RALPH GRIFFIN© 1998 Ralph Griffin, a Revolutionary War soldier, and early settler of Jefferson Co., lived 5 Jan. 1754-13 Sept. 1838. Ralph was son of Samuel Griffin, who left a will 1799 in Chester Co., S.C., and Wilmouth, (possibly Owens.) Samuel had a land grant in Fairfield Co., S.C. on 13 Apr. 1759. Either he did not occupy this land, which he sold in 1770, or he moved back to Virginia where he voted in 1765. Samuel sold his land in Halifax Co. on 18 Oct. 1770. Ralph's first record in South Carolina came when he witnessed his father's deed of 14 April 1776 for the purchase of 100 acres on the Sandy River in Chester Co. Samuel was then living in St. Mark Parish, Craven Co. Ralph was married by 1775 when oldest son David was born. Ralph's wife, Catherine, may have been Catherine Munson, baptized 15 Feb. 1756 in the Morristown, N.J., Presbyterian Church. While a published genealogy, The Munson Record, accepts this marriage as fact, there is no proof to date (1998). Circumstantial evidence supports this theory, however. Ralph was drafted as a militiaman in January 1779 in Capt. Lacey's Co. and served two months. He enlisted again in July 1790 with Lacey and fought at the battle of Rocky Mount, and Fishing Creek, and perhaps at Cowpens. He fought the famous battle of King's Mountain and lost a horse and saddle in what was called Sumters defeat. He later fought in skirmish at Hanging Rock, then pursued Tories and took part in the attack on Fort Congaree. He may also have served as a spy. Ralph moved to Kentucky in the fall of 1786, living in Fayette Co. until at least 1790. In 1791, his daughter Elizabeth married Aaron VanCleave in Jefferson Co., Ky., but presumably in a part that became Shelby Co. On 16 July 1793, Ralph was living on Bullskin Creek in Shelby Co. He is listed in a 1795 tax list on Drennan's Creek in Shelby Co. adjacent to his wife's presumed brother-in-law Benjamin VanCleave and her presumed nephew, Allen Munson. In 1800, Ralph is on the Henry Co., tax list. He bought 30 acres on Drennan's Creek in 1804 and sold it the next year. The Griffin family moved to Madison in the fall of 1806. Ralph and Catherine were members of the Crooked Creek Baptist Church in 1807. Sometime before 1810, Ralph moved to Telegraph Hill. In 1811, Ralph and sons, John and David, were indicted at different times for assault upon Benjamin Devore. They were convicted. On 27 March 1811, Ralph entered 160 acres in Section 14 Twp. 4N Range 11E, land on Indian-Kentuck Creek, near Manville. His other holdings included lots in Madison and land in Switzerland Co. Wife Catherine, but not Ralph, was a member of other churches. She was dismissed from the Indian-Kentuck Baptist Church in August 1822 and joined Brushy Fork Baptist Church in July 1823. She was dismissed there in May 1829 and may have joined the newly formed Milton Baptist Church. Her last record comes in a deed dated 16 Dec. 1833. She died by the time Ralph wrote his will in August 1838. Ralph died in Switzerland Co. at the home of John Rogers according to probate records. Rogers was Griffin's executor and had married Griffin's granddaughter, Jamima Green. Records of the John Paul Chapter DAR say that Ralph is buried in Springdale Cem. This statement appears to be based on a newspaper account which says a Mr. Griffin was buried in Springdale in July 1838. However, probate records give Ralph's death date in September. It seems more likely that Ralph was buried in an unmarked grave at Brushy Fork where his son, David, and daughter, Mary Green, are buried.
Children of Ralph and Catherine Griffin.
Secondary Sources: Records of Diane Webb, Marc Griffin, William Taylor, Henrietta Hedden Primary sources: Will of Ralph Griffin, Jeff. Co., Ind. Ralph Griffin's Revolutionary War pension application. Chester Co., S.C. Deeds. Fairfield, S.C. land grants. Henry Co., Ky., deeds; Jefferson, Switzerland, Scott, Ripley Co., Ind. deeds. Records: Crooked Creek Baptist Church; Brushy Fork Baptist Church, Indian-Kentuck Baptist Church.
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