Person:Uriah Griffith (1)

... (IV) Uriah A. Griffith, the eighth child of Abner Griffith, was born on March 27, 1852. His mother was Mary (Reighart) Griffith. He was reared in Somerset county until six years of age, when his parents removed to Walnut Grove, Cambria county. His education was obtained in the public schools. Until he reached his majority he remained on his father's farm and assisted in the work of the place. He then found employment in the Cambria Iron Company at Homestead, Pennsylvania, and there remained over one year, then returned to Johnstown and became an employee of the Lorain Steel Company. After leaving the iron business he launched into the milk business for himself. In this he succeeded well and continued in the same for fourteen years, selling out in 1903. Being in full possession of all his physical powers, he did not care to remain unemployed, so he opened a grocery store at Walnut Grove, in which he is now doing a good business. While never taking an active part in local politics, he has served his township as tax collector.

Mr. Griffith first married Mary Updegrave, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Updegrave. By this union two children were born - Grace, married Frank Repp and is the mother of Lillian and Walter; and George Earl.

By his second wife, Mary (Bruce) Griffith, a native of Scotland, he is the father of William, Edith, Norah, Emma, Marcus, Norman, and Margaret. ...

URIAH A. GRIFFITH, AN OCTOGENARIAN, HAS PASSED AWAY. Well-Known Stonycreek Twp. Man Resided in Oakland for Last 76 Years. BURIAL ON WEDNESDAY. Uriah A. Griffith. Uriah Abner Griffith, one of the oldest residents of Stonycreek Township, this county, passed away at his residence along the Bedford pike at 7 o'clock yesterday morning after an illness lasting several weeks, aged 80 years. Funeral services will be held at the residence at 2:30 o'clock Wednesday afternoon by the Rev. Philip Gittings, pastor of the Oakland Methodist Episcopal Church, which Mr. Griffith helped to establish some years ago. Interment will be in the family plot in Grandview Cemetery. U. A. Griffith was a son of Abner and Mary (Reighart) Griffith and was born in Somerset County in March, 1850. He was one of a family of nine children and is the last of the number to pass away. Abner Griffith was a son of Abner Griffith, the fourth son of Owen Griffith, a native of Wales, who came to America during the Eighteenth Century and located in Philadelphia. His children were Thomas, William, Jesse and Abner Griffith, the latter having located first in Bedford County and later in Somerset County. Abner Griffith, sr., was born in January, 1784, and passed away in 1833. His son, Abner, was born in the fall of 1814 and married Mary Reighart in 1835. Abner and Mary Griffith formerly occupied a large grant of land in Somerset County before locating in Stonycreek Township in 1854. Their children were Nehemiah R., Elias, who was killed while serving in one of the Pennsylvania regiments in the battle of New Market, Va. in the spring of 1864; William, Mrs. Mary Ellen Hite, Cyrus, another soldier in the Civil War, who died while a prisoner in Andersonville, Ga.; Mrs. Emily Ann von Lunen, Mrs. Anna Elizabeth Ditzler, Mrs. Maria Morilla Penrod, whose husband, James D Penrod, was a soldier in the war 1861 to 1865; Uriah A., the subject of this sketch, and Mary, who was born in May, 1856, and died in infancy. Mr. Griffith was married twice, first wife was Mary (Updegrave) Griffith, daughter of the late William and Mary (Sidman) Updegrave. A son Earl Griffith, of Oakland, survives by this union. A daughter, Grace, wife of Frank Repp, died nine years ago. Mr. Griffith is survived by his second wife, Mrs. Mary (Bruce) Griffith, and the following children: Edith, wife of Harry Strong; Nora, wife of Earl Giles; Emma, wife of Eugene Schrader, and Marcus, Norman and Miss Margaret Griffith, all of Oakland. A foster son, Edward P. Ditzler, of Warren, O., also survives. A son, William Griffith, died October 16, 1929. Br. Griffith is survived by 17 grandchildren. Uriah A. Griffith attended the public schools in this vicinity for some years and later worked on his father's farm. Many years ago he was employed by the Cambria Iron Company and lager by the Lorain Steel Company. After leaving the iron industry Mr. Griffith embarked in business as a dairyman and supplied the residents of Moxham for a long time before engaging in the grocery business, in Oakland. About 13 years ago Mr. Griffith retired, his son William Griffith, becoming his successor. The deceased was the first Tax Collector in Stonycreek Township, having been chosen by the Republicans of that district. He was one of the oldest members of the Methodist Church in Oakland and was active in church and Sunday school work there for a number of years.