Eleventh Generation

423. Lucius Smith GRIGGS (*) (~) was born on 16 Jun 1811 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.^{115,116,127,174,175,176,177} (His middle name was his mother's maiden name. He is listed in some family records as "Lucius S. Adelbert Griggs," but all of the census records as well as his drug store advertisements listed him as "Lucius S." or "L. S.", with no mention of "Adelbert.")

His birth place is listed as "Fayston, Washington Co., Vermont" on the record of his marriage to Kate Gilmore. Fayston is not a village or city, but a township located northwest of the village of Waitsfield. (In the LDS State Microfiche records, his birth place is listed as Pomfret, Windham Co., CT, but that is believed to have been an error.)

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He appeared in the census in 1820 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.¹²⁹ He appeared in the census in 1830 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.¹³⁰ He appeared in the census in 1840 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.¹³¹ He appeared in the census in 1850 in Colchester, Chittenden County, VT.^177,178 He was managing a Boarding House, with seven tenants listed in the census, in addition to his family. His family consisted of Lucius, age 39; Rachel, age 29; and their children, Osmon, 5; and Lovila, 3. He appeared in the census in 1855 in Barre Township, La Crosse County, WI.^{177,179,180,181}

On August 10, 1858, Lucius purchased 40 acres of land in La Crosse County. The land is described as "the South West quarter of the South East quarter of Section Two in Township Fifteen, North of Range Six West, in the District of lands subject to sale, at La Crosse, Wisconsin." Gary Griggs has a copy of the patent that was granted when he purchased the land; the patent contains the name of President James Buchanan.

. He appeared in the census in 1860 in Barre Township, La Crosse County, WI.¹⁸² His household consisted of Lucius, age 49, occupation "Farmer"; his wife Rachel, age 38; their son Osman, age 15, "Laborer"; their son Clarence, age 3; their daughter Florence, age 3; their daughter Harriet, age 3 months; and his mother-in-law, Rachel (Durkee) Richardson, age 60.

. Between 1865 and 1874 he was a druggist in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^{175,177,180,183,184,185}

An article in the History of Monroe County--Past and Present, states: "L. S. Griggs moved in from La Crosse that year." The article refers to his move to the city of Tomah in 1866.

The Tomah Journal newspaper contained prominent advertisements from his drug store, known as the Tomah Drug Store. At that time it was owned by Lucius and his partner, Samuel Gunn. One ad, in the November 20, 1867, issue notes that they sold "drugs, medicines, popular patent medicines; all kinds of herbs & roots, barks & gums, flavoring extracts of every variety; hair oils, perfumery & hair dressings of great variety; brushes & combs, paints, oils & dye stuffs; also glass, sash, doors, pure wines & liquors, and groceries."

An ad in the October 31, 1868, issue filled the entire column at the right side of the front page. By that time, the store was listed as "The Old Tomah Drug Store. L. S. Griggs, successor to Griggs & Gunn." Lucius had bought his partner's interest. The store sold all of the items in the 1867 ad, plus "paints, oils, dye stuffs, glass, putty, kerosene oil, lamps, glassware, perfumery, pure wines, brandies and liquors for medicinal purposes, patent medicines, groceries, books, stationery, pencils, pens, brushes, letter cap & note paper, superior ink, wall paper, window shades, notions, cigars, cigar cases, cigar holders, pipes, tobaccos, matches and The Howe Sewing Machine."

An ad in the April 28, 1877, Tomah Journal listed the business as "Gunn & Richards' Green Front Drug Store, The Only Exclusive Drug House in Tomah." Samuel Gunn had purchased Lucius' interest in the store in 1874 and his partner was Dr. J. F. Richards, who had a medical practice in the same building as the drug store.

. He appeared in the census in 1870 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^177,183 His household consisted of Lucius; his children, Osman J., Clarence, Florence, Harriet, and Lucius' wife, Rachel. The value of his real estate was listed as $8,000 and the value of his personal estate was listed as $3,000. His occupation was listed as "Druggist."

The location of his household is not indicated on the census record. However, he lived two households from Charles Kellogg, who was the pastor of the First United Methodist Church at the corner of Kilbourn Avenue and East Juneau Street. It is possible that Rev. Kellogg lived in a church parsonage, so Lucius and Rachel's home may have been located close to the church.

. After 1874 he was a farmer in LaGrange Township, Monroe County, WI.^{162,175,177,186,187} On January 21, 1865, he purchased from Horace and Rumina Weaver a 160-acre farm at the southeast corner of US Highway 12 and Wisconsin Highway 21, north of Tomah in LaGrange Township (the southeast corner of Section 21). The purchase price was $1,600 ($10 per acre). (Gary Griggs has a copy of the Indenture.)

On March 16, 1897, he and his second wife, Kate Gilmore Griggs, issued a Warranty Deed that transferred ownership of the farm to his son, Clarence. The deed was "Subject however to a certain mortage of $175.00 on which there remains due and unpaid $100.00, the payment thereof the party of the second part agrees to assure with interest as a part of the consideration, and the further consideration of the "fulfilment" of a certain will made and executed by said L. S. Griggs, one of these parties of the first part and bearing date Sept. 30th, 1895."

After he died, a Quit-Claim Deed was issued by his widow, Kate, and his daughter Florence to his son, Clarence. The date of that deed was June 16, 1898, and it apparently passed full ownership to Clarence.


A newspaper article was written about Lucius' farming abilities: "The idea that a pig could not be properly fattened before six months old was upset last week when farmer L. S. Griggs of LaGrange marketed a pig which DRESSED 234 pounds on the day that it was six months old."

He also owned a 20-acre farm in the northwest corner of Section 22, northeast of his main farm.

Gary Griggs has the diary that Lucius kept of his daily farm-life activities from January 1, 1890 through January 1, 1892. By that time he was in his late-70's, so most of the work on his farm was done by his son Clarence and son-in-law, George Bigelow. However, he does write about his work splitting wood, tending his bee hives, "grubbing" (for worms, I suppose), and raising his pigs for slaughter. He also wrote about selling hay to neighbors, as well as eggs, butter, honey and chickens to merchants in Tomah.

In the diary he refers often to his son Clarence, daughter Florence and her husband George Bigelow. He also notes his 79th and 80th birthdays and the anniversaries of the deaths of his first wife, Rachel, and their oldest son, Osmon.

. He appeared in the census in 1880 in LaGrange Township, Monroe County, WI.^162,177 His household consisted of himself, age 68, occupation "Farmer"; his son, Clarence, age 23, occupation "Farmer"; his daughter, Florence, age 23, occupation "Farmer"; and his daughter Harriet C., age 20. His first wife, Rachel, had passed away in 1877, and he did not marry his second wife, Kate, until 1882. His two oldest children, Osman and Lovila, had died prior to the census.

His second wife, Kate Gilmore, lived in the next household with her nephew.

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About 1882 he was a tax collector in LaGrange Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁸⁸ An article in the Tomah Journal dated January 21, 1882 noted: "Mr. L. S. Griggs will be in town on Saturday of next week to collect taxes for the Town of LaGrange. He can be found at the Bank of Tomah."

. He appeared in the census in 1895 in LaGrange Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁸⁹ His household consisted of 1 male (Lucius) and 1 female (Kate); their given names were not listed. He died on 16 Mar 1898 in LaGrange Township, Monroe County, WI.^{116,176,190,191,192}

He was featured in an article in the "Biographical History of La Crosse, Monroe and Juneau Counties, WI" in 1892: "Lucius S. Griggs, one of the venerable citizens of Monroe County, is a native of Vermont, born June 16, 1811, a son of Stephen and Rhoda B. (Smith) Griggs. The parents were natives of Connecticut, and both passed their declining years in Vermont.

"Our subject was reared among the mountains of New England, remained under the parental roof until after the death of his father, which occurred when Lucius was sixteen years of age. He then hired out by the month and worked in this way for two years, after which he and his brother operated the home farm for a period of ten years. He then sold his interests to his brother and learned the carpenter and joiner's trade. He followed this vocation for twenty years but was obliged to discontinue it on account of ill health. He removed to a factory town (Colchester, VT) forty miles distant from his old home and there he opened a boarding-house; he managed this for two or three years (about 1850), when he went back to his home.

"The tide of immigration flowing steadily to the West, he came to Wisconsin in 1855, and located on a farm twelve miles northeast of La Crosse; (in 1858) he bought 160 acres, which was slightly improved, paying therefor $1,100; within ten years he sold the place for $5,000, most of it having been placed under cultivation. In 1866 he came to Monroe County and settled at Tomah, where he purchased a drug store, forming a partnership with Samuel Gunn, the relationship lasting less than two years (GLG Note: Samuel Gunn was listed in the 1860 Census of Monroe County as living in the village of Tomah, age 28, and born in England; he was also listed in 1880 with his family).

"Mr. Griggs controlled the business until 1874, and then sold out, turning his attention to agriculture; he had purchased a farm in LaGrange Township in 1865, which consisted of 160 acres; he lived in Tomah for ten years after coming to Monroe County, but in 1876 he moved to the farm. He erected good, substantial buildings and brought the land to a high state of cultivation. He has always been a public-spirited citizen and has done his share in converting the prairie into a vast garden spot. In his political opinions he adheres to the principles of the Republican party.

"Mr. Griggs was twice married. At Waitsfield, Vermont, March 31, 1820, Miss Rachel Cordelia Richardson was born, and to her he was united in marriage January 3, 1841; she survived until August 12, 1877. They were the parents of five children: Osman J., deceased; Lovila R., deceased; Clarence E. and Florence E., twins, the latter the wife of George Bigelow, of LaGrange Township; and Hattie C., deceased, who was for several years a teacher. Mr. Griggs was married February 26, 1882 to Mrs. Kate Gilmore, nee Chambers; she was born in Oswego County, New York, in 1822. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are among the county's most highly respected citizens."

In the VT Historical Society letters from various members of the Griggs family, there are several letters from Lucius to his brother Stephen Roswell Griggs in Winston, MO from 1863-1891 (MSA 149, Folders 3-4).

Obituary Notes: "Mr. L. S. Griggs, of the town of LaGrange, died at his home two miles north of this city Wednesday, March 16, at the advanced age of 86 years, 9 mos. The funeral took place at the home yesterday afternoon, at 1 o'clock."

Obituary Notes: "The funeral of Lucius S. Griggs took place at his late home in the town of LaGrange on Friday, March 18th, conducted by Rev. Chas. Butters. The remains were laid to rest in the Tomah cemetery.

Mr. Griggs had almost completed his 87th year and his death removes another of the pioneers of this part of the county. He was born in Vermont, June 16, 1811. In 1854 he came to Wisconsin, settling in La Crosse county, where he lived until his removal to Tomah. In March 1865 he came to the village of Tomah and soon engaged in the drug business in partnership with S. Gunn. He continued in this business for several years and after retiring from it he moved in 1875 to the farm two miles north of the city, where he has since resided. He was a man of exemplary character and was a member of the M. E. (Methodist Episcopal) Church from the time he was 17 years of age.

He leaves to mourn his loss a widow, one son, Clarence L., and one daughter, Florence E., wife of Geo. D. Bigelow."

(His date of death is listed as March 18, 1898 in the Vermont Historical Society Library; that is incorrect. March 18th was the date of his funeral.)

His Death Certificate listed his primary and secondary causes of death as "Old age." Lyle Griggs notes: "HIs cause of death was old age and dropsy."

. He was buried on 18 Mar 1898 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^98,176 in the Oak Grove Cemetery (Original Plat, Block 2, Lot 70).

(This cemetery lot was originally purchased by Lucius, who then sold, gave or otherwise transferred it to his daughter Florence. On 1 May 1901, Florence sold it to her brother Clarence for "One Dollar and the proper care of the land herein deeded." Gary Griggs has the original Quit-Claim Deed for the lot.)

. He has Ancestral File Number 18WN-F5D.

Lucius Smith GRIGGS (*) (~) and Kate "Katie" CHAMBERS were married on 26 Feb 1882 in LaGrange Township, Monroe County, WI.^{115,175,177,193,194,195,196} They were married at the Methodist Episcopal Church in LaGrange by Elder John Medd. The witnesses were Mrs. C. A. Medd and David G. Medd. (Gary Griggs has a copy of their marriage record.)

An article in the March 25, 1882, edition of the Tomah Journal notes: "We hear it whispered that our fellow townsman, L. S. Griggs, has gone and done it--in other words, taken to himself a wife. Well, we don't know but he had a perfect right to, if 'Barkis was willin'.' He must have been very sly about the ceremony, for we cannot find out just when the happy event occurred, but it must have been some weeks ago. We join with his hosts of friends in wishing him a happy wedded life."

About a year and a half after their marriage, they took a trip to visit his family in Vermont.

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Kate "Katie" CHAMBERS (daughter of John CHAMBERS and Jane DAVIDIDSON) was born on 6 Dec 1823 in Hannibal Township, Oswego County, NY.^{162,175,176,192,197,198} Her Registration of Death lists her place of birth as "Hornellsville, Otsego Co., N. Y." Her obituary listed it as "Hanibal, Oswego County, N. Y." Hornellsville is in Steuben County, so that birth place location is doubtful; also, there was no Chambers family residing in Hornellsville, Steuben County, during the 1830 Census.

(The 1880 Census, conducted 1 June 1880, listed her age as 54, indicating a year of birth of 1825 or 1826. The 1900 Census listed her birth in Dec 1823, and her age as 76. Her Registration of Death lists her age at death as 76 years.)

. She appeared in the census in 1830 in Hannibal Township, Oswego County, NY.¹⁹⁹ She appeared in the census in 1840 in Hannibal Township, Oswego County, NY.²⁰⁰ She appeared in the census in 1850 in Kenosha, Kenosha County, WI.²⁰¹ She appeared in the census in 1880 in LaGrange Township, Monroe County, WI.^{162,182,183,202,203,204} She was living in the household of Lucien Thompson, and she was described as his aunt and a widow. The Thompson home was next door to the home of Lucius S. Griggs, whom she would marry about two years later. Her occupation in the 1880 Census was listed as "tailoress."

. She lived as a border at the home of a nephew, Dwight Thompson, the father of Floyd and Myrtle, in LaGrange Township, Monroe County, WI in Jun 1900.¹⁹⁷ after the death of her second husband, Lucius.

. She appeared in the census in 1900 in LaGrange Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁹⁷ She died on 18 Aug 1900 in LaGrange Township, Monroe County, WI.^{190,192,205,206}

Obituary Notes: "Mrs. Kate Chambers Gilmore Griggs, an old resident of LaGrange, died at the home of her step-daughter, Mrs. Florence Bigelow, Saturday last, Aug. 18. She had been in delicate health for some time, her death resulting from cancer. Mrs. Griggs was the widow of Lucien (sic) S. Griggs, formerly a druggist in Tomah, and later became a farmer and resided on his beautiful farm home one and one-half miles north of Tomah.

Deceased was born at Hannibal, Oswego, N. Y., and came west with her parents in 1841; was married in 1845 to William Gilmore, who died in 1852. In 1882 she married L. S. Griggs and resided on the farm until his death, since which time she has had a home with Mr. L. G. Thompson and her step-daughter, Mrs. Florence Bigelow. She was a lady of fine address and Christian character and has for a long term of years been identified with the M. E. church of LaGrange. One sister survives her, Mrs. Louisa Siddle, of Iowa.

The funeral services were held at the home Monday, Pastor Neill officiating, after which the remains were conveyed to their final resting place in the Tomah cemetery. Those attending from a distance were Mrs. Kate Miller of Merrilan, and Mrs. David Bullen of Arlington, Wis."

Obituary Notes: "Kate Chambers Griggs died Saturday, August 16th (Saturday was actually the 18th), at the home of her (step-)daughter, Mrs. Florence Bigelow, north of town. Mrs. Griggs was the widow of Lucius S. Griggs, a druggist in Tomah in the early days, before he became a farmer on what is now the Rollie Vandervort home."

According to her Registration of Death, the case of her death was "Carcinoma."

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She was buried on 20 Aug 1900 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^98,176 in the Oak Grove Cemetery (Original Plat, Block 2, Lot 70).

Lucius Smith GRIGGS (*) (~) and Rachel "Cordelia" RICHARDSON (*) (~) were married on 3 Jan 1841 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.^{40,116,124,171,175,177,179} (The Vermont Historical Society lists their marriage date as 1 January 1841.)

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Rachel "Cordelia" RICHARDSON (*) (~)^15,94 (daughter of Ira RICHARDSON Sr. (*) (~) and Rachel DURKEE (*) (~)) was born on 31 Mar 1821 in Waitsfield Township, Washington County, VT.^{98,127,175,178,182,183,195,207,208,209,210,211}

(The Biographical History of her husband--for which he probably contributed information--lists her birth date as 31 March 1820. Her tombstone lists her age at death as 56 years, 4 months and 7 days, indicating that she would have been born 5 Apr 1821. The 1860 Census--conducted on 10 July 1860--listed her age as 38, indicating that she was born in about 1822. The 1870 census--conducted on 16 June 1870--listed her age as 49, indicating that she was born in about 1821. She was not listed in the August 1820 Census with her parents, so it is believed that she was born on 31 March 1821.)

Her name was listed as "C. R. Griggs" on the marriage registration record of her son Osmon and as "Cordelia Griggs" on the marriage certificate of her son Clarence. Her husband referred to her as "Cordelia" in a letter that he wrote to his brother Roswell and his family on 13 February 1863. (Gary Griggs has a copy of the letter, the original of which is in the Griggs-Bragg Family Collection in the Vermont Historical Museum.) In the 1850, 1860 and 1870 Census', she was listed as "Rachel."

. She appeared in the census in 1830 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.¹²² She appeared in the census in 1840 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.¹²³ She appeared in the census in 1850 in Colchester, Chittenden County, VT.¹⁷⁸ She appeared in the census in 1860 in Barre Township, La Crosse County, WI.¹⁸² She appeared in the census in 1870 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁸³ She died on 12 Aug 1877 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^{26,98,175,212,213,214}

Obituary Notes: "In Tomah, Wis., Sunday, Aug. 12, 1877, Mrs. R. C. Griggs, wife of Mr. L. S. Griggs, in the 58th year of her age. Her last sickness of 15 days was one of great suffering."

It was very unusual for women to have obituaries in the newspapers at the time that Rachel died. Hers was at the top center of the front page of the Tomah Journal on both August 18 and August 25, 1877--probably because her husband's drug store was a prominent advertiser in the newspaper, and he and the newspaper publisher were friends.

It is not known what caused her death, but it may have been an infectious or spreading disease such as pneumonia. Her oldest son, Osman, died four days after her death. He was a doctor, but it is not known if he was treating her.

In a letter that her husband Lucius wrote to his brother Roswell on August 3-10, 1879, he states "...it will be 2 years Tuesday since Cordelia died and 4 days later that Osmon. I do not suppose there has been 12 hours since but that my mind & thoughts have been there and I suffer in mind & feelings as much & feel the loss of Cordelia as at the time and do not know but I shall as long as I live. No one to sympathize with or speak to & I feel that I am alone by night & by day."

. She was buried in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^26,98 in the Oak Grove Cemetery (Original Plat, Block 2, Lot 70). She shares a gravestone with her oldest son, Osmon.

. She has Ancestral File Number 18WN-F6L.²⁰⁹ Lucius Smith GRIGGS (*) (~) and Rachel "Cordelia" RICHARDSON (*) (~) had the following children:

+577	i.	Dr. Osman J. GRIGGS.
578	ii.	Lovila R. GRIGGS was born on 28 Jan 1847 in Vermont.126,177 (She was probably named after a sister of her mother. Her middle name may have been Rachel, which was her mother's, grandmother's, great-grandmother's and great-great-grandmother's given name.) She appeared in the census in 1850 in Colchester, Chittenden County, VT.178 She died on 10 Feb 1851 in Vermont.126,215 (She probably died in Vermont because she is buried there, and her parents did not move to Wisconsin until 1865.) She was buried in Irasville, Waitsfield Township, Washington County, VT.126 in the Irasville Cemetery. Gravestone Inscription: "Lovila R. dau of L. S. and R. C. R. Griggs Died Feb 10, 1851 AE 4 yrs and 12 dys"
+579	iii.	Florence Emogene "Flora" GRIGGS.
+580	iv.	Clarence Lucius GRIGGS (*) (~).
581	v.	Harriet C. "Hattie" GRIGGS was born on 6 Mar 1860 in Barre Township, La Crosse County, WI.176 (She is pictured at the lower right, with her sister Florence and brother Clarence.) (Her middle name may have been Cordelia, as was her mother's.) She appeared in the census in Jul 1860 in Barre Township, La Crosse County, WI.182 Between 1870 and 1884 she was a school teacher in Monroe County, WI.195,216 An article in the Tomah Journal, dated February 4, 1882: "Editor, Tomah Journal--Please correct the error in last week's paper, in saying 'Miss Hattie Griggs was compelled to leave her school at Dodgeville and is preparing to go west to grow up with the county,' and say that a part of the school board were displeased because she took a rawhide to school to flog two large boys, and advised her to leave the school, and by the advice of her father she did so, and has gone to the Normal School at Whitewater." . She appeared in the census in 1870 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.183 She appeared in the census in 1880 in LaGrange Township, Monroe County, WI.162 She was living with her father. Between 1884 and 1886 she was a school teacher in Watertown, Codington County, SD.195 She died on 1 Jun 1886 in LaGrange Township, Monroe County, WI.217 Obituary Notes: "At the family home in the town of LaGrange, on Tuesday, June 1st, 1886, Hattie C. Griggs, aged 26 years, 3 months. Deceased was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. S. Griggs and a young lady of quiet disposition and unusual promise. For a number of years she has been afflicted with lung trouble, and two years ago went to (Watertown, South) Dakota hoping a change of climate might work an improvement. On the contrary, the dread disease, consumption (tuberculosis), had fastened itself upon her and she returned to pass her last days in the quiet of home. Loving hands have cared for her and ministered to her every want, and as the fields and flowers were beautiful and fragrant the Master called her away to look upon a brighter and more beautiful scene. Hattie was one of the most efficient teachers in Monroe County, and the interests of education have lost a true and tried friend. Friends far and near called to smooth her pathway as she neared the river of Death. The funeral was held Thursday afternoon, Rev. James Barnett, of the LaGrange church, officiating. The impressive ceremonies were numerously attended and a large circle of friends followed her remains to the beautiful cemetery in Tomah, where she was laid beside her mother and brother that long ago passed away. The family have the sympathy of a large circle of friends." . She was buried on 3 Jun 1886 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.176 in the Oak Grove Cemetery (Original Plat, Lot 2, Block 70).