Person:Abner Griffith (4)

Abner Griffith: The subject of these lines, whose death was announced in the paper last evening passed away at the home of his son-in-law and daughter - Mr. and Mrs. James D. Penrod - in Stonycreek ___ ___ ___ ___ yesterday afternoon of ___ ___ in advanced age. Mr. Griffith was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Abner Griffith, since being deceased, and was born in Jenner Township, Somerset County, September 26, 1814. He resided in Somerset County following the life of a farmer until 1856, when he ___ ___ and removed his family to Conemaugh Township, Cambria County and there he spent the remainder of his life. Some time after establishing his home there, Conemaugh Township was divided and that part in which his was situated became Stonycreek Township. Upon moving to the ___, Mr. Griffith erected new house ___ ___, and it was this structure, as ___ one evening that was destroyed by fire about a year ago, only last fall a new dwelling was completed and occupied. On August 13, 1853, Abner Griffith and Miss Mary Reighart, of Jenner Township, were united in marriage by Rev. David Law, then pastor of the Jenner Free Will Baptist Church, and to this union were born eleven children: four of whom survive - N. R. Griffith, of Walnut Grove; Emily A., wife of Louis Von Lunen, of the Seventeenth Ward; Merilla, wife of James D. Penrod, who resides on the old homestead in Stonycreek Township; and Hugh A. Griffith, who lives on a portion of the homestead farm. The dead are: Dave, Mary, and Elizabeth; Cyrus, who starved in a Southern prison during the Civil War and died at a hospital in Annapolis. Md.; Elias, who was a soldier and was killed at the Battle of New Market; Annie, wife of Edward Dietzler, who died in Pittsburgh; and William, who departed this life on a farm close to the homestead. Mrs. Griffith, the wife and mother, died April 23, 1891. Mr. Griffith is also survived by two brothers: Levi Griffith, of the Eighth Ward, and Eli Griffith, of Stonycreek Township; and by thirty- six grandchildren and thirty-one great grandchildren. Two brothers, four sisters, seven grandchildren, and twelve great grandchildren of Mr. Griffith are dead. The deceased, who was a farmer all his life, was a loving husband and kind father, an exemplary citizen who held the esteem of all who knew him, and a staunch Republican who was proud of his record of having voted at every Presidential election since that of William Henry Harrison; he was also a lifelong and earnest member of the Free Will Baptist Church. The funeral will take place tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock from the late home of the deceased, the services being conducted by the Rev. T. W. Perks, pastor of the Walnut Grove United Brethren Church and the Rev. S. T. Mitchell, pastor of the Franklin Street Methodist Church. The remains will be interred in Grandview Cemetery.(Lot owner is James D. Penrod)

ESTATE: Will dated 12 May 1892. File #6024 (17 Apr 1900). In the name of God Amen!! I Abner Griffith, of the Township of Stony Creek
in the County of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, being of sound and
disposing mind, memory and understanding, hereby make, publish and declare this
as my last will and testament, hereby revoking and declaring null and void any
will by me made at any time heretofore.
And first: I direct all my just debts and funeral expenses and the expense
of proving and executing this will t be paid: and as to the remainder of my
Estate I will and dispose of the same as follows--
Whereas on the 19th day of October A.D. 1889 I entered into seperate
contracts with the following named children viz: Marilla Penrod, N.R. Griffith,
Uriah Griffith and Emily Von Luenen and also with my son-in-law Louis Von
Luenen, in which contracts, for a consideration therein mentioned I sold to
each of them, severaly, a certain portion or kpurpart of my farm in Stony Creek
Township, Cambria County, and in said contracts I stipulated and provided, that
each of said purchasers should pay interest on the purchase money, at a rate,
therein designated, during the joint lives of myslef and my wife, Mary Griffith
and the life of the survivor of us and further stipulating and providing that
the purchase money should be paid in full on the death of such survivor at
which time it was also stipulated a deed of confeyance should be made to each
of said purchasers: Now I hereby authorize and direct my hereinafter named
Executors to make execute and deliver to each of the aprties above named, upon
their complying with the terms of the contract on their part, a deed of
conveyance for the land sold to them severaly. And I direct that my Executor,
Louis Von Luenen, shall make such deed to Nehemiah R. Griffith and my Executor,
Nehemiah R. Griffith shall make such deeds to Emily von Luenen and Louis Von
Luenen.
Item:--I give devise and bequeth to my grandchildren being children of my
deceased son, William griffith, namely: Harrie, May, Gertrude, Pearl, Maud E.,
Charles, Naomi and Howard Griffith:--the following described real estate
portions or purparts of my farm situate in Stony Creek Township, Cambria County
and bounded and described as follows: Beginning at a Chestnut stump, thence
along line of Joseph Hoffman South fifty-one degrees East, foruty-three and one
third perches to a post, thence North thirty-four degrees, along line of
division No. 4, eighty-nine perches to line of division No. 6, thence North
seventy-two degrees West seventeen and two-tenth perches to a post, Corner of
Eli Griffith, thence along division No. 2 South fifty-three and three-fourth
degrees West eighty-four perches to a Chestnut stump, the place of Beginning,
and being purpart No. 3 on division of land made by S.W. Miller for Abner
Griffith and containing sixteen acres and one perch.
Also:--Beginning at a post on the pike on line of land of Eli Griffith
thence by division No. 9 South fifty-one and one-fourth degrees West sixty
perches to division No. 7, thence by division No. 7. North thirty-four degrees
West thrity four and one tenth perches to line of land of Wertz heirs, thence
North sixteen degrees East twenty-eight and six-tenth perches to land of G.W.
Wissinger, thence by said Wissinger's land to the Pike, thence along the Pike
and land of Eli Griffith to the place of Beginning. Being purpart No. 8 on
division of land aforesaid and containing seventeen acres and onehundred and
fifty seven perches. Excepting and reserving from this devise two pieces or
lots of ground. One thereof conveyed to Louis Von Luenen and the other conveyed
to Jacob Rose. The land hereby devised to my said grandchildren I value at the
sum of Thirty Two Hundred and Thirty Four and 31/100 ($3234.31) Dollars and
Charge the said land with the payment of that amount to my Estate by the
divisees thereof. I further direct that the said land shall be charged with the
payment to me, or my Attorney in Fact, with interest on the above stated sum at
the rate of Four (4) percent per annum during my life time. And Whereas some of
my grandchildren, before mentioned are minors, and during their minority their
Guardian, Louis Von Luenen has advanced and may continue to advance certain
sums for their support and maintainance, the same being done at my request. id
direct that such sums thus advanced, or to be advanced hereafter shall also be
a charge on the share of said minors in the land above devised to them: And
Whereas also: the said Louis Von Luenen has advanced and may hereafter contunue
to advance certain sums of money in payment of the interest above provided for:
I direct that any sum, thus advanced or to be advanced by him, on account of
such interest shall be a charge upon the land of my said grandchildren and
shall be paid by them to said Louis Von Luenen. And I further direct that my
hereinafter named Executors shall make a deed to my said grandchildren for the
land above deivsed to them, upon their paying or settling the several charges
above mentioned.
Item:--It is my will and I hereby direct that the proceeds arrising from
the sale of my farm as aforesaid (after deducting whatever may be necessary to
apy expenses and debts) shall be divided into six equal parts or shares and I
give and bequeth, to my children and grandchildren, the same as follows
To my daughter, marilla Penrod, intermarried with James D. Penrod, one
share or part. To my son, Nehemiah R. Griffith, one share or part. To my son,
Uriah A. griffith, one share or part. To my daughter, Emily Von Luenen,
intermarried with Luis Von Luenen, one share or part. to the chidlren of my
deceased daughter, Annie Ditzler, intermarried with Edward P. Ditzler: namely
Vernon Ditzler, Abner Ditzler, Edward Ditzler and Cyrus Ditzler, jointly one
share or part, the same to be divided equaly between the said children share
and share alike. To the children of my deceased son, William Griffith, namely,
Harrie Griffith, May Griffith, Gertrude Griffith, pearl Griffith, Maude E.
Griffith, Charles Griffith, Naomi Griffith and Howard Griffith, jointly one
share or part, the same to be divided equaly between the said children, share
and share alike.
Item:--I authorize and direct my hereinafter named Executors at the time
of my death to make a careful computation of amounts due on contracts with my
children and on land devised to the children of my deceased son William and
after makeing such allowance as in the judgment of my Executors may be proper
to meet and pay expenses and debts, to allow to each child, a credit on the
purchase money equal to his or her share in my estate according to the terms of
above item.
Item:--I nominate, constitute and appoint my son Nehemiah R. Griffith and
my son-in-law Louis Von Luenen to be Executors of this my last will and
testament.
In testimony whereof I Abner Griffith the above named testator have
hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal this Twelveth day of May Anno
Domini One thousand Eight Hundred and Ninety Two.
Signed, sealed, published and declared by the above named testator, as and
for his last will and testament, who in his presence and the presence of each
other and at his request have signed our names hereto as Witnesses thereto:
/s/ W.H. Frederick /s/ Ivan R. Linton. /s/ Abner Griffith
He was married to Mary REIGHART (daughter of George REIGHART and Nancy --?--) on 13 Aug 1835 in , Somerset, PA. Mary REIGHART was born on 24 Aug 1810 in , Somerset, PA. She died on 23 Apr 1891 in Stony Creek, Cambria, PA. She was buried on 25 Apr 1891 in Grandview Cem., Johnstown, Cambria, PA. SOURCE: HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA by Henry Wilson Storey (1907)

Vol 3, p 632 -
GRIFFITH FAMILY.
... (II) Abner Griffith, fourth son of Owen Griffith, born January 22, 1784, died February, 1833. He married Mary, probably an Owen, daughter of John and Sarah Owen, born July 9, 1781, died April 5, 1858. They had children as follows: John, born July 11, 1807. William, born December 10, 1808. Sarah, born November 2, 1810. Mary Ann, born January 17, 1813, died 1865. Abner, born September 26, 1814, see forward. Levi, born September 17, 1816. Deborah, born June 20, 1819. Eli, born November 6, 1823. ...