Marc Griffin J.D.

Ancestors

Biography

Guinness World Records has declared that he holds the record for being the world’s youngest judge.^[1],^[2],^[3]

At the age of 17, on February 19, 1974, Marc Lyn Griffin was appointed as a Justice of the Peace, filling a vacancy in the office in White River Township, Johnson County, Indiana. Upon his nomination by the Board of Commissioners of Johnson County, this appointment was made by Indiana Governor Otis R. Bowen.^[4]

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Born on May 25, 1956, in Greensburg, Indiana, Marc was the only child of Donald L. Griffin and Alice Marie (Baker) Griffin. His family relocated to Beech Grove, Indiana, in 1961, and he primarily resided in Perry Township, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Graduating from Beech Grove High School in 1974, Marc's peers acknowledged his potential by voting him Most Likely to Succeed.

As a teenage judge, Marc presided over a diverse array of small claims and misdemeanor criminal cases, handling cases involving debt collection, dishonored checks, landlord-tenant disputes, property damage, violations of motor vehicle laws, disturbing the peace, shoplifting, and assault. Additionally, he conducted surety of the peace hearings and issued peace bonds, now known as protective orders.

Balancing a demanding court schedule, he also took on the role of officiating marriages, a duty he took on even before he was of legal marrying age without parental consent. His appointive term concluded on December 31, 1974. He continued his judicial service, winning contested primary and general elections that same year, securing an elective term.

Furthering his education, Marc earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University, where he was recognized as the Outstanding Business Professional of his graduating class.

Subsequently, Marc pursued a legal career, obtaining a Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) degree from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis. Admitted to the bar of the State of Indiana, he practiced real estate law in Greenwood, Indiana, just three miles from his former courtroom.

A devoted advocate of civic duty, Marc maintained a perfect record of participating in every primary, general, or special election since casting his first vote at the age of 17 in the 1974 primary election. Upon retiring from his law practice, he made his home in South Florida, occasionally visiting his vacation residence in Heredia, Costa Rica. In his leisure time, Marc pursued his lifelong passion for genealogy, exploring his family's history and uncovering captivating narratives of his ancestors.

Genealogy has been a lifelong passion and he is an enthusiastic WikiTreer. During his extensive research into his family tree, he uncovered the remarkable fact that several of his direct ancestors also served as Justices of the Peace in the early 19th century in southern Indiana.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ [1]
2. ↑ [2]
3. ↑ [3]
4. ↑ Space:World's_Youngest_Judge
5. ↑ Johnston Brown, William Hall, Absalom Hankins, Jonathan Shreve

DNA Records

• Paternal relationship is confirmed by an autosomal AncestryDNA test match between Marc Griffin and William Griffin, his 1st cousin 1x removed. Their most recent common ancestors (MRCA) are Gerald Griffin and Wauneta Jackson, the grandparents of Marc Griffin and great grandparents of William Griffin. Predicted relationship from AncestryDNA: 1st cousin 1x removed, based on sharing 459 cM across 22 segments.
• Paternal relationship is confirmed by an autosomal 23andMe test match between Marc Griffin and Jacqui Griffin, his 2nd cousin 1x removed. Their most-recent common ancestors are Joseph Griffin and Loura Lemen, the great grandparents of Marc Griffin and great great grandparents of Jacqui Griffin. Predicted relationship from 23andMe: 2nd cousin once removed, based on 1.31% DNA shared across 5 segments.
• Maternal relationship is confirmed by an autosomal Family Tree DNA test match between Marc Griffin and Larry Baker, his 1st cousin 1x removed. Their most-recent common ancestors (MRCA) are Cecil Baker and Carrie Ponsler, the great grandparents of Marc Griffin and grandparents of Larry Baker. Predicted relationship from Family Tree DNA: 1st cousin 1x removed, based on sharing 363 cM across 87 segments. Marc is the son of Alice Baker who is the granddaughter of the common ancestors Cecil Baker & Carrie Ponsler.
• Maternal relationship is confirmed by an autosomal 23andMe test match between Marc Griffin and Mike Holtkamp, his 2nd cousin . Their most-recent common ancestors are Henry Swango and Alice Tellas, the great grandparents of both Marc Griffin and Mike Holtkamp. Predicted relationship from 23andMe: 2nd cousin, based on 3.55% DNA shared across 13 segments.
• Maternal relationship is confirmed by an autosomal MyHeritageDNA test match between Marc Griffin and Melvin Griner, his 2nd cousin 2x removed. Their most-recent common ancestors are Daniel Baker and Margaret Underwood, the 3x great grandparents of Marc Griffin and great grandparents of Melvin Griner. Predicted relationship from MyHeritageDNA: Grandparent's 2nd cousin, based on sharing 66.8 cM across 3 segments.

See also:

• Wikipedia: Marc Griffin

• Wikidata: Item Q114890126