Richard Griffin, Sr.

My Genealogy

Revolutionary War Patriot

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According to family history, Richard Griffin came from Wales to America and settled first in Orange, Hanover County, Virginia. Afterwards, he settled in Laurens District, South Carolina, where he made his home. He and his wife raised a family of 17 children, 11 boys and 6 girls with one set of twins. Nancy, the first child, was the first one to be rocked in the old Revolutionary Family Cradle (whereabouts unknown). Richard was not a young man when the Revolutionary War broke out. At that time he had a family of 10 children. He was a brave, loyal, and faithful patriot and aided greatly in gaining America's independence in every way, rendering valuable services in supplying all needs for the Continental Army from his plantation throughout the war. The Whigs really loved him; the Tories hated him for his activity in aiding the Whigs to escape from the cruel and dreaded Tories.

In Vol. III, p. 110, Historical Collection Joseph Habersham Chapter, DAR, Georgia, Col. John Drayton Williams to John Henry Logan wrote: My mother often said that Bloody Bill Cunningham would come and take my father and the whole family out to try to make them tell where the Whigs were hidden and whip them.

There are many descendants of his family of 17 children scattered throughout the U.S. Two of his children married children of Col. James Williams, hero of Kings' Mountain.

Richard Griffin is buried in the old Griffin graveyard in or near Laurens, SC. There is a marriage and death record in Vol. 29, p. 161 of S.C. Historical and Gen. magazine reading: Died on Monday, the 25th of Octover, 1805, at his plantation in Laurens District, Mr. Richard Griffin, Sr., age about 75 years, a man much respected and a true pattern of benevolence, who without private fortune or lucrative employment, has reared and educated with success a numerous family. Written Monday, Nov. 25, 1805. Will of Richard Griffin was proven, or probated, Nov. 1805. For material aid given to the cause of American Independence, Richard Griffin was paid by the State of South Carolina a claim for provisions furnished the Continental Army in 1781-82. The following is a true copy of the claim as found in Salley's Stub Entries to Indents for South Carolina Revolutionary Claims, Book U-W, Page 267. "Issued the 22nd of Aug., 1785, to Richard Griffin claim for 29 pounds, 16 shillings and 4 pence for provisions supplied the continentals in 1781-82 and for wagon hire per account passed by the Commissioner; Principal 29 pounds, 15 shillings, 4 pence; Amount Interest 2 pounds, 1 shilling, 8 pence.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbeville_County,_South_Carolina
Abbeville County was settled by mostly Scotch Irish </wiki/Scotch-Irish_American> and French-Huguenot </wiki/Huguenots> farmers </wiki/Farmer> in the mid-eighteenth century[3].
Laurens County, where Richard was living in 1790 and where he died in 1805, neighbors Abbeville County on the east. While other family trees have Richard and Nancy getting married in Wales in 1754, South Carolina records show they got married in Abbeville, which may have been where Nancy Clark lived. However, the dates for the SC records range from 1774-1890. If Nancy is the mother of all these children, then their marriage would have to have been earlier, as the first child was born in 1756. If her birthdate of 1740 is correct, she would have been only 14 when she married( if in 1754 in Wales) and only 16 when she had her first child. While this is possible, could it be that she is the second wife of Richard? It is possible that she could be the mother of all these children though, having the last one at age 48 in 1888. This is probably not our couple as their first child born in 1756 was named Nancy most likely after her mother. In either case, both Joseph and Larkin born in 1782 and 1788 respectively, both our ancestors, would most likely be her sons.

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C.W.A.A. Hoffer Genealogy

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