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~Contents~
Koch m. Griffith
Researcher
The children of Joseph and Mary Griffith
Blanche Sarah Griffith1901-1980
Griffith research resources
Griffith Evan abt. 1628
Hugh? Griffith abt.1660
John Griffithabt. 1683
John Griffith abt 1705
John Griffith abt. 1730
Evan Griffith abt.1768
Evan Griffith b.1790-bef. 1879
Issac Griffith b.1819
John Griffith
MAN, 79, KILLED AS SHED FALLS
Struck By Log While Razing Tobacco Barn at Voganville
A retired farmer, 79, of Voganville was fatally injured early this morning when a tobacco shed which he was helping to raze, collapsed and buried him under a pile of timber, a heavy log striking the aged man on the head.
The victim John Griffiths, died shortly after 7 o'clock before a physician summoned immediately after the accident, had arrived.
Griffiths made his home on the farm tennanted by his son Joseph and owned by Samuel Martin. Despite his advanced age, the father insisted on helping with the razing of the old tobacco shed and started work on the structure early this morning.
Struck on Head
After a number of timbers had been removed, the structure suddenly tottered and crashed the elder Griffiths receiving the full force of a blow from a portion of the falling frame-work.
The victim is survived by the following children:Joseph, of Voganville, with whom he lived; Abraham, of Hinkletown; George of Brownstown; Martin of Leola, and Eva; wife of Jefferson Ludwig, of Hinkletown.
Obituary
~from the Lancaster newspaper
John Griffiths Funeral
Services for John Griffiths, retired farmer who was fatally injured while helping to raze a tobacco shed Tuesday morning will be held Saturday afternoon at 1:30 in the home of his son Joseph Griffiths, Vogansville and at 2 o'clock in the Evangelical church at Martindale. Interment in the cemetery adjoining.
Joseph Griffith
Joseph lived his early life as a farm boy in Earl township. He married Mary Anna Snyder in January 1898.
The children of Joseph and Mary Snyder Griffith
- Grace Helen July 4, 1898-Feb. 2, 1975 m. Benjamin Franklin Weaver
- Sarah Blanche Feb. 27, 1901-Nov. 26,1980, never married.
- Ruth Elizabeth Dec. 11, 1902- 1997 m. Spencer Adam Rupp
- John Clemence Jan. 2,1905-Nov.19,1979 m. Anna Irene Hornberger
- Adam Cloyd Jan. 13, 1907- June 27,1977 m. Mable Catherine Ehrhart
- Vera May Nov.3,1908 m. Harvey McGallicher
- Alta Maize Sept. 3, 1910 m. Arthur Koch
- Joseph R. Feb. 11, 1914 m. Esther W. Wanner
- Luke Melvin Jan 4, 1918-Dec.4, 1918
The eight surviving children of Joseph and Mary were a close group for their entire lives. All were born on the farm on Martindale Road in Earl township and their early lives were typical of Lancaster County farm children including plenty of hard work, with the women engaged in daylong cooking in order to feed the men and farm hands at meal time.
Most of the children received limited formal education. The parents decided to provide the means for 2 of the children to have college educations. Ruth was offered the opportunity and accepted. Joseph, Jr. was also offered the opportunity and declined, so his sister Vera took advantage of it.
In adulthood the children lived fairly close together in Ephrata, Brownstown, New Holland and other nearby areas. It was common for the children to take their children and grandchildren on frequent social visits to each other's homes as well as working visits when garden produce needed picking or canning.
Many of the cousins were great friends during their adolescence and socialized with each other in a way that is rapidly disappearing as is the type of nuclear family that promoted this type of interaction.
The children also held their own reunions, which was not a Griffith reunion but a gathering of these nine children and their families. The reunion was for many years held at the home of son "Cloyd" and his wife "Cassie's" home. Everyone brought food and the volume of food provided was remarkable. Cassie's chicken corn soup was without peer and remains a fondly remembered element of these get-togethers.
Eating and non-stop chatter dominated the reunions. Cousins played a variety of games and some of the parents would participate in games of pinochle as well as some lively political discussions.
After Cassie's death in 1965, the children rented firehalls in Bareville and Leola to hold the reunion.
The closeness of these children was lifelong. Alta, provided a home to many during her life. After her marriage to Arthur Koch, who was a farm hand on the Griffith farm, they moved to Ephrata, leaving the uncertainties of farm life behind for work in factories as the depression years tapered into WWII.
While living at 250 Duke Street in Ephrata, she took in her nephew Wilmer,"Dick", son of her sister Grace, prior to his service in WWII. Dick Griffith was born out of wedlock to Grace and after her marriage to Ben Weaver, Dick was not adopted. Alta provided a lifelong home to her maiden sister Blanche who was like a second grandmother to Alta's grandchildren. Alta provided a home to her son Richard until his marriage at age 44 and on holidays, weekends, and summer vacations her home was home to her grandchildren. Alta's home was always home to many people and she and husband Arthur never had the place to themselves. There were frequently eight people at the table with enough food to feed even more, and her family will never forget the bountiful holiday meals and memories provided by Alta and Arthur.
Alta Maize Griffith
Other Griffith Family Members
Blanche S. Griffith
Blanche spent her early life working as a farm girl in the area of Voganville. She moved to Ephrata as a young woman and lived the rest of her life in the home of her sister Alta and husband Arthur Koch and family.
Blanche never married and she worked as a seamstress in Ephrata, for many years at the Cinderella Frocks factory on West Fulton Street in Ephrata until her retirement about 1967.
Blance was very devoted to her family, and was a second grandmother to many. She regularly attended church her entire life.
 Obituary
Blance S. Griffith
- History of Berks county, Pennsylvania, compiled by Morton L. Montgomery,1909
- Family folders, Lancaster County Historical Society
- U.S. census records
- Records, Alleghenyville Reformed Church, Alleghenyville, PA
- Cemetery, Alleghenyville Reformed Church, Alleghenyville, PA
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