Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/444

 GRIFFIN

GRIFFIX

assembly in 187G; city attorney of Eau Claire, 1878-80: state senator in 1880 and 1881; depart- ment commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, 1887-88; and quartermaster- general of the state with the rank of brig- adier-general in 1889 and 1890. In 1894 he w.as elected to the 53d congress as a Re- publican, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of George B. Shaw, and at the same time was elected to the 5-lth congress. He was re-elected to the 55th congress. He served as chairman of the Republican state conventions of 1890, 1896 and 1898. On June 1, 1899, he was appointed state commissioner of taxation for ten years. He died at Eau Claire, Wis., Dec. 29, 1899.

GRIFFIN, Nathaniel Herrick, educator, was lx>ni at Southampton, L.I., Dec. 28, 1814. He wiis graduated at Williams in 1834, studied at Princeton theological seminary, 1834-36, and was t'.itor iu Greek at Williams, 1836-87. He was jiistor of the Presbyterian church at Delhi, N.Y., 18:^M0: resided in Florida for his health, 1840-42, and in the latter year dissolved his connection with the church, returned north, passed a year at Williams supplying in the department of Latin and Greek during the absence of Professor Tatlaok and the illness of Professor Kellogg, and then located in Brooklyn, N.Y., as a teacher. He was professor of Latin and Greek at Williams, 1845-53. The department was then divided and lie was Lawrence professor of Greek language and literature, 1853-57, when he resigned and opened a private school in Williamstown, Mass. In 1868 he returned to Williams as librarian, holding that position till his death. He was maiTied in 1839 to Hannah E., daughter of Maj. Solomon Bulkley of Williamstown, Mass., and their son, Solomon Bulkley Griffin, born in Williamstown, Aug. 13, 1852, was graduated at Williams in 1873 and became managing editor of the Springfield, Mass., Bepitblican and the author of Mexico of Today (1886). Professor Griffin re- ceived the degi-ee of D.D. from Lafayette in 1867. He died in Williamstown. Mass., Oct. 16, 1876.

GRIFFIN, Simon Goodell, soldier, was born in Nelson, N.H., Aug. 9, 1824; son of Nathan and Sally (■ Wright) Griffin. His grandfathers, Samuel Gj-iffin and Nehemiah Wright, were soldiers in the American Revolution, both being present at the battle of Bunker Hill. His father being an

invalid, the care of seven children devolved on the mother and when Simon was six j-ears old he was sent to Roxbur)-, N.H., where he found a home and plenty of hard work with his uncle, Gen. Samuel Griffin, a farmer, who had been a soldier in the war of 1813. He was given a dis- trict school education and when eighteen j^ears old was himself a district school teacher. He continued his studies, teaching and farm work, studied law, was elected to the state legislature, 1859-60, and during his second term served as chairman of the committee on education. He was admitted to the bar in 1860 and was practis- ing at Concord, N.H., when the civil war broke out. He volimteered as a private in the 2d N.H. volunteers, was promoted captain, and at the battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861, he lost of his company twelve men killed and wounded. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel o^ the 6th N.H. volunteers, Oct. 26, 1861, and was with General Burnside's expedition to North Carolina in Janu- ary, 1862. He was made colonel of the regiment, April 22, 1862. He was in command of the ex- pedition that captured Elizabeth City, N.C., in April, 1862, and with his regiment made a deci- sive charge at Camden, K.C., which won the battle. He commanded a brigade of the 9th corps at second Bull Run, Chantilly and South Mountain, and at An- tietani Creek he charged the stone brid.ge at the head of the 6th New Hamp- shire volunteers, and planted its colors on the heights. For this action Burnside com- mended him for pro- motion to the rank of brigadier-general. In 1863 when Burnside was assigned to the command of the de- jiartment of Ohio, Colonel Griffin was given ]>ermanent command of the 1st brigade, 2d di\ ision, 9th aimy corps, and was with General Sherman m the defence of the rear of Grant's army before Vicksburg and was in the advance line which entered the city of Jackson when it was cap- tured. He then joined Burnside at Knoxville, commanded Camp Nelson, Ky., where he bad 9000 troops under his command, and in the spring of 1864 with his corps joined the army of the Potomac on the Rapidan. His brigade was the right of the 9th corps and on the left of Hancock in the battle of Spottsylvania Court House, where he ably supported that officer in the five hours onslaught made against that flank of the

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