Biography

John was born at Martins Ferry, 0hio on 01 Aug 1846, son of Samuel Giffen and Margaret Kerr. He graduated from Westminster College in June of 1871 and from Xenia Theological Seminary in 1874. John was licensed to preach by the Wheeling Presbytery, of the United Presbyterian church, on the 14th of April, 1874, and ordained at St. Clairsville, Ohio by the same Presbytery on January 26, 1875. He received his Doctor of Divinity (D. D.) degree from Westminster College in 1899.

John was appointed a missionary to Egypt and sailed on 10 Feb 1875 for the field. Soon after reaching the mission field he married Miss Mary Elizabeth Galloway, missionary to Egypt under the Associate Reformed church. They had three children together before she died on 16 Oct 1881. In 1883 John married Elizabeth Newlin of Cadiz, 0hio who had en­tered the mission field in Egypt in 1880 as a mission­ary of the United Presbyterian Church.

Dr Giffin was located at Alexandria from March, 1875, to July, 1877; at Assiut from August, 1877 to March, 1888; at Cairo from September, 1889, until the time of his death April 5, 1922.^[1]

Dr Giffen was one of the pioneer missionaries to Egypt. The Egyptian Gazette, the lead­ing English newspaper of that land, speaks of him as follows.

"Dr. Giffen, during these forty-seven years, ren­dered unceasing service to this country. He was a man of broad vision and marvelous versatility, and for many years he carried heavy burdens in the educa­tional, evangelistic, literary and financial work of the American Mission. Because of his keen judgment, unbiased by prejudice, he was able to give invaluable aid in various questions between the American Mission and the Egyptian Government. During the spring and summer of 1907 he was Vice and Deputy Consul General for America. His godliness and sympathetic kindliness, and his justice mingled with tenderness, won for him a place not only in the affection of the American and English community but also in the hearts of the Egyptian people for whom he gave his life. His work and influence will go on through the ages."

Sources

1. ↑
   • Find A Grave: Memorial #133065321