[Mary Elizabeth Giddings from 2787254.ged]
1844 Tioga County Collector (Whig Party)
SEP 1847 Building House on Catlin Hill (between marriages)
JAN 1851 Marries Nancy Orcutt
MAR 1855 Henry & family migrate to Kansas Territory
Henry Griffing ran for the office of "Collector" on the Whig Ticket in 1844. The Owego Gazeteer advertises his nomination on February 8, 1844 and then announces a "Glorious Whig Victory! Owego Redeemed" on Thursday, February 15, 1844. Ticket Jamey Ely -- Supervisor, James Huntington -- Town Clerk, John Holmes -- Justice of the Peace, Henry Griffing -- Collector (majority of 149)
Henry Griffing purchased land adjacent to his father's land on Catlin Hill in Tioga, New York .
The deed is dated April 26, 1847 ($20.00) and reads: Osee Hall to Henry Griffing "Beginning at the SE corner of lot deeded to John griffing by Osee Hall (March 1839) and running east five rods thence north 16 rods thence west five rods thence south to place of beginning 16 rods containing eighty rods." Liber 55, pg. 74.
This same lot sold to Tappan Alexander Taylor for sum of $300 on November 21, 1854 just before leaving for Kansas Territory. Lot (with house) was later sold (March 22, 1856) to David Taylor (Henry's brother Samuel's father-in-law) and Sarah (his wife) of Tioga, N.Y. (party of first part) and to Lydia Griffing (party of second part, Henry's mother).
According to Lydia Griffing (letter to JSG dated August 9, 1956, "Mr. Taylor has given me a deed of this house and lot for three hundred dollars and [he is going to] give me a note of to hundred for the remainder..."
Henry Griffing built a frame house on this lot between June 16, 1847 and September 24, 1847.
In letter to JSG from his brother John, written on September 24, 1847....."Henry has got his house nearly finished and nothing to put in it. He feels cheap enough. He thinks crops have come in so poor that he can't afford to marey this season....I have been helping Henry lathe his house..."
Henry Griffing journeyed to Kansas Territory in the spring of 1855, settling near Topeka. James J. Goodrich, Augusta's brother, made the trip with Henry and his family.
In a letter to JAG from JJG on 3/17/1855, James Goodrich writes, "Nancy [Orcutt Griffing] was all blab on the cars. She told everyone within hearing that they was bount for Kansas and that I was her boy which I didn't like very well. Some of the passengers made fun of her and some said if there was a hundred just like her there would not be any slavery in Kansas ... Nancy liked to get stuck in the mud in Alton [Illinois] last night. When we got off the cars there, we took a sort of cart for the steamboat and of all the muddiest places I never want to see. The mud was about 1 foot deep and no side walks either. I had one of the children in my arms & Henry one & one of the men the other. Nancie says she will not go again."
Henry Griffing took a claim about three miles east of Topeka and four miles west of Tecumseh. JSG helped his brother Henry construct a crude cabin on his claim about the first of April, 1855.
On May 6, 1855, JSG (to JAG) wrote, "I have not been to Henry's in nearly two weeks. They were quite well when I left. Emma is quite strong and healthy. Velma does not get along so well as I might wish. She is troubled and has been ever since leaving home at times with diarrhea. They are getting their cabin more comfortable and I think are beginning to like their new home first rate."
On May 15, 1855, JSG to JAG writes: "I left Henry last Thursday night. The children appeared better, I thought. Velma's fingers get well slowly which makes her somewhat irritable at times. I don't believe Emma ever had better health. How much she likes to wander out upon the prairie and gather her little basketful
