Reverend Jacob Griffin was one of ten children born to Obadiah Griffin, Jr., and Hannah (McIntyre) Griffin, who held Loyalist sentiments. His grandfather, Obadiah, Sr. was awarded over 1000 acres in Digby, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in the late 1780s for his military service in the War of the Rebellion, on behalf of the king.
From Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, the family settled in Upper Ontario at Smithville where Jacob was born and later located to Southwold , Elgin County, which was mostly an untamed area. Jacob did not have many educational opportunities, but at age 16, he heard Reverends David Marks and Obadiah Jenkins preach; after the meeting he joined the Free Will Baptist Church there and began to preach in 1843. He was ordained in Canada in 1844 and began in evangelizing and organizing churches.
On 06 Oct. 1836, he married Emeline Wade, and shortly thereafter, they migrated to Illinois. He was useful in that state, but was called back to Canada in 1852 by the church, according to his brother, Zebina. He returned to the U.S. in 1867, when he accepted a call to assist Winnebago and Vineland churches in Wisconsin.
He was abundant in labors, pastoring and evangelizing in this region and was credited with baptizing over 700 people and organizing at least seven churches. He was a sympathetic friend and a true minister, who sought neither wealth nor the praise of men.
His wife Emeline Wade Griffin survived him.
Rev. Griffin was the father of eight children: two died in childhood -Alvina Sevina and Cassius Hallum; two, Bryant Wade, a lawyer in Vinton, IA, and Jacob Douglass Griffin, a farmer and land owner, died in active manhood and of his two sons living at the time of Rev. Griffin’s death, Rev. Zebina Flavius Griffin of Keunka College, NY, was for ten years a missionary in India; Newell Willard Griffin, a merchant and large land owner in Palo Pinto TX, moved to Norman OK after the death of his wife, Eugenia "Jennie" Edmonds in 1892 where he became a partner in a dry goods store - Cotney Griffin & Waite. N.W., as he was called, built several houses in Norman and bought over 15 tracts of land in Cleveland and Pottowatomie counties. He was awarded the contract to build the Norman courthouse and in 1893 helped organize and capitalize the Farmers and Merchants Bank, where he was named Vice President. In 1901 he moved to Southern California and began building homes in Los Angeles. His land development and homebuilding legacy remains today as the fifth generation continues to build homes in California.
Rev. Griffin’s two living daughters, Cynthia Cordelia, married George Nelson Pemberton and after his death , Mathew McComb in Hortonia. The youngest, Emma Gertrude, married Samuel Alexander and after his death, Samuel Freeman Briggs of Hortonville.
A short funeral service was held at his home, then his body was carried by train to the Free Baptist Church, in Allenville, where the Rev. J. M. Kayser, long-time friend, and fellow churchman, officiated at his service.
More information can be found on the Wisconsin Free Will Baptist Historical Society web site, & History of Nebraska, Vol 3, by Julius S. Morton.
The above has been expanded and edited for accuracy by Theresa McKeon Griffin.
From Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, the family settled in Upper Ontario at Smithville where Jacob was born and later located to Southwold , Elgin County, which was mostly an untamed area. Jacob did not have many educational opportunities, but at age 16, he heard Reverends David Marks and Obadiah Jenkins preach; after the meeting he joined the Free Will Baptist Church there and began to preach in 1843. He was ordained in Canada in 1844 and began in evangelizing and organizing churches.
On 06 Oct. 1836, he married Emeline Wade, and shortly thereafter, they migrated to Illinois. He was useful in that state, but was called back to Canada in 1852 by the church, according to his brother, Zebina. He returned to the U.S. in 1867, when he accepted a call to assist Winnebago and Vineland churches in Wisconsin.
He was abundant in labors, pastoring and evangelizing in this region and was credited with baptizing over 700 people and organizing at least seven churches. He was a sympathetic friend and a true minister, who sought neither wealth nor the praise of men.
His wife Emeline Wade Griffin survived him.
Rev. Griffin was the father of eight children: two died in childhood -Alvina Sevina and Cassius Hallum; two, Bryant Wade, a lawyer in Vinton, IA, and Jacob Douglass Griffin, a farmer and land owner, died in active manhood and of his two sons living at the time of Rev. Griffin’s death, Rev. Zebina Flavius Griffin of Keunka College, NY, was for ten years a missionary in India; Newell Willard Griffin, a merchant and large land owner in Palo Pinto TX, moved to Norman OK after the death of his wife, Eugenia "Jennie" Edmonds in 1892 where he became a partner in a dry goods store - Cotney Griffin & Waite. N.W., as he was called, built several houses in Norman and bought over 15 tracts of land in Cleveland and Pottowatomie counties. He was awarded the contract to build the Norman courthouse and in 1893 helped organize and capitalize the Farmers and Merchants Bank, where he was named Vice President. In 1901 he moved to Southern California and began building homes in Los Angeles. His land development and homebuilding legacy remains today as the fifth generation continues to build homes in California.
Rev. Griffin’s two living daughters, Cynthia Cordelia, married George Nelson Pemberton and after his death , Mathew McComb in Hortonia. The youngest, Emma Gertrude, married Samuel Alexander and after his death, Samuel Freeman Briggs of Hortonville.
A short funeral service was held at his home, then his body was carried by train to the Free Baptist Church, in Allenville, where the Rev. J. M. Kayser, long-time friend, and fellow churchman, officiated at his service.
More information can be found on the Wisconsin Free Will Baptist Historical Society web site, & History of Nebraska, Vol 3, by Julius S. Morton.
The above has been expanded and edited for accuracy by Theresa McKeon Griffin.
Reverend Jacob Griffin was one of ten children born to Obadiah Griffin, Jr., and Hannah (McIntyre) Griffin, who held Loyalist sentiments. His grandfather, Obadiah, Sr. was awarded over 1000 acres in Digby, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in the late 1780s for his military service in the War of the Rebellion, on behalf of the king.
From Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, the family settled in Upper Ontario at Smithville where Jacob was born and later located to Southwold , Elgin County, which was mostly an untamed area. Jacob did not have many educational opportunities, but at age 16, he heard Reverends David Marks and Obadiah Jenkins preach; after the meeting he joined the Free Will Baptist Church there and began to preach in 1843. He was ordained in Canada in 1844 and began in evangelizing and organizing churches.
On 06 Oct. 1836, he married Emeline Wade, and shortly thereafter, they migrated to Illinois. He was useful in that state, but was called back to Canada in 1852 by the church, according to his brother, Zebina. He returned to the U.S. in 1867, when he accepted a call to assist Winnebago and Vineland churches in Wisconsin.
He was abundant in labors, pastoring and evangelizing in this region and was credited with baptizing over 700 people and organizing at least seven churches. He was a sympathetic friend and a true minister, who sought neither wealth nor the praise of men.
His wife Emeline Wade Griffin survived him.
Rev. Griffin was the father of eight children: two died in childhood -Alvina Sevina and Cassius Hallum; two, Bryant Wade, a lawyer in Vinton, IA, and Jacob Douglass Griffin, a farmer and land owner, died in active manhood and of his two sons living at the time of Rev. Griffin’s death, Rev. Zebina Flavius Griffin of Keunka College, NY, was for ten years a missionary in India; Newell Willard Griffin, a merchant and large land owner in Palo Pinto TX, moved to Norman OK after the death of his wife, Eugenia "Jennie" Edmonds in 1892 where he became a partner in a dry goods store - Cotney Griffin & Waite. N.W., as he was called, built several houses in Norman and bought over 15 tracts of land in Cleveland and Pottowatomie counties. He was awarded the contract to build the Norman courthouse and in 1893 helped organize and capitalize the Farmers and Merchants Bank, where he was named Vice President. In 1901 he moved to Southern California and began building homes in Los Angeles. His land development and homebuilding legacy remains today as the fifth generation continues to build homes in California.
Rev. Griffin’s two living daughters, Cynthia Cordelia, married George Nelson Pemberton and after his death , Mathew McComb in Hortonia. The youngest, Emma Gertrude, married Samuel Alexander and after his death, Samuel Freeman Briggs of Hortonville.
A short funeral service was held at his home, then his body was carried by train to the Free Baptist Church, in Allenville, where the Rev. J. M. Kayser, long-time friend, and fellow churchman, officiated at his service.
More information can be found on the Wisconsin Free Will Baptist Historical Society web site, & History of Nebraska, Vol 3, by Julius S. Morton.
The above has been expanded and edited for accuracy by Theresa McKeon Griffin.
From Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, the family settled in Upper Ontario at Smithville where Jacob was born and later located to Southwold , Elgin County, which was mostly an untamed area. Jacob did not have many educational opportunities, but at age 16, he heard Reverends David Marks and Obadiah Jenkins preach; after the meeting he joined the Free Will Baptist Church there and began to preach in 1843. He was ordained in Canada in 1844 and began in evangelizing and organizing churches.
On 06 Oct. 1836, he married Emeline Wade, and shortly thereafter, they migrated to Illinois. He was useful in that state, but was called back to Canada in 1852 by the church, according to his brother, Zebina. He returned to the U.S. in 1867, when he accepted a call to assist Winnebago and Vineland churches in Wisconsin.
He was abundant in labors, pastoring and evangelizing in this region and was credited with baptizing over 700 people and organizing at least seven churches. He was a sympathetic friend and a true minister, who sought neither wealth nor the praise of men.
His wife Emeline Wade Griffin survived him.
Rev. Griffin was the father of eight children: two died in childhood -Alvina Sevina and Cassius Hallum; two, Bryant Wade, a lawyer in Vinton, IA, and Jacob Douglass Griffin, a farmer and land owner, died in active manhood and of his two sons living at the time of Rev. Griffin’s death, Rev. Zebina Flavius Griffin of Keunka College, NY, was for ten years a missionary in India; Newell Willard Griffin, a merchant and large land owner in Palo Pinto TX, moved to Norman OK after the death of his wife, Eugenia "Jennie" Edmonds in 1892 where he became a partner in a dry goods store - Cotney Griffin & Waite. N.W., as he was called, built several houses in Norman and bought over 15 tracts of land in Cleveland and Pottowatomie counties. He was awarded the contract to build the Norman courthouse and in 1893 helped organize and capitalize the Farmers and Merchants Bank, where he was named Vice President. In 1901 he moved to Southern California and began building homes in Los Angeles. His land development and homebuilding legacy remains today as the fifth generation continues to build homes in California.
Rev. Griffin’s two living daughters, Cynthia Cordelia, married George Nelson Pemberton and after his death , Mathew McComb in Hortonia. The youngest, Emma Gertrude, married Samuel Alexander and after his death, Samuel Freeman Briggs of Hortonville.
A short funeral service was held at his home, then his body was carried by train to the Free Baptist Church, in Allenville, where the Rev. J. M. Kayser, long-time friend, and fellow churchman, officiated at his service.
More information can be found on the Wisconsin Free Will Baptist Historical Society web site, & History of Nebraska, Vol 3, by Julius S. Morton.
The above has been expanded and edited for accuracy by Theresa McKeon Griffin.
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