William Griffin (abt. 1750 - aft. 1826)

Born about 1750 in Virginia

Descendants

Died after 25 Jan 1826 after about age 76 in Henry, Tennessee, United States

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Biography

This profile is part of the Griffin Name Study.

William Griffin b 1750'ish probably in Loudoun, VA.

Of the above listed descendants of this William - only descendants of Thomas and Spencer have been tested and have excellent Y=111 marker DNA matches. The other descendants are speculation or educated guesses.

Y-700 testing DNA proves he is Irish (Ulster-Irish) of origins. He (or his ancestor) probably immigrated to the America in the mid 1700s most probably with the ULSTER Irish, and followed the migration path of many of his scotch/irish neighbors.

My best guess is that several members of this family left Ireland and assumed different surnames.

• There are Y-111 matches with many of the DAVIS surname.
• There is a Y-111 marker DNA match to a "foundling" raised with the name of Thomas Jefferson Madison (b Georgia 1808)

Note - many Irish/Scottish immigrants followed a common path where some settled on the line between Pennsylvania and Maryland, and then went to Loudoun County, Virginia, thence to Rockingham, thence to Augusta. (Augusta became Rockbridge VA) [note from the book (googlebooks.com) Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia By Augusta County (Va.), Lyman Chalkley] - This group of immigrants were

William Griffin is on the Loudoun VA tax list over several years with 1768 being the first year mentioned (William needed to be over 16 to be included on the tax list) Many aligned families that intermarried with William Griffin's family are also on this list, particularly with the Hill family, Calvert family, Nodding family, Bayless family,...) He paid taxes in 1768, 1770, 1771-1775 - see tax list details, below

William Griffin moves on to Fincastle (Botetourt) va after 1775.

William Griffin is on the 1782 taxlist for Fincastle VA. Alongside him are many of the same individuals that were granted military land grants for serving in the North Carolina service. History in 1776, William Preston recruited 100 men from Fincastle to serve with John Seirver in the Watauga settlement area in support of the Cherokee Indian wars.Annals of Tennessee to the End of the Eighteenth Century page 151.

PLAN OF CHEROKEE INVASION " Our Convention on the 14th of May, ordered 500 lbs. of gunpowder to each of the counties of Fincastle, Botetourt, Augusta and West Augusta. . . . And double that quantity of lead. They likewise ordered 100 men to be forthwith raised in Fincastle, to be stationed where our Committee directs for the protection of the frontier.

William moved to the Watauga settlement with the aligned families (noted below) in the 1782-1784 timeframe

These men , many from from Fincastle, responded to the "call to service" issued by William Preston to support the Revolutionary War and they were known as the Overmountain Men and fought against the Cheorekee Indians. Most served in the Battle of Kings Mountain. Land grants were issued for this service, originating in the state of North Carolina (as the area was then known as).

NOTE:

• The Watauga Association was created in 1772
• North Carolina annexed the Watauga settlement area, by then known as the Washington District, in November 1776.
• in November 1777 the area became Washington County, North Carolina, (This area covers the present day Washington County, Carter County, and other areas now located in the northeast part of the state of Tennessee.)
• In 1779 it split and became multiple counties in North Carolina.
• In 1784 these counties in North Carolina and the State of Franklin for several years operated with two sets of government representatives. also called "Watauga settlement" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watauga_Association
• In 1789/90 it was part of the Territory of the United States of America South of the River Ohio.
• Finally in 1796, it became part of Tennessee.

Possibly d aft 1826 where he received a land grant in Henry Tennessee - but William's place of death is not certain. (also - question - what military service was this land grant for - he seems quite old to be serving in some battle in his 50's-70's ??? - maybe for a different William Griffin???). Maybe this is the Land was passed to his son Thomas Griffin who moved to Paris, Henry, TN in 1836.

Aligned Families

Several allied families traveled to the Watauga settlement after leaving Loudoun Co VA. In 1757, the northwestern two-thirds of Fairfax County became Loudoun Co Fairfax County was formed in 1742 from the northern part of Prince William Co specifically the families of William Nodding, Samuel Hill Sr, Col Samuel G Bayless, John Brown, William Calvert. This group of families arrived in this settlement 1775-1779. There are multiple family histories which discuss the group of families that traveled together from Loudon, Virginia to Jefferson TN. There are several GRIFFIN families found in Loudoun VA - which may be related (theory)

William Nodding first appears on the Fairfax Co tithable list in 1749

The Bayless, Brown, Nodding, Hill and GRIFFIN families are found on this Index to tithables from 1758-1784 for Loudoun Co VA (age 16 and up)

In 1781, Daniel Hill's pension says " I enlisted in the services of the United States as a volunteer soldier in 1780, under Captain James Wilson and Colonel John Sevier. (Note: Sevier was the famed Nolichucky Jack and a renowned Revolutionary War hero. He was the first governor of Tennessee.) "

It is probably that William Griffin also served with this group of men - because he recieved military land grants in the same area. "i.e. the "Overmountain Men" - and little is know of the service records of this group of volunteers - unless they submitted pension declarations . Also see- The Overmountain Men: Battle of King's Mountain, Cumberland Decade, State of Franklin, Southwest Territories book - written by Pat Alderman

William Griffin probably first appears on land and court records in this Watauga Settlement (aka Jefferson County, aka Washington County) TN between abt 1780, He received military land grants along the French Broad River near many of the aligned families that traveled together. His land grants were shared with Zacharias Copeland and Martin Gentry and located very near many of those mentioned above. The land grant was issued to men who served in the Revolutionary War for North Carolina and this territory now known as the state of Tennessee was at one point known as part of North Carolina

This William Griffin owned land at the mouth of Copeland Creek, Jefferson Co., Tn. William was assigned to Copeland's Company; on the French Broad River; with George Graham, John Hill, and John Moore (note - John Hill was Daniel Hill's brother. John Moore's will– (land adjacent to John Hill) – refers to John Hill as his “Son-in-law”.

[note-He is not the same William Griffin found on Roan Creek who then moved to Pulaski KY. ]

1784 court record info: Washington Co, VA (aka TN) to take deposition of Robert Buchanan & others on behalf of Aran Lewis at suit of Wm Griffin. WAGSBulVol19No2-1990-pg 96^[1]

1784-1787 Territory briefly became the State of Franklin [4] |The Annals of Tennessee to the End of the Eighteenth Century]

1800 William Griffin is listed on the Jefferson TN Taxlist: Copeland's Company; French Broad River; with George Graham, John Hill, and John Moore

July 1803; Jefferson TN; William to help prepare work on the road near his property at the Mouth of Copeland Creek, Jefferson Co., Tn.

Mar 8 1809 Two land warrants- Number 443 and 444; William Griffin registers a Military Land Grant for 171.25 acres in Jefferson County. it is in the district of Hamilton, on the French Broad River and both of the land warrants include land shared with Zacharias Copeland and Martin Gentry.

Zacharias Copeland - In his Will 12 March 1850; Jefferson TN: The proceeds of his plantation on the South of the French Broad River adjoining the land of Joseph W. Headrick & others, ... to Elizabeth Hill, widow of John Hill dec. and her heirs,

John Hill married Elizabeth Moore in 11 Jan 1791 Greene TN (Captain in General Jackson's Army 1812; Killed at battle of 'Horse-Shoe Bend'; Samuel Hill's will in 1814 mentions son John Hill - deceased)

There is another John M Hill who married Elizabeth Copeland in 4 Jan 1802 Jefferson TN Caution - There were more than one "John Hill" in this family...

ZACHEUS COPELAND: see Zacharias Copeland pension statement https://revwarapps.org/s2470.pdf

Fact 1: In Oct. 1780, Zacheus fought at the Battle of King's Mountain NC, under Col. Shelby and Col Sevier where the overmountain men defeated the British, General Ferguson, starting the end of the Revolutionary War. He was a Captain in the Tennessee Militia during the War of 1812. Pension Number S2470-Jefferson County TN- He received a pension of $ 26.66/year starting in 8/13/1833. As of 1835, he was 70 years old and had received $79.98. S2470. He was a substitute for his father, Joseph during the Rev War

Fact 2: Served with Col. William Lillard. (2nd Regiment East Tennessee Volunteer Militia from October 1813 - February 1814; men mostly from: Greene, Jefferson, Sullivan, Cocke, Grainger, Hawkins, and Washington Counties BRIEF HISTORY: This regiment of about 700 men was assigned to fill the ranks at Fort Strother for Andrew Jackson after the December 1813 "mutiny" of his army. While at Fort Strother, they comprised half of Jackson's forces until mid-January 1814 when their enlistments were up. This regiment was used to keep the lines of communication open and to guard supply lines.

Fact 3: 1800, Listed on the Jefferson County, Tennessee Tax Records

Fact 4: 1822, Listed on the Jefferson County, Tennessee Tax Records.

In Oct. 1780, Zacheus fought at the Battle of King's Mountain NC, under Col. Shelby and Col Sevier where the overmountain men defeated the British, General Ferguson, starting the end of the Revolutionary War. He was a Captain in the Tennessee Militia during the War of 1812. He was a substitute for his father,Joseph during the Rev War

Thomas Griffin fought in "Copeland's Company" in the 1812 WAR

Pvt Thomas Griffin served with Col Bunch's regiment,Gen James White's brigade 1814 (1st Regiment of Volunteer Mounted Infantry)

Note on Military Land Grants (from Todd's Rootsweb post)

Military Bounty Land Grants in Tennessee means the recipients had to have completed at least two years of service in a North Carolina regiment for the Continental Line in service of the Revolutionary War. Most but not all of these men fought in a North Carolina Regiment. The first of these were in the upper east Tennessee areas of Washington, Carter, Sullivan counties and as more grants were given the land extended west.

Grants were issued by the State of North Carolina. The Rev War went from 1775-1781, with the treaty signed in 1783. Grants would have been for early service in the war or possibly for service in the French and Indian Wars. 1778 was the first year the lands in what is now Tennessee opened up. The Land Grant Office was in Washington Co., Tn., the county was formed in 1777 and the office opened in 1778.

Interesting read on land surveys "Fincastle County Surveys"

Dec 1814, William Griffin is mentioned as having notes due from Samuel Hill's estate [page 25; Will Books, 1792-1844, Jefferson Co TN] and in the estate of William MOORE (Dec 1816) "William Griffin Dr. on Lawbook 10.62 cash in hand 74.00 William Griffin Dr [debt record]. on Books 23.55 "

[note - "Dr" as written in the inventory summaries means "Debt Record" - not doctor]

1824, June 24; William Griffin received land in Henry County TN Warrant #24578 (record 25 Jan 1826) (Thomas Griffin and family, moved from McNairy TN to Henry TN in 1834 so I presume this is aligned with this Griffin family)

It is presumed he died sometime after receiving the above Land warrant in 1826 .

His will has not been found, nor do I have an accurate death date/place

son Thomas Griffin

1803 - His son - Thomas Griffin (b1781 - d 16 June 1839 in Henry TN) married Mary Polly Hill, the daughter of Daniel Hill/Eleanor Nodding.

1815, Thomas was security, along with Daniel Hill and James Bradford for administrator's bond for Samuel Hill(father of Daniel).

1817 May 9-ThomasGriffin-DanielHill-Jefferson land grant TN2185

1822, Thomas listed on the Jefferson County tax list

1822, Thomas bought 115 acres from William Griffin, in Jefferson Co

1823, Thomas sold 116 acres to Joseph Graham, in Jefferson Co

1824, Thomas made entry for 15 acres of land adjoining Abraham HIll, in Jefferson Co

1826, Thomas Griffin, Jefferson, Tennessee; Warrant Number: 12321

1828; Daniel Hill/Thomas Griffin/Joseph Graham and other aligned families moved to McNairy TN

1830,Thomas Griffin found in the McNairy TN Census - living next to John Hill.

son Spencer Samuel Griffin

There is a Y-111 DNA match between descendants of Samuel and Thomas

There are autosomal DNA connections to several descendants of Thomas Griffin and Spencer Samuel Griffin (who was also a brief resident of the Watauga settlement) . Spencer Samuel Griffin married

1. Susannah Day in abt 1807 and
2. Elizabeth White in abt 1814 - who was born in Fincastle, Botetourt, Virginia

Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Mississippi: Embracing an Authentic pg 823-824
W. H. Griffin, as a merchant, is progressive, enterprising, and industrious, and by his upright methods of conducting his affairs he has gained sufficient patronage to bring him in a handsome sum annually. He was born in Tuscaloosa county, Ala., in 1844, to J. T. and E. S. (McConnell) Griffin, the former of whom was born near Mammoth cave, Ky., in 1816, of which cave his father, Spencer Griffin, was at one time owner. The latter was of Irish descent, but a native of Virginia, in which state he was married to a Miss Day, afterward removing to Kentucky, from which state he moved to South Carolina with his family.

Possible Son John Caswell Griffin and the Thomas Griffin Family legend

According to a family legend printed in the book by Ruth Godwin Godwin-Hill Related Families ^[2]-

A family tradition has a story that Thomas Griffin is related to Eliza Croghan Griffin that married Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston, Daniel Anderson Hill (Thomas' father-in-law) knew General Johnston and when there was a rumor of his death at the Battle of Shiloh, DA Hill was compelled to search for the body since he personally knew him.

• John Caswell Griffin died 1826 in Fincastle, Botetourt VA. Descendants of John Caswell Griffin are well documented. John Caswell Griffin's parents are not known. Eliza Croghan Griffin is his daughter.
• John Caswell Griffin / Mary Talbot Hancock were the parents of Eliza Croghan Griffin that married Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston.
• So if the family legend has merit.... It is possible that John Caswell Griffin was a brother of William Griffin, and Daniel Anderson Hill could have known Eliza Croghan Griffin because she was a 1st cousin of Thomas Griffin (his son-in-law).
• William Griffin's son, Spencer Samuel Griffin, purchased land in 1810 at Mammoth Cave in Warren KY. Dr John Croghan and George Hancock (Eliza's Uncle) were part owners.

There are other interesting connections between Spencer Griffin and the Croghan, Hancock, Talbot, Lewis, Clark families through the Mammoth Cave in Warren KY where Spencer owned land:

• from the book "Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Mississippi"; the subject of this sketch- W. H. Griffin, ... was born in Tuscaloosa county, Ala., in 1844, to J. T. and E. S. (McConnell) Griffin, the former of whom was born near Mammoth Cave, Ky., in 1816, of which his father, Spencer Griffin, was at one time owner. ... he was married to a Miss Day, afterward removing to Kentucky, from which state he moved to South Carolina with his family.^[3]
• Dr John Croghan was familiar with the area long before he bought the cave; his family owned land in Edmonson County, and they knew Gorin. Croghan was not just familiar with the surface; he carved his name and the date 1812 into the limestone in Ganter Avenue in the Historic section of Mammoth cave. ^{[4] [5]}
• Eliza Croghan GRIFFIN was the daughter of John Caswell GRIFFIN and Mary Talbot Hancock of Fincastle, Botetourt, Virginia. [5]. Eliza Croghan GRIFFIN was the niece of George Strother Hancock and Eliza Clark Croghan.

Y-DNA connection to Thomas Griffin, Spencer Samuel Griffin, and Thomas J Madison

See https://www.familytreedna.com/public/griffith?iframe=ycolorized Not only does the YDNA (111 marker test) connect Thomas Griffin and Spencer Samuel Griffin as brothers - it also connects Thomas J Madison (descendants say he was a foundling - and born 1803 in Georgia)

Also see The Buckners of Virginia and the Allied Families of Strother and Ashby By William Armstrong Crozier, William Dickinson Buckner, Howard Randolph Bayne page 281

Research note - need to review https://www.google.com/books/edition/1902_Biographical_Memoirs_of_Henry_Count/x2gqk4r0cYcC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=John+Lightfoot+Griffin&pg=PA681&printsec=frontcover

Strong Y-DNA match from Nikki Griffin (a descendant of Thomas Griffin's line) to Thomas J Madison (a foundling born in abt 1808 in Georgia).

• possible (theory only) that "the foundling" Thomas J Madison was raised with members of the William Strother Madison family. Speculate that some Strother family moved to Georgia - so maybe he was taken with them, and carried the "Madison" surname. Not really sure how to fit this - theory still in work- Possibilities and scenarios are numerous.
• There is a strong overlap with John Caswell Griffin who married Mary Talbot Hancock - (dau of Margaret Kennerly STROTHER and George Hancock). and Spencer Samuel Griffin (multiple autosomal DNA matches to Thomas Griffin) - who owned part of Mammoth Caves and George Hancock also owned part. Including the family legend within the Thomas Griffin family that there was a family relationship with Eliza Croghan Griffin (dau of John Caswell Griffin)
• Born in Georgia ??? [ https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Yazoo_Land_Companies/D1AEAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq| The Yazoo Land Companies By Charles Homer Haskins,1891] The "ownership" of significant land grants was not determined until 1810'ish - and Georgia claimed much of the Cherokee Indian land through this Yazoo Land Company. [my note - therefore anyone born in one of these disputed land purchases would claim to be born in Georgia]. President Madison and Benjamin Franklin were big proponents of these land grab companies.

1790-Annals of Tennessee to the End of the Eighteenth Century page 550. By an act of the State of Georgia , disposing of certain vacant lands, three million and a half acres of land, lying south of Tennessee River, were conveyed to the Tennessee Company, consisting of Zachariah Cox, Thomas Gilbert and John Strother, Esquires, and their associates. The proprietors took measures, soon after, to effect a settlement of their purchase. Zachariah Cox and Thomas Carr, as agents of the Company, repaired to the Territory, and there, Sept. 2d, 1790, issued an advertisement that it would embark a large armed force at the mouth of French Broad. [my note - This is the location of William Griffin / Daniel Hill's land] The fleet was to start Jan 10 , 1791, carrying, in the boats, such emigrants as desired to settle near the Muscle Shoals. A bounty of five hundred acres was offered to each family and half of that quantity to each single man. A land office was opened for the disposition of these lands, which was to be kept at the confluence of Holston and French Broad till the company embarked, and was then to be opened at the Great Bend.

Additional Possible Children

There is a "Stansberry Griffin" - also a resident of the Watauga settlement. He is listed on the 1819 taxlist for Washington Co Tn (Capt Harris' company) which is the same company that the Brown family, the Bayless family, the Calvert family and some McCray's too...

• my thoughts - There is a Stansbury family who came from England and settled in Maryland. I see them in Fairfax co, Loudoun Co and Baltimore.
• From the 1814 “Pay Roll of a company of Militia commanded by Captain Henry McCray in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Ewin Allison” There is a Samuel Stansberry , Henry McCray, and Daniel Bayless… (page 31-33) fighting in the same company.
• "Pay Roll of a company of Militia commanded by Captain Henry McCray in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Ewin Allison in the service of the United States from January 5th 1814 to the 23rd May 1814" From the Watauga BULLETIN WAGSBul1975Vol3Nos1&2
• 1833 (after the Griffins/Hills/ect moved away) There is a James Stansberry listed in Claiborne County, Tennessee - is he related???
• Possible alternate spelling for surname could be Stansborough

John Griffin (Griffin-3353) - With Land on the French Broad River - living near the lands of the HILL family and the MOORE family. Is probably not related. He is probably the son of William Griffin (Griffin-2149) of the Roan Creek families.

1826 Sept3-John Griffin-FrenchBroadRiver-Warrant 22793 (record date Sept 3, 1839)

1841 John Griffin 200 acres land on the French Broad River warrant 239?

1847 John Griffin land on French Broad River and Indian Muddy Creek land in counties of Cocke and Jefferson Warrant 25771

Associated families - traveled together and intermarried

NODDING family^[6]- The Noddings seem to have been people of some substance, for one of William Nodding's daughters, Elizabeth, married William Calvert, and the Calverts of Maryland had been movers and shakers since Lord George Calvert, the first proprietor, and granted the enormous tract of land which Lord Calvert named Maryland in honor of Henrietta Marie, Charles I's queen, Maryland's first governor was Leonard Calvert, Nephew of Lord George Calverts, and William and Elizabeth Calvert named one of their sons, Leonard.

In 1784, William Nodding, Sr., led a caravan of wagons from the Maryland side of the Potomac River westward along the river until it reached the junction of the Shenandoah River. There he fired his musket into the air, and in response, Robert Harper sent his ferryboat across to bring the party over to the VA side. They landed next to Harper's mill, powered by the Shenandoah River, and set off from that point into the northern entrance to the storied Shenandoah Valley.

BAYLESS family^[7]

... The first few generations of the Bayless family lived on Long Island, New York, before moving to New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, and eventually to east Tennessee and north Alabama.

Calvert family found in Loudon VA and earlier in Maryland. Lots of history on this family

Brown family

Sources

1. ↑ WAGSBulVol19No2-1990-pg 96
2. ↑ Ruth Godwin Gadbury, Godwin-Hill Related Families (P.O. Box 178, Burnet Texas 78611, Nortex Press, 1980), Jefferson County Archives, Jefferson Tennessee
3. ↑ Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Mississippi: Embracing an Authentic pg 823-824 [1]
4. ↑ "A Human and Natural History edited by Horton H. Hobbs III, Rickard A Olson, Elizabeth G Winkler, David C. Culver" [2]
5. ↑ Wikipedia Mammoth Cave National Park[3]
6. ↑ Ruth Godwin Gadbury, Godwin-Hill Related Families (P.O. Box 178, Burnet Texas 78611, Nortex Press, 1980), Jefferson County Archives, Jefferson Tennessee
7. ↑ https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?from=fhd&dps_pid=IE76167 A history of the Jacks family of Alabama, North Carolina, and Maryland

• Watauga Genealogy Association publications http://www.wagsnetn.org/watauga-association-of-genealogists-bulletin/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watauga_Association
• tithables from 1758-1784 for Loudoun Co VA
• Land grants on-line, ancestry.com