischer and Mrs Genevieve shoemaker of Decatur, Herbert J Rucker of Ur……., Frank Rucker of Independence, Mo, Miss Rosy Rucker of Independence, Mo., Mrs Walter Brown of Kansas City, Mo., Mrs Jane Kaskey of Faribault, Minn., and Mrs Alex Slavcaff of Selins Grove, Pa.
Funeral services were held at two o'clock this afternoon at the Welge funeral home in Hillsboro. Rev. W.H. Whitlock, pastor of the Hillsboro Methodist church officiating with interment in the Nokomis cemetery.
Newspaper article courtesy of Jeffery Dunn.
Typewritten by Robert Griffin.
In 1880 census he was a store clerk; probably was his mother's dry goods store in Liter. In 1883 a devastating cyclone destroyed the town, family store and home. Members of the family were injured and/or killed; his left leg was broken. The family moved to Nokomis after the destruction.
1900 census shows he was in Hardware. He lived in rented home on Union St with his mother and sister, Nellie who was a bookkeeper. 1910 census shows he was a Retail Merchant: Hardware and Furniture. He was a lodger on Maple St. In 1920 he was a Post Office Clerk and a boarder on State St.
When he died at the age of 78, he was a Newspaper Correspondent in Hillsboro, Illinios.
-----------------------------
This made the front page of The Hillsboro Journal dated Monday 16th August 1943
JESSE GRIFFIN DIES SUDDENLY AT HILLSBORO
Was Correspondent for Papers for 50 Years
Jesse S. Griffin, ‘correspondent' in Hillsboro for numerous newspapers and for press organizations, died suddenly Saturday morning in bed in his room in the house of Mr and Mrs Adam Macbeth. He was stricken with cerebral haemorrhage and died at 9:30. Mrs Macbeth has been specially kind and watchful of him since he has made his home there for the past several months because of his age and feeble constitution. When she noticed at 9:15 that he had not left his room, she investigated and found him lying unconscious on his bed. She immediately called Dr H. A. Seymour and some of his friends. Mr Griffin died shortly after the doctor arrived.
Despite his 78 years and poor health, Mr Griffin had continued constantly, in all kinds of weather and regardless of how he felt, to make his daily rounds and numerous telephone calls in search of news which he prepared for various newspapers. He was accurate and thorough in the preparation of his information and punctual in sending it to the sources where it was to be printed. If he missed getting a news story it was through no fault of his own and he was enthusiastic in the work he was doing and had done for years.
Jesse Stitch Griffin was born in Literberry, seven miles north of Jacksonville in Morgan County, Illinois on March 6th 1865, a son of Eleizer and Sarah Stimpson Griffin. His parents were native of England and came to the United States and settled in Morgan County in 1850. They were the parents of ten children. His father was engaged in business at Literberry.
It was while the family resided at Literberry that a cyclone struck the community and destroyed the Griffin home, killing some of the family and badly crippling others. Jesse Griffin was then 15 years old and he had his leg and arm broken. He often told his friends, in later years, how greatly interested were the people of the Jacksonville community in the family which had been brought to the hospital there following the storm. One knee was permanently injured in the cyclone, causing him to limp slightly the remainder of his days.
In the summer of 1879, Mr Griffin went to Nokomis and accepted employment in the J. W. Russell store during the summer but in 1884, he moved to Nokomis and accepted a position in the A.F. Weaver store. A year later, he formed a partnership with his brother, Alf Griffin in the furniture and hardware business. They continued that partnership until 1898. Alf Griffin disposed of his interest in the establishment to his brother, Jesse Griffin who continued as sole proprietor for a long time afterwards. In business, he became one of the prominent merchants of the community and was a leader in civic and community enterprises. He, with others established and conducted annually for several years, what was known as Bachelors Day at Nokomis, a celebration which, he as a press agent caused to become widely known as he sent snappy articles about the Bachelors'' association to newspapers far and wide. He retired from business at Nokomis in 1926.
Following his retirement from business, Mr Griffin was employed several years in the post office at Nokomis. After that he was employed at various times in the office of the county treasurer under John W. Rea and Owen Merriweather. He was an expert bookkeeper and at times had been employed at various banks.
Mr Griffin was an ardent Democrat and over a long period was a precinct committee man at Nokomis. He served at various times as secretary and treasurer of the committee and was chairman for two or three terms about 1904. He was enthusiastic in his efforts for the party over a long period but was not an office-seeker on his own account, never having been a candidate for any office, preferring to help his friends win these honours.
Mr Griffin was the dean of newspaper correspondents in the section of Illinois. Although he had never been directly connected with the publication of any newspaper, he had been associated with then for more than 50 years. When he was engaged in business in Nokomis, he was regular correspondent to various newspapers and although that work was done more for recreation than anything else he even then showed a knack of getting all of the news of the community and writing it in an entertaining way for the newspapers.
He had resided in Hillsboro for the past 20 years and most of that time was devoted exclusively to his work as a correspondent for numerous newspapers including those in Springfield, Decatur, St Louis and Chicago and for Associated Press, the United Press and the International News Service.
Mr Griffin had never married but at Nokomis he maintained a beautiful home where he supported his mother until her death. His father died at Nokomis in 1878. For many years, a nephew, who became Dr Fred Griffin, resided in the Jesse Griffin home in Nokomis. Dr Griffin is now a prominent practitioner residing at Mexico, Mo.
Jesse S Griffin was the last survivor of his family. His brother, Alf Griffin, widely known in the Nokomis community, died at Decatur, December 14th 1942. A brother, Dr. Stimpson Griffin, was killed in in the Literberry cyclone. A sister, Ruth, who was Mrs. G. W. Rucker, died in 1914 at her home in Jacksonville and a sister, Nellie, who was the wife of the late Rev. John Strain, died several years ago at Afton, Ia., and another brother, John Bunyan Griffin, died many years ago. Besides the brother, Dr. Griffin, two or three of the younger brothers and sisters were killed in the cyclone and the others died in infancy.
He was a member of the Lutheran church at Nokomis for many years but since he located here he had been affiliated with the Lutheran church in this city and was a regular attendant at its services. He was active in the Lutheran Brotherhood.
Surviving are several nephews and nieces, among them being Mrs Harrison Fischer and Mrs Genevieve shoemaker of Decatur, Herbert J Rucker of Ur……., Frank Rucker of Independence, Mo, Miss Rosy Rucker of Independence, Mo., Mrs Walter Brown of Kansas City, Mo., Mrs Jane Kaskey of Faribault, Minn., and Mrs Alex Slavcaff of Selins Grove, Pa.
Funeral services were held at two o'clock this afternoon at the Welge funeral home in Hillsboro. Rev. W.H. Whitlock, pastor of the Hillsboro Methodist church officiating with interment in the Nokomis cemetery.
Newspaper article courtesy of Jeffery Dunn.
Typewritten by Robert Griffin.
Jesse was born to Eleizer and Sarah Griffin in Liter, Illinois, the 7th of 10 children. He was a life long bachelor; was voted one of the "Eligible Bachelors in 1896" in Nokomis, Illinois.
In 1880 census he was a store clerk; probably was his mother's dry goods store in Liter. In 1883 a devastating cyclone destroyed the town, family store and home. Members of the family were injured and/or killed; his left leg was broken. The family moved to Nokomis after the destruction.
1900 census shows he was in Hardware. He lived in rented home on Union St with his mother and sister, Nellie who was a bookkeeper. 1910 census shows he was a Retail Merchant: Hardware and Furniture. He was a lodger on Maple St. In 1920 he was a Post Office Clerk and a boarder on State St.
When he died at the age of 78, he was a Newspaper Correspondent in Hillsboro, Illinios.
-----------------------------
This made the front page of The Hillsboro Journal dated Monday 16th August 1943
JESSE GRIFFIN DIES SUDDENLY AT HILLSBORO
Was Correspondent for Papers for 50 Years
Jesse S. Griffin, ‘correspondent' in Hillsboro for numerous newspapers and for press organizations, died suddenly Saturday morning in bed in his room in the house of Mr and Mrs Adam Macbeth. He was stricken with cerebral haemorrhage and died at 9:30. Mrs Macbeth has been specially kind and watchful of him since he has made his home there for the past several months because of his age and feeble constitution. When she noticed at 9:15 that he had not left his room, she investigated and found him lying unconscious on his bed. She immediately called Dr H. A. Seymour and some of his friends. Mr Griffin died shortly after the doctor arrived.
Despite his 78 years and poor health, Mr Griffin had continued constantly, in all kinds of weather and regardless of how he felt, to make his daily rounds and numerous telephone calls in search of news which he prepared for various newspapers. He was accurate and thorough in the preparation of his information and punctual in sending it to the sources where it was to be printed. If he missed getting a news story it was through no fault of his own and he was enthusiastic in the work he was doing and had done for years.
Jesse Stitch Griffin was born in Literberry, seven miles north of Jacksonville in Morgan County, Illinois on March 6th 1865, a son of Eleizer and Sarah Stimpson Griffin. His parents were native of England and came to the United States and settled in Morgan County in 1850. They were the parents of ten children. His father was engaged in business at Literberry.
It was while the family resided at Literberry that a cyclone struck the community and destroyed the Griffin home, killing some of the family and badly crippling others. Jesse Griffin was then 15 years old and he had his leg and arm broken. He often told his friends, in later years, how greatly interested were the people of the Jacksonville community in the family which had been brought to the hospital there following the storm. One knee was permanently injured in the cyclone, causing him to limp slightly the remainder of his days.
In the summer of 1879, Mr Griffin went to Nokomis and accepted employment in the J. W. Russell store during the summer but in 1884, he moved to Nokomis and accepted a position in the A.F. Weaver store. A year later, he formed a partnership with his brother, Alf Griffin in the furniture and hardware business. They continued that partnership until 1898. Alf Griffin disposed of his interest in the establishment to his brother, Jesse Griffin who continued as sole proprietor for a long time afterwards. In business, he became one of the prominent merchants of the community and was a leader in civic and community enterprises. He, with others established and conducted annually for several years, what was known as Bachelors Day at Nokomis, a celebration which, he as a press agent caused to become widely known as he sent snappy articles about the Bachelors'' association to newspapers far and wide. He retired from business at Nokomis in 1926.
Following his retirement from business, Mr Griffin was employed several years in the post office at Nokomis. After that he was employed at various times in the office of the county treasurer under John W. Rea and Owen Merriweather. He was an expert bookkeeper and at times had been employed at various banks.
Mr Griffin was an ardent Democrat and over a long period was a precinct committee man at Nokomis. He served at various times as secretary and treasurer of the committee and was chairman for two or three terms about 1904. He was enthusiastic in his efforts for the party over a long period but was not an office-seeker on his own account, never having been a candidate for any office, preferring to help his friends win these honours.
Mr Griffin was the dean of newspaper correspondents in the section of Illinois. Although he had never been directly connected with the publication of any newspaper, he had been associated with then for more than 50 years. When he was engaged in business in Nokomis, he was regular correspondent to various newspapers and although that work was done more for recreation than anything else he even then showed a knack of getting all of the news of the community and writing it in an entertaining way for the newspapers.
He had resided in Hillsboro for the past 20 years and most of that time was devoted exclusively to his work as a correspondent for numerous newspapers including those in Springfield, Decatur, St Louis and Chicago and for Associated Press, the United Press and the International News Service.
Mr Griffin had never married but at Nokomis he maintained a beautiful home where he supported his mother until her death. His father died at Nokomis in 1878. For many years, a nephew, who became Dr Fred Griffin, resided in the Jesse Griffin home in Nokomis. Dr Griffin is now a prominent practitioner residing at Mexico, Mo.
Jesse S Griffin was the last survivor of his family. His brother, Alf Griffin, widely known in the Nokomis community, died at Decatur, December 14th 1942. A brother, Dr. Stimpson Griffin, was killed in in the Literberry cyclone. A sister, Ruth, who was Mrs. G. W. Rucker, died in 1914 at her home in Jacksonville and a sister, Nellie, who was the wife of the late Rev. John Strain, died several years ago at Afton, Ia., and another brother, John Bunyan Griffin, died many years ago. Besides the brother, Dr. Griffin, two or three of the younger brothers and sisters were killed in the cyclone and the others died in infancy.
He was a member of the Lutheran church at Nokomis for many years but since he located here he had been affiliated with the Lutheran church in this city and was a regular attendant at its services. He was active in the Lutheran Brotherhood.
Surviving are several nephews and nieces, among them being Mrs Harrison Fischer and Mrs Genevieve shoemaker of Decatur, Herbert J Rucker of Ur……., Frank Rucker of Independence, Mo, Miss Rosy Rucker of Independence, Mo., Mrs Walter Brown of Kansas City, Mo., Mrs Jane Kaskey of Faribault, Minn., and Mrs Alex Slavcaff of Selins Grove, Pa.
Funeral services were held at two o'clock this afternoon at the Welge funeral home in Hillsboro. Rev. W.H. Whitlock, pastor of the Hillsboro Methodist church officiating with interment in the Nokomis cemetery.
Newspaper article courtesy of Jeffery Dunn.
Typewritten by Robert Griffin.
In 1880 census he was a store clerk; probably was his mother's dry goods store in Liter. In 1883 a devastating cyclone destroyed the town, family store and home. Members of the family were injured and/or killed; his left leg was broken. The family moved to Nokomis after the destruction.
1900 census shows he was in Hardware. He lived in rented home on Union St with his mother and sister, Nellie who was a bookkeeper. 1910 census shows he was a Retail Merchant: Hardware and Furniture. He was a lodger on Maple St. In 1920 he was a Post Office Clerk and a boarder on State St.
When he died at the age of 78, he was a Newspaper Correspondent in Hillsboro, Illinios.
-----------------------------
This made the front page of The Hillsboro Journal dated Monday 16th August 1943
JESSE GRIFFIN DIES SUDDENLY AT HILLSBORO
Was Correspondent for Papers for 50 Years
Jesse S. Griffin, ‘correspondent' in Hillsboro for numerous newspapers and for press organizations, died suddenly Saturday morning in bed in his room in the house of Mr and Mrs Adam Macbeth. He was stricken with cerebral haemorrhage and died at 9:30. Mrs Macbeth has been specially kind and watchful of him since he has made his home there for the past several months because of his age and feeble constitution. When she noticed at 9:15 that he had not left his room, she investigated and found him lying unconscious on his bed. She immediately called Dr H. A. Seymour and some of his friends. Mr Griffin died shortly after the doctor arrived.
Despite his 78 years and poor health, Mr Griffin had continued constantly, in all kinds of weather and regardless of how he felt, to make his daily rounds and numerous telephone calls in search of news which he prepared for various newspapers. He was accurate and thorough in the preparation of his information and punctual in sending it to the sources where it was to be printed. If he missed getting a news story it was through no fault of his own and he was enthusiastic in the work he was doing and had done for years.
Jesse Stitch Griffin was born in Literberry, seven miles north of Jacksonville in Morgan County, Illinois on March 6th 1865, a son of Eleizer and Sarah Stimpson Griffin. His parents were native of England and came to the United States and settled in Morgan County in 1850. They were the parents of ten children. His father was engaged in business at Literberry.
It was while the family resided at Literberry that a cyclone struck the community and destroyed the Griffin home, killing some of the family and badly crippling others. Jesse Griffin was then 15 years old and he had his leg and arm broken. He often told his friends, in later years, how greatly interested were the people of the Jacksonville community in the family which had been brought to the hospital there following the storm. One knee was permanently injured in the cyclone, causing him to limp slightly the remainder of his days.
In the summer of 1879, Mr Griffin went to Nokomis and accepted employment in the J. W. Russell store during the summer but in 1884, he moved to Nokomis and accepted a position in the A.F. Weaver store. A year later, he formed a partnership with his brother, Alf Griffin in the furniture and hardware business. They continued that partnership until 1898. Alf Griffin disposed of his interest in the establishment to his brother, Jesse Griffin who continued as sole proprietor for a long time afterwards. In business, he became one of the prominent merchants of the community and was a leader in civic and community enterprises. He, with others established and conducted annually for several years, what was known as Bachelors Day at Nokomis, a celebration which, he as a press agent caused to become widely known as he sent snappy articles about the Bachelors'' association to newspapers far and wide. He retired from business at Nokomis in 1926.
Following his retirement from business, Mr Griffin was employed several years in the post office at Nokomis. After that he was employed at various times in the office of the county treasurer under John W. Rea and Owen Merriweather. He was an expert bookkeeper and at times had been employed at various banks.
Mr Griffin was an ardent Democrat and over a long period was a precinct committee man at Nokomis. He served at various times as secretary and treasurer of the committee and was chairman for two or three terms about 1904. He was enthusiastic in his efforts for the party over a long period but was not an office-seeker on his own account, never having been a candidate for any office, preferring to help his friends win these honours.
Mr Griffin was the dean of newspaper correspondents in the section of Illinois. Although he had never been directly connected with the publication of any newspaper, he had been associated with then for more than 50 years. When he was engaged in business in Nokomis, he was regular correspondent to various newspapers and although that work was done more for recreation than anything else he even then showed a knack of getting all of the news of the community and writing it in an entertaining way for the newspapers.
He had resided in Hillsboro for the past 20 years and most of that time was devoted exclusively to his work as a correspondent for numerous newspapers including those in Springfield, Decatur, St Louis and Chicago and for Associated Press, the United Press and the International News Service.
Mr Griffin had never married but at Nokomis he maintained a beautiful home where he supported his mother until her death. His father died at Nokomis in 1878. For many years, a nephew, who became Dr Fred Griffin, resided in the Jesse Griffin home in Nokomis. Dr Griffin is now a prominent practitioner residing at Mexico, Mo.
Jesse S Griffin was the last survivor of his family. His brother, Alf Griffin, widely known in the Nokomis community, died at Decatur, December 14th 1942. A brother, Dr. Stimpson Griffin, was killed in in the Literberry cyclone. A sister, Ruth, who was Mrs. G. W. Rucker, died in 1914 at her home in Jacksonville and a sister, Nellie, who was the wife of the late Rev. John Strain, died several years ago at Afton, Ia., and another brother, John Bunyan Griffin, died many years ago. Besides the brother, Dr. Griffin, two or three of the younger brothers and sisters were killed in the cyclone and the others died in infancy.
He was a member of the Lutheran church at Nokomis for many years but since he located here he had been affiliated with the Lutheran church in this city and was a regular attendant at its services. He was active in the Lutheran Brotherhood.
Surviving are several nephews and nieces, among them being Mrs Harrison Fischer and Mrs Genevieve shoemaker of Decatur, Herbert J Rucker of Ur……., Frank Rucker of Independence, Mo, Miss Rosy Rucker of Independence, Mo., Mrs Walter Brown of Kansas City, Mo., Mrs Jane Kaskey of Faribault, Minn., and Mrs Alex Slavcaff of Selins Grove, Pa.
Funeral services were held at two o'clock this afternoon at the Welge funeral home in Hillsboro. Rev. W.H. Whitlock, pastor of the Hillsboro Methodist church officiating with interment in the Nokomis cemetery.
Newspaper article courtesy of Jeffery Dunn.
Typewritten by Robert Griffin.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
