Tenth Generation

298. Stephen Chandler GRIGGS (*) was born on 11 Oct 1784 in Pomfret Township, Windham County, CT.^{6,26,40,68,79,80,115,116} (His middle name was his mother's maiden name. His given name was spelled "Steven" on the marriage record of his son, Lucius S., but it is believed to have been "Stephen.")

(His birth date is listed as 11 Nov 1784 in some sources; that is believed to have been an error.)

. He appeared in the census in 1790 in Pomfret Township, Windham County, CT.^26,77

(He could not be located in the 1800 Census in Connecticut.) He lived at his home in Pomfret Township, Windham County, CT in 1809.^{26,40,116,117} They moved from Pomfret, CT to Vermont in 1809. They were early settlers of Waitsfield Township, Chittenden County, VT. (In 1810, Waitsfield Township became part of Jefferson County, which was renamed Washington County in 1814.) They later moved to Fayston Township.

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He appeared in the census in 1810 in Fayston Township, Chittenden County, VT.^26,118 His household consisted of one male, age 16-25 (Stephen); one female, age 16-25 (his wife, Rhoda); one male, age under 10 (their son, John Chandler); and one female, age under 10 (their daughter, Lucinda).

(At the time of the 1810 Census for Fayston Township, it was part of Chittenden County; in the 1820 Census, it was part of Washington County. The population of Fayston Township was 149 in 1810 and 253 in 1820.)

. He appeared in the census in 1820 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.^26,119 His household consisted of one male, age 26-45 (Stephen); one female, age 26-45 (his wife, Rhoda); one male, age under 10 (their son Lucius); one male, age 10-16 (their son John Chandler); four females, age under 10 (their daughters Sarah, Susan, Rhoda and an unknown female); one female, age 10-16 (Lucinda); and one female, age 16-26 (unknown, but not one of their children). The last female (age 16-26) may have been the mother of the unknown female (age under 10); their identity and relationship are not known.

. He died on 15 Mar 1828 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.^{40,113,116,117} (The Vermont Historical Society lists his date of death as 13 March 1828.)

Article in the "Fayston Centennial Celebration": "Stephen Griggs was the third (grand)son of a Revolutionary War Soldier, Solomon Griggs, Sr., Englishman. His wife, Rhoda Bacon Smith, was the oldest daughter of a veritable John Smith, from England, linen weaver. They came from Pomfret, Conn., to Fayston in 1809, and their history is similar to that of many an ambitious, hardy pioneer in those early times.

Mr. Griggs first started on foot to prospect for a desirable location on government land in New York. At a 'tavern' where he stopped for a night, a man returning from Vermont gave such marvelous account of the fertility of the soil, the purity of the air, and the abundance of water--brooks full of trout--that Mr. Griggs changed his course and came here. He bought 80 acres where Howland Russell now lives, and soon had a clearing, a log house and a small barn. He moved his family and all his household goods on an ox sled, and bought one cow soon after his arrival.

He raised corn, flax and wheat, made maple syrup from sap caught in troughs of his own hewing, set out apple trees, helped build roads and bridges, and was ever ready for every good work. The toils and privations of pioneer life were bravely met by them, as by others all around. After the memorable cold year of 1816, before grain was harvested the next year, Mrs. Griggs said that for six weeks she did not taste bread. Their 'staff of life' was potatoes, eggs, milk and abundant berries.

They had eight children. At the early age of 44 years, Mr. Griggs died, leaving the care of his family to his widow and oldest son, J. C. Griggs, who nobly filled the trust."

. He was buried in Irasville, Waitsfield Township, Washington County, VT.²⁶ He is believed to be buried in the Irasville Cemetery with other members of his family, but his gravestone cannot be located. (Nearly all of the gravestones in the cemetery are made of beautiful white Vermont granite.)

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Stephen Chandler GRIGGS (*) and Rhoda Bacon SMITH (*) (~) were married on 8 Mar 1807 in Pomfret Township, Windham County, CT.^40,113,116
. Rhoda Bacon SMITH (*) (~) (daughter of John Riches SMITH (*) and Dorothy BACON (*) (~)) was born on 4 Jun 1786 in Pomfret Township, Windham County, CT.^40,116,120 (One LDS Family Group Record lists her birth place as Woodstock, Windsor County, VT.) She appeared in the census in 1790 in Pomfret Township, Windham County, CT.⁷⁷ She appeared in the census in 1810 in Fayston Township, Chittenden County, VT.^116,121 Her household consisted of herself and probably her daughter Lucinda, with Lucinda's husband and son.

. She appeared in the census in 1820 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.¹¹⁹ She lived at the home of her son, John Chandler, and his family in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT after Mar 1828.^{122,123,124,125} She appeared in the census in 1830 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.¹²² She was living with her son John Chandler and his family. She appeared in the census in 1840 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.¹²³ She was living with her son John Chandler and his family. She appeared in the census in 1850 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.¹²⁴ She was living with her son John Chandler and his family and was listed as "Rhody." She appeared in the census in 1860 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.¹²⁵ She was living with her son John Chandler and his family. Her occupation was listed as "Domestic." She died on 30 Jul 1861 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.^40,116,126

. She was buried in Irasville, Waitsfield Township, Washington County, VT.¹²⁶ in the Irasville Cemetery. Gravestone Inscription: "Rhoda B. relict of Stephen Griggs, Died July 30, 1861 AE 75 yrs" ("Relict" means "surviving the death of another." "AE" was the common symbol for "age.") Stephen Chandler GRIGGS (*) and Rhoda Bacon SMITH (*) (~) had the following children:

+421	i.	John Chandler GRIGGS Sr..
+422	ii.	Lucinda B. GRIGGS.
+423	iii.	Lucius Smith GRIGGS (*) (~).
424	iv.	Sally "Sarah" GRIGGS was born on 20 Jan 1814 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.116,126,127,128 (The Vermont Historical Society lists her given name as Sally, and Sarah as her nickname. She signed her name as "Sarah" in her letters to family members, and was also listed that way in the census records.) "Sally never married. She lived in the Fayston area, where she was employed by local families." In the VHS library are letters from her filled with news of her family and neighbors (MSA 149, Folder 8). . She appeared in the census in 1820 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.129 She appeared in the census in 1830 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.130 She appeared in the census in 1840 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.124,125,131 (She could not be located in the 1850 or 1860 Census' in Fayston Township or anywhere else in Vermont or other states in the area.) She appeared in the census in 1870 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.132 She was living with her sister Lucinda and Lucinda's son, Allen. Her occupation was listed as "Domestic Servant." She lived at her home in Moretown, Washington County, VT in Nov 1870.116,132 In November 1870 she wrote a letter to one of her brothers, Roswell, and his wife, Roxana, in which she mentions: "This afternoon at church, yours (your letter) was handed me directed to Lucinda Griggs (their oldest sister) and I ventured to open and found S. R. Griggs, and it does much good to see your name and hand writing, though you are many, many hundred miles from our old home. The last week has been one of mourning here. Sister Lydia (Lydia Bixby Griggs Ward) is now left a widow again. Mr. Ward died last Monday 31st...." In March 1887, Sarah wrote another letter to Roswell and Roxanna, in which she mentions: "This Sabbath finds me at Azroe Bragg's (the husband of Anna Griggs Bragg, a daughter of their deceased and oldest brother, John Chandler Griggs) in good health. I have been here--all but one week--since the twenty four of Dec. I came up here from Meridan Richardson's (unknown) and was able to work there six weeks after my limb got better, in the fall... I visited Lucinda the second week in Feb; she has a bad cough and is quite unwell.... Hattie Grandy (Harriet Marie Griggs Grandy, another daughter of their brother, John Chandler Griggs) came out with John Griggs (Jr., a son of their oldest brother) and came up to Anna's (Anna Griggs Bragg). I am getting old--73 in Jan--yet need to be doing all I can to earn my living, and I do not know how long I shall be here as Frank and wife are here employed....I hope to be able to work some somewhere....I have suffered much in a way that afflicts me, yet if I would hope for eternal life, I must fight the fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life. This life will soon be done and there will be no work nor knowledge nor devise in the grave..." (Gary Griggs has a copy of the transcripts of both letters.) . She appeared in the census in 1880 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.133 She was living with the Azro and Anna Griggs Bragg (her niece) family. She appeared in the census in 1900 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.134 She was living with her niece Anna Bixby Griggs Bragg and her family. She died on 31 Jul 1903.116,126 She was buried in Irasville, Waitsfield Township, Washington County, VT.126 in the Irasville Cemetery. Gravestone Inscription: "Sarah Griggs Daughter of Stephen & Rhoda Griggs Born Jan. 20, 1814 Died ... (inscription below ground level and not readable)" .
425	v.	Susannah "Susan" GRIGGS was born on 18 Feb 1816 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.98,116,127,128 (The attached picture is of the combined gravestone of Susan and her nephew, Olin Griggs, a son of her brother Stephen Roswell.) She appeared in the census in 1820 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.129 She appeared in the census in 1830 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.130 She appeared in the census in 1840 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.131 She appeared in the census in 1850 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.124 She was living in a home next to her brother, John Chandler, and his family. . Between 1851 and 1885 she was a school teacher.40,116 Susan devoted her adult life to teaching. In 1850 she was one of a number of VT women recruited by the National Board of Popular Education, established in 1846 to provide eastern school teachers to needy western schools. Susan taught in several schools including Wilmington, NC, for one year and Wolcottville, IN for 17 years. According to her biography in Hemenway's Vermont Historical Gazetteer by Anna Griggs Bragg, v.4, pt. 2, pp. 190-191 (VHS R974.30 H37), Susan "resumed teaching in Fort Wayne College, IN; afterwards in Iowa for two years, and is now (1882), in Kendallville, IN..." In the Vermont Historical Society library are several letters from Susan concerning her varied teaching career in IN and MO with the National Board of Popular Education. Representatives from the latter recruited, trained, and placed eastern school teachers in the West. In 1848, Vermont's ex-governor, William Slade (1786-1859), became the Board's general agent. Between 1854 and 1857, Slade wrote several letters to Susan Griggs, who was then teaching in Wolcottville, IN. The letters are businesslike, but Slade maintains a personal interest in Susan's work (MSA 149, Folder 10). In April 1885, she went to Monroe County, WI, to visit with her brother Lucius and to try to nurse Lucius' daughter Hattie back to health. Hattie died on June 1st, and Susan returned to Indiana. . She appeared in the census in 1860 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.125 She was living with her brother John Chandler and his family. Her occupation was listed as "Domestic." She could not be located anywhere in the U.S. in the 1870 Census, and it is not known where she lived at the time. . She appeared in the census in 1880 in Wolcottville, Noble County, IN.116,135 She was living by herself and her occupation was listed as "Teaching School." (The census sheet indicates that she lived in Wolcottville, Orange Township, Noble County, IN. Orange Township has since been renamed Wayne Township.) In April 1894 she was visiting her brother Lucius and his wife Kate in Tomah. While there, she wrote a letter to another brother, Roswell, and his wife, Roxanna, in which Susan mentions that "Lucius is in some respects very well and in some ways feeble and very forgetful. He does not think he can write letters and very seldom goes to church; and, unless he is obliged to do so, he does not go to Tomah and not very often to Florence's. When he does, often he does not stay for a meal time; he seems uneasy to go home." Gary Griggs has a copy of the letter. . 136 Newspaper article about Susan and one of her nieces, Florence Griggs Bigelow: "Mrs. Florence Bigelow will start tomorrow for northwestern Missouri, in company with her aunt, Miss Susan Griggs, who expects to spend the winter with her brother (Stephen Roswell Griggs) at that place. Mrs. Bigelow expects to stay two weeks." She died on 17 Mar 1897 in Winston, Colfax Township, Daviess County, MO.98,116,137 Newspaper Article: "The many friends of Miss Susan Griggs will be pained to learn of her sudden death of paralysis on March 17th in her 81st year, at her brother's home at Winston, Missouri. Deceased was a sister of L. S. Griggs, of LaGrange, and visited with him about five years ago and later spent some time with her niece, Mrs. Florence Bigelow. Miss Griggs was a native of Vermont and had devoted her entire life since girlhood to teaching. She had taught many terms of school in North Carolina and 19 years continuous teaching in Indiana. She was a lady of fine attainments, an ardent worker in the W.C.T.U. and an efficient helper in the Sabbath School. Of strong religious convictions, she was always in sympathy with the church and church work. One brother and two sisters have passed on before and two brothers and one sister remain, namely: Stephen R., aged 72, who resides in Missouri; Lucius S., aged 86, who resides in LaGrange; and Sarah, age 83, whose home is in Vermont." . She was buried in Winston, Colfax Township, Daviess County, MO.138 in the Winston Cemetery. She is buried near her brother Roswell.
426	vi.	Rhoda Bacon GRIGGS (1st) was born on 23 Jan 1821 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.116 She died on 3 Jan 1822 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.26,40,116 (It is assumed that she is buried in the Irasville Cemetery with her parents and other members of her family, but her gravestone has not been located.)
427	vii.	Rhoda Bacon GRIGGS (2nd) was born on 21 Apr 1823 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.40,116,127,128 She appeared in the census in 1830 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.130 She appeared in the census in 1840 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.131 She died on 6 Dec 1845 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.116,122,123,126 She is believed to be listed as the "female, age 5-10" in the 1830 Census, and as the "female, age 15-20" in the 1840 Census in the household of her brother, John Chandler Griggs. She was buried in Irasville, Waitsfield Township, Washington County, VT.126 in the Irasville Cemetery. Gravestone Inscription: "Rhoda Griggs Died Dec. 6 1845 AE 22 Y.S. and 7 Mo."
+428	viii.	Stephen "Roswell" GRIGGS.