Person Page - 490

Tomera Leslie Handley

• Father: John Thomas Handley b. 22 Nov 1855, d. 5 Nov 1951
• Mother: Laura Ann Brooks b. 23 Jan 1861, d. 23 Mar 1939

• Charts: Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 20 Sep 2008

• (Child) Birth*: 28 September 1889; Hatchett Creek, Clay Co., Alabama
• (Bride) Marriage*: 5 June 1919; Lineville, Clay Co., Alabama; Groom=George William Griffin
• Married Name: 5 June 1919; Griffin
• (Deceased) Death*: 31 March 1979; Lineville, Clay Co., Alabama
• (Interred) Burial*: 2 April 1979; Lineville City Cemetery, Lineville, Clay Co., Alabama¹
• Biography*: The following article about the Griffin's 58th wedding anniversary is from an unknown source: Mr. And Mrs. G. W. Griffin Have Double Celebration Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Griffin had a double celebration on Sunday, June 5, 1977, from 2:00 until 4:00 in the afternoon. A tea honoring Mr. Griffin on his 95th birthday and honoring both of them on their 58th wedding anniversary was held at the home of their nephew, Mr. Emyl Griffin. To begin the celebration, the Rev. Wayne Stevens, pastor of Lineville Baptist Church, spoke briefly, making appropriate remarks complimenting Mr. and Mrs. Griffin on their long life together and Mr. Griffin on his 95th birthday. He closed his remarks with a prayer of thanksgiving. Mayor Jack Whatley presented a year's Honorary Mayor of Lineville Certificate to Mr. Griffin, and he also presented Mr. Griffin with an honorary Lieutenant Colonel Commission in the Alabama Militia, bestowed by Gov. George C. Wallace. Mr. Griffin received congratulations from Gov. Wallace and from President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter. These were read before the group. Approximately 160 friends and relatives called during the afternoon to congratulate the couple and to wish for them many happy returns.
        In a 23 Feb 1980 letter, Mrs. Charles (Margaret Whatley) Lee wrote: Aunt Tomera was a Methodist and Uncle Will was a Baptist. They both went to their own church in morning services but at night they would take turns going with the other every other Sun, one Sun. to the Baptist, the next to the Methodist.
        In a 10 Jun 1978 letter, Ellaree added "Aunt Tomera in hospital a week in Ashland, slight stroke. She has hardening of arteries & isn't well but up all the time." In a 10 Jan 1992 letter Ellaree wrote that "Aunt Tomera died of Alzheimer's." The following obituary is from an unknown source: Mrs. Tomera Griffin, 89 Mrs. Tomera H. Griffin, age 89, of Lineville, Alabama, passed away at the Clay County Hospital Saturday, March 31, 1979 after a short illness. Funeral services for Mrs. Griffin were at 11:00 a.m. Monday, April 2, 1979 at the First United Methodist Church of Lineville with the Rev. Ernest Smotherman, the Rev. Wayne Stevens and the Rev. Charles Handley officiating. Burial was in the Lineville City Cemetery. Mrs. Griffin is survived by her husband, Mr. Will Griffin, and a host of nieces and nephews. Active pallbearers for Mrs. Griffin were Grover Rice, Clyde Stewart. Harold Parker, Jesse McCollum, Frank Summerlin and Harlon Mayall. Honorary pallbearers were members of the Fellowship Bible Class of Lineville Baptist Church and the Administrative Board of the First United Methodist Church of Lineville. Mrs. Griffin was a native of Clay County, but she had lived in Washington, D.C. and Talladega before moving to Lineville in 1946. She was a member of The First United Methodist Church of Lineville, a charter member of the Inter Se Club of Lineville, member of the WSCS of the Methodist Church and a member of the Bridge Club of Lineville. The family has requested that memorial contributions be made to the Building Fund of the First United Methodist Church In Lineville. Benefield Funeral Home of Lineville was in charge of the arrangements.
        In a July 1979 letter, Mrs. E. A. (Ellaree Dean) Speer noted that a window of the Lineville church was dedicated in memory of Tomera.

Mattie Maude Griffin

• Father: William Henry Griffin b. 20 Oct 1847, d. 21 Feb 1924
• Mother: Clarissa Eugenia Culpepper b. 13 Apr 1848, d. 29 Nov 1947

• Charts: Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 23 Aug 2019

• Name-Comm: Maude Griffin
• (Child) Birth*: 13 April 1884; Good Hope (near Lineville), Clay Co., Alabama
• (Witness) 1900 Census: 1 June 1900; Lineville, Clay Co., Alabama; head of family=William Henry Griffin¹
• Photographed*: say 1905; Lineville, Clay Co., Alabama²
  

  Mattie Maude Griffin
• (Daughter) Photographed: say 1920; Clay Co., Alabama; The older fellow standing next to Clarissa is her brother, Joseph Richard Culpepper. Her husband William Henry must have been taking the picture.; Principal=Clarissa Eugenia Culpepper³
  

  Maude Griffin, Joseph Culpepper, Clarissa Griffin, Will Griffin
• (Deceased) Death*: 28 April 1977; Lineville, Clay Co., Alabama
• (Interred) Burial*: 30 April 1977; Old Lineville City Cemetery, Lineville, Clay Co., Alabama⁴
• Biography*: Mattie Maude was named for her aunts, Martha (Culpepper) Amsler and Mattie (Griffin) Reeves. Mrs. Charles (Margaret Whatley) Lee wrote in a 26 Nov 1978 letter about a visit with Alsie Rutland in LaGrange, GA who spoke about Maude Griffin: Alsie told us Aunt Maude used to teach school at Standing Rock [Chambers Co., AL] and she taught him, said she was very strict, but said he learned more under her than any teacher he ever had. He said she was a beautiful girl.
        In a 10 Jan 1992 letter Mrs. E. A. (Ellaree Dean) Speer wrote: Aunt Maude taught school, mostly county schools & when she wasn't teaching she stayed home & helped Grandmother with the housework & did a lot of needle fancy work - later years lived in a nursing home in Lineville & died there - She had a bad back & was drawn considerably - probably arthritis.
        On Maude's 93rd birthday, Mrs. E. A. (Ellaree Dean) Speer visited her at the nursing home where she had stayed for 20 years and found her thin and suffering from gangrene in her toes but with a clear mind. Maude died two weeks later. The following obituary is from The Ashland Progress for Thursday 5 May 1977: Miss Maude Griffin, 93 Miss Maude Griffin, age 93, of Lineville, Alabama passed at the Lineville Geriatric Center Thursday, April 28, 1977, after an extended illness. Funeral services for Miss Griffin were held at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, April 30, 1977 at Benefield Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Wayne Stevens and the Rev. Dee Hurst officiating. Burial was in the Old Lineville City Cemetery. Miss Griffin is survived by 2 brothers, Mr. Burt Griffin of Sylacauga and Mr. Will Griffin of Lineville and a host of nieces and nephews. Miss Griffin was a native of Clay County, a retired school teacher and homemaker and a member of Good Hope Lineville Baptist Church. Pallbearers for Miss Griffin were Earl Reeves, Joe Griffin, Emyl Griffin, John W. DeVaughn, James Griffin and Louis Griffin. Benefield Funeral Home of Lineville was in charge of the funeral arrangements.
  Eloise Samuels adds, in a 2010 e-mail, that "I really do not know anything else to add about Aunt Maude. I only remember the angelic attributes she always displayed around us. Everyone loved her and we respected her knowledge as an educator and outstanding tenacious spirit. She allowed Elaine and me to read in her library each time we visited, which we loved. Also, she taught us how to make many recipes, especially desserts. She made a great impact on both Elaine and my lives in a positive way."
  
• (Witness) Note: 3 June 2010; From: Eloise [mailto:eloisesamuels@centurytel.net]
  Sent: Thursday, June 03, 2010 8:58 AM
  
  Dear Lew,
  Yes, I remember all about the house and surrounding property, including the barn, old garage for Aunt Maude's buggy, storage house and smoke house and best of all a "double seat out- house"!!!!
  This will take awhile for me to describe, but I will be happy to share my precious memories. We were there once each week as long as she lived and yes, I remember Aunt Lelia WELL. She was an excellent cook and always had the best "tea cakes" you've ever tasted. Aunt Maude was a great cook as well. Elaine and I always looked forward to the summers because we enjoyed an entire week at their sweet modest little home. Aunt Lelia planted a huge garden and their fruit trees were bountiful, which she allowed us to participate in preserving everything available. Her peaches, apples, pears and grapes were the best......oh, and the many fig bushes, plus the mouth-watering strawberries! Just for the sake of keeping an oddity, they had two Quince trees across the winding little dirt road. Flowers, for every season, adorned the entire place and especially around the house. The front yard was small and practically in the road with a tiny little mailbox surrounded by petunias. The back yard was well groomed by the hands of Aunt Lelia who meticulously swept it weekly with a broom made of oak limbs.If a sprig of grass were detected, a sharp- blade- hoe took care of it immediately . Now you must remember that the standard attire for all three ladies was long skirts, as well as long underskirts, long sleeves (usually dresses were always made by the same pattern with white collars), long black stockings and black low heel shoes. All clothes, table cloths, napkins, scarves and curtains were heavily starched with Grandmother's homemadeconcoction of ingredients. Spotless was an understatement for the interior as well as exterior.
  
  As for thestructural appearance, it was a unique OLD house built with hard pine wood. Everyone parked in the back yard and the main entrance was the back door. Approaching the door, one 's eyes were captured by the manually dug well on the back porch and conveniently located to do the family laundry (each Monday morning and you have already envisioned the wire clothes line near the house) The house faced north and south and on the east side, there was a large room that extended the length of the house with small high windows. This was Grandmother and Aunt Lelia's room , which actually would accommodate four people. Each bed was neatly covered with white chenille bedspreads. Aunt Maude's room was on the front side of the house joining a small living room, which we referredto as her library. Having taught school for many years, she had accumulated numerous children's books that Elaine and I were allowed to sit quietly and properly to read. When entering the house by rear entrance, after passing the porch, the aroma from the kitchendirected your nose to the next room, which was the dining room and "sitting room" for everyone. The extended dining room table seated six and even eight on occasions. A huge fireplace was located in this room and Grandmother's old leather and oak trimmed chair occupied the corner by the fireplace. Since she could not hear well at all, plus blind in one eye, we each knew our seating arrangement near her, which was a circlein the following order: Mama sat first, Elaine second, Eloise third, Daddy fourth, Aunt Lelia fifth and Aunt Maude sixth unless she was in her room preparing for school. We sat very quietly, listened carefully and knelt at her chair if she were speaking directly. She and Mama were excellent seamstresses and Grandmother wanted to feel and make every effort to examine our clothes. Unlimited respect was shared between her and my Daddy because both were "business-minded and honorable." Aunt Lelia was lots of fun and always gave us tea cakes wrapped in a starched white cloth as we were leaving....
  Love to you,
  Eloise
  
  
  
  
  ; Principal=Clarissa Eugenia Culpepper

Myrtle Leslie Griffin

• Father: William Henry Griffin b. 20 Oct 1847, d. 21 Feb 1924
• Mother: Clarissa Eugenia Culpepper b. 13 Apr 1848, d. 29 Nov 1947

• Charts: Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 6 Nov 2019

• (Child) Birth*: 3 November 1886; Good Hope (near Lineville), Clay Co., Alabama
• (Witness) 1900 Census: 1 June 1900; Lineville, Clay Co., Alabama; head of family=William Henry Griffin¹
• Photographed*: say 1904; Lineville, Clay Co., Alabama²
  

  Myrtle Leslie (Griffin) Whatley
• (Bride) Marriage*: 22 February 1904; Lineville, Clay Co., Alabama; Groom=Robert Charles Whatley³
• Married Name: 22 February 1904; Whatley
• (Deceased) Death*: 14 March 1959; Lineville, Clay Co., Alabama
• (Interred) Burial*: 16 March 1959; Lineville City Cemetery, Lineville, Clay Co., Alabama⁴
• Biography*: A nephew, James M. Griffin, recalled that Myrtle had blue eyes. A daughter, Mrs. Charles (Margaret Whatley) Lee wrote 14 Oct 1978: My mother was a lovely, remarkable person, very out going, bubbling personality, and was young at heart along with us children and was a proud person with dignity. She worked very hard for all of us and her memories are with me forever. She had so much patience with us all.
        Margaret Lee added in a 6 Feb 1979 letter: All those [Griffin] boys made over my mamma lots, she was the baby. They would all have such fun when they would come for a visit. My mamma was full of life, she would always cook their favorite dishes when they would come. All those Griffin girls were great cooks. Uncle [James] Olin [Griffin] used to just love my mamma's sweet potato plate pies and also cobbler pies. I can just see Uncle Olin sitting on the front porch in the summer, they would laugh & cut up and talk about younger days.
        In a 27 Sep 1979 letter Margaret Lee wrote: Yes, I knew the fortune teller that used to live in Mellow Valley. Her name was Mrs. Till.... She was one of the most famous fortune tellers that's ever been in the South. She was kindly like that Mrs. Dixon you hear so much about. I never believed in her too much but my mother did. Mother went to her several times. She believed every word she [Mrs. Till] said. Mrs. Till started with coffee grounds. She could tell you all right how many children you had, she told me my husband was away from home & he was on water. He was in the Navy & on water. She told Mama her son had 2 hound dogs & you can't stand those dogs but that boy loves them dogs and told Mother to be nice to him about the dogs and we sure didn't hear any more about the dogs out of Mother (Ha!). Daddy didn't believe in her and really rather Mother didn't go but she went anyway. Mrs. Till made a lot of money but you would never know it by the way she lived.
        In an 8 Feb 1979 letter, Margaret Lee wrote that her mother had died of bone marrow cancer. In a 5 Mar 1979 letter, Margaret Lee added that her parents "are buried in the new [Lineville] City Cem... east of town...."

Robert Charles Whatley

• Father: Solomon Whatley b. 7 Apr 1855, d. 20 Jan 1927
• Mother: Sarah Ann (?) b. 7 Apr 1857, d. 27 Aug 1952

• Charts: Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 6 Nov 2019

• (Child) Birth*: 3 December 1883
• (Groom) Marriage*: 22 February 1904; Lineville, Clay Co., Alabama; Bride=Myrtle Leslie Griffin¹
• (Deceased) Death*: 10 July 1969; Birmingham, Jefferson Co., Alabama
• (Interred) Burial*: 12 July 1969; Lineville City Cemetery, Lineville, Clay Co., Alabama²
• Biography*: Robert Whatley was listed in an entry for his brother-in-law, James O. Griffin, on p. 253 of Vol. 2 of the 1927 edition of the History of Alabama and her People published by the American Historical Society, Inc. as "a farmer at Lineville [Clay Co., AL]...." A daughter, Mrs. Charles (Margaret Whatley) Lee, wrote in a 14 Oct 1978 letter: My daddy was a fine man. He was an outdoor man. He stood by us all through all our ups & downs. He worked away from home lots when younger. He had a big 8 horse team he used on construction work, move gas tanks, etc. as there were no trucks then. He usually kept a lot of livestock, cattle & horses. We used to ride horseback a lot. He also was in the logging business a long time and ran a farm too. He was kind to us and he too had a wonderful personality.
  In an 18 Nov 1978 letter, Margaret (Whatley) Lee wrote about the team of horses her father had: You should have seen the beautiful harness he bought, brass, red tassels on the bridles and fancy saddles. It was his pride & joy like cars & trucks are to men now. What he hauled the big tanks on wasn't like a regular wagon. The rig was called a dray.... The wheels & body were much larger than a two horse wagon.
  Mrs. Lee added in a 13 Jan 1979 letter: Daddy used to have to get up many nights to pull someone out of a mud hole when they would get stuck, before the streets were paved. They would pay him for it.
  Margaret Lee continued in a 3 Jan 1979 letter: In fact, half the kids in town came to daddy's place. He had a large pasture with a nice creek and hillside with lots of pine straw to slide down. The boys would build a dam and we would all go swimming as there were no public swimming pools.

Herman Milton Griffin

• Father: William Henry Griffin b. 20 Oct 1847, d. 21 Feb 1924
• Mother: Clarissa Eugenia Culpepper b. 13 Apr 1848, d. 29 Nov 1947

• Charts: Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 12 Jul 2006

• (Child) Birth*: 12 February 1889; Good Hope (near Lineville), Clay Co., Alabama
• (Deceased) Death*: 3 June 1890; Clay Co., Alabama
• (Interred) Burial*: Old Lineville City Cemetery, Lineville, Clay Co., Alabama¹
• Biography*: On p. 217 of the Cemeteries of Clay County, Alabama the name on the tombstone is recorded as "Hermon Griffin inf son of W.H. & C.E."

Mary Erom Griffin

• Father: James Olin Griffin b. 30 Jan 1871, d. 31 Jul 1953
• Mother: Minnie Dallas Strickland b. 26 Oct 1877, d. 19 Jun 1950

• Charts: Cohron Descendants, Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Halsell Descendants, Halsey Descendants, Stewart Descendants, Strickland Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 11 Apr 2009

• Nickname: Sister Griffin
• (Child) Birth*: 9 January 1902; Hackneyville, Tallapoosa Co., Alabama
• (Employee) Employment*: teacher||
• (Daughter) Census*: 1910; Hackneyville, Tallapoosa Co., Alabama
• (Bride) Marriage*: 9 June 1925; Moulton, Lawrence Co., Alabama; Groom=Hester Marion Lewis
• Married Name: 9 June 1925; Lewis
• Photographed*: circa 1940; Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee; Erom is sitting in the center. From left to right around her are Marie, Frances, Ruth, Clarice, and Louise.; Sister=Ruth Valentine Griffin, Sister=Sarah Louise Griffin, Sister=Julia Clarice Griffin, Sister=Minnie Frances Griffin, Sister=Olga Marie Griffin¹
  

  Olin Griffin's daughters
• (Deceased) Death*: 21 April 1966; Quitman, Brooks Co., Georgia
• (Interred) Burial*: 23 April 1966; Oak Hill Cemetery, Brooks Co., Georgia
• Biography*: Erom was named from a misprint in the newspaper. Her daughter, Mary R. Lewis, wrote in a 29 Dec 1990 letter that "Mother graduated from the Albertville High School. Grandaddy [James O. Griffin] sent her there as a boarder for her senior year because he wanted her to have a good college preparatory course.... Herbert Weatherly was her boyfriend." Erom was a Graduate in Piano. The following is the yearbook entry: Erom Griffin, Hackneyville, Ala. Classical Course "Topsy" Morgan Sec'y Society '17 Member of Y.W.C.A. "Topsy," the baby of our class has only been with us since September, but her sweet and generous disposition has won for her the love and admiration of all. She's ever ready with a smile, to put down any blues that might be lurking. In the school room she is very studious but when out she is ever into mischief and is especially fond of Kodaking on Sunday afternoons when the "Weather"ly permits. But oh those teachers! "O! t-h-a-n-k y-o-u"
        Although her three children were born in a Montgomery, AL hospital, Mary Erom and H. M. Lewis were living in Wetumpka, Elmore Co, AL at the time. The following obituary is from an unknown source: Beloved Teacher Mrs. H. M. Lewis Dies Mrs. Mary Erom Griffin Lewis, wife of H. M. Lewis of Quitman, died on April 21st after a prolonged illness. Mrs. Lewis, a former STAR Teacher and a beloved member of Brooks County High School's faculty until illness caused her to retire last year, taught Latin and English and was advisor to the Latin Club. It was Mrs. Lewis who originated the "Latin Day Banquet" one of the high points of the spring schedule at the high school. She was a graduate of Judson College, Marion, Ala., and prior to her marriage taught in Elmore and Coffee counties, Ala. Mrs. Lewis, who was born in Hackneyville, Ala., on January 9, 1902, was the daughter of James Olin Griffin and Minnie Strickland Griffin. She came to Brooks County in 1945 with her husband, Hester Marion Lewis when Mr. Lewis became associated with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service.
  She was a manager of the First Baptist Church, Delta Kappa Gamma, National honorary teachers fraternity and STAR teacher in 1956-57 at the Quitman High School. Surviving are her Husband and two daughters, Mrs. M. Royce Gordon of Macon, and Miss Mary Lewis, of Tallahassee, Fla. She leaves two Grandchildren, David and Elizabeth Gordon of Macon. Mrs. Lewis leaves five sisters, Miss Ruth Griffin and Mrs. R. W. Vaughn of Memphis, Tenn,; Mrs. W. T. Duscoe, Union City, Tenn; Mrs. Hez Brown of Chattanooga, and Mrs. C. W. Middlecoff, Jr. of Somerville, Tenn. Three brothers survive, Mr. J. W. Griffin and Mr. L. W. Griffin of Leeds Ala., and Mr. James Griffin of Memphis, Tenn. Funeral Services were held at the First Baptist Church in Quitman on April 23rd at 4:00 p.m. Rev. William J. Smith, Pastor, conducted the services assisted by Rev. C. E. Cariker. The family requested that in lieu of flowers those who desire to do so may make contributions to Mrs. H. M. Lewis' Scholarship Fund to be awarded to Brooks County High School Seniors. Checks should be made payable to Mrs. H. M. Lewis' Scholarship Fund and forwarded to Mr. J. R. Austin, Box 255, Quitman, Georgia. Active Pallbearers were Joe Austion Wayme Jones, George Currei, Leland Jordan, Cecil Baker, and Dr. J. C. McGoogan. Honorary Pallbearers were J. H. Wells , V. C. McGinty, V.A. Maxwell, T. J. Barrs, Jr., Frank Benson, Burney Humphreys, B. H. Romine, Jesse Hampton, Lawton Lee, L. C. Spears, Dr. L. M. Shealy, Dan Mitchell, Felton Griner, Drawdy Willis, and W. E. Roberts. Entombment, Oak Hill Cemetery. Maxwell Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
  
  The following is from her daughter, Dr. Mary R. Lewis, 24 Jul 2004:
  
  My mother loved teaching school. Yes, you remembered correctly that she was a high school teacher and taught mainly English and Latin. She was a graduate of Judson College in Marion, AL. Grandaddy told her what to major in...Latin. Also, he ordered her to learn to play the violin, an instrument that he loved. He had been given quite a good one by a patient who could not pay with money and paid with the violin, so he sent it with Mother off to Judson where he wanted her to learn to play it. She preferred to play the piano, and did continue to study that too, but she dutifully learned to play the violin. When we lived in Marion, AL, 1935-38, she played violin in the Judson College Symphony Orchestra. Well, I've gotten off the subject, but you might appreciate these tales.
  
  When she graduated from Judson College in 1921 (aged 19), I believe that she first worked as a tutor, that is, a private teacher of the children of some wealthy individuals who lived in a small AL town and she lived in their home while being the teacher. I'm not sure whether it was Enterprise or Eclectic. I think that after one year of that, she moved into public school teaching.
  
  She was teaching in Eclectic, AL when she met my Dad who courted her a rather long time before winning her hand. Here's another aside tale...about how they met. Daddy was the County Agent in Elmore County, working for the Alabama Extension Service (you know what that is, don't you?). One day when he was in Eclectic, he saw Mother walking on a downtown street and thought she was very attractive and asked someone who she was. Upon learning that she taught at the local high school, he arranged a proper introduction by the School Principal, and then asked her if she would help him organize the 4H Club there in the high school.
  
  Well, at that time in AL history, the state did not allow married women to teach school. So when they got married, she had to give up her teaching career. That law remained in effect a long time and it wasn't until 1943, when we moved to Augusta, GA that she started teaching again, across the river in South Augusta, SC. I think the rules about prohibiting married women from teaching tumbled down everywhere during World War II when women were needed to do many things in the labor force while the men went to fight the war.
  
  Mother taught for the rest of her life after resuming in 1943, specializing in Latin and English in high school. She loved to organize the Latin Club and loved going to her Teachers' Honorary Professional Sorority (Society?) with her friends. The meetings were held in Valdosta, GA, about 15 miles from Quitman.
  

Hester Marion Lewis

• Charts: Cohron Descendants, Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Halsell Descendants, Halsey Descendants, Stewart Descendants, Strickland Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 5 Aug 2000

• (Child) Birth*: 6 August 1893; West Blocton Rt, Bibb Co., Alabama
• (Groom) Marriage*: 9 June 1925; Moulton, Lawrence Co., Alabama; Bride=Mary Erom Griffin
• (Deceased) Death*: April 1982; Quitman, Brooks Co., Georgia
• Biography*: According to the obituary for his wife, Mrs. H. M. (Mary Erom Griffin) Lewis, Hester Marion Lewis was "associated with the U. S. Dept. of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service. After Erom's death, Hester M. Lewis remarried and the following is from p. 3 of THE QUITMAN FREE PRESS Thursday, 24 Jun 1971: Poplin-Lewis Wedding Mrs. Thomas William Poplin became the bride of Mr. Hester Marion Lewis on June 19 in an afternoon ceremony at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Royce Gordon on Woodland Drive in Macon, Ga. Mrs Gordon is the elder daughter of the groom. The bride wore an aqua organza ensemble with aqua accessories. Her corsage was a purple throated white orchid. The matron of honor, Mrs. William Thomas Stanfield of Norcross, Ga., elder daughter of the bride, wore a lemon yellow crepe dress with a corsage of yellow and white carnations. Mr. Royce Gordon attended the groom. The double - ring ceremony was performed by Rev. Gerald Brown, Associate Pastor and Minister of Music at the First Baptist Church of Macon. Elizabeth Gordon, granddaughter of the groom, was the pianist. The processional was Arioso in A by Johann Sebastion Bach. The recessional was Chopin's Prelude, Opus 28, No, 1. The bride's table was covered with a cloth of white madeira, two three- branched candelabra and epergnes held bouquets of mixed summer flowers. The two-tiered wedding cake highlighted by two white doves and tiny gold rings was cut by Mrs. Benjamin Robert Morrison of Wilmington, N.C., younger daughter of the bride. Punch was served by Miss Mary Lewis of Wayne, Pa., younger daughter of the groom. Guests included the families of the couple.

Joseph Wyeth Griffin

• Father: James Olin Griffin b. 30 Jan 1871, d. 31 Jul 1953
• Mother: Minnie Dallas Strickland b. 26 Oct 1877, d. 19 Jun 1950

• Charts: Cohron Descendants, Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Halsell Descendants, Halsey Descendants, Stewart Descendants, Strickland Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 11 Mar 2014

• Name-Comm: Wyeth Griffin
• Nickname: Skip Griffin
• (Child) Birth*: 6 March 1904; Hackneyville, Tallapoosa Co., Alabama
• (Son) Census*: 1910; Hackneyville, Tallapoosa Co., Alabama
• (Groom) Marriage*: 17 October 1929; Leeds, Jefferson Co., Alabama; Bride=Julia Judge
• Photographed*: circa 1940; Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee; Brother=James Maurice Griffin, Brother=Lewis Wyman Griffin¹
  

  Joseph Wyeth, James Maurice, & Lewis Wyman Griffin
• (Deceased) Death*: 2 September 1969; Birmingham, Jefferson Co., Alabama
• (Interred) Burial*: 3 September 1969; Shiloh Cemetery, Leeds, Jefferson Co., Alabama
• Biography*: Joseph Wyeth Griffin's middle name was in honor of Dr. John Allan Wyeth, a prominent Alabama physician involved with the eradication of yellow fever.
  
  Leeds leader, J. W. Griffin, buried today A Leeds community leader, 65-year-old Joseph Wyeth Griffin, was buried today with graveside services at Shiloh Cemetery, Griffin was past president of the Leeds Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the Leeds Water Works Board for 25 years. He served with both the Leeds and the Jefferson County zoning board, and was Leeds city clerk for several years. A native of Tallapoosa County, Griffin was a director of Birmingham Federal Savings & Loan Association, charter member of the Leeds Civitan Club and president of Leeds Insurance Agency. Survivors include his wife, Julia Judge Griffin; a daughter, Mrs. W. H. Cooper III, Gulf Breeze, Fla.; a son, James J. Griffin, Atlanta; five sisters, Miss Ruth Griffin, Mrs. C. M. Middlecoff and Mrs. Ralph Vaughn, all of Memphis, Mrs. Hez Brown, Chattanooga, and Mrs. Tom Duscoe, Union City, Tenn.; and two brothers, Lewis W. and James M. Griffin, both of Memphis. The family suggests that any memorial contributions may be made in the form of contributions to the Lurleen Wallace Courage Crusade or to another charity.
  
  The following obituary is from an unknown source: DEATH COMES TO "SKIP" LEEDS LEADER Joseph Wyeth 'Skip' Griffin is dead. The popular and well known Leeds resident died Tuesday shortly after noon at a Birmingham hospital. He was 65 years old. He died after a lengthy illness. He had left Anderson Hospital in Houston, Texas, several days ago, was thought to have been on the road to recovery until last week when he re-entered the Birmingham hospital. Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at 4 o'clock at Shiloh Cemetery. Rev. Curtis Gannaway officiated and Kilgroe Funeral Home directed. "Skip" Griffin as he was well known to thousands of friends and acquaintances came to Leeds from his native Tallapoosa county early in life. He went to work for his future father-in-law the late Mr. Tom Judge, later was in the insurance and real estate business for himself where he was remarkably successful. He was a civic and business leader in Leeds where he had served as President the Leeds Chamber of Commerce, a Director of the Birmingham Federal Savings and Loan Association, Chairman Leeds Water Works Board for 25 years, past president Leeds Civitans, past member Leeds Zoning Board and Jefferson County Zoning Board, was a charter member Terry Walker Country Club which he served as president. He was for many years owner, operator and president Leeds Insurance Agency and a realtor. He was a member the Leeds Presbyterian church. Survivors are his wife, the former Miss Julia Judge; a son James Judge Griffin, Atlanta; a daughter, Mrs. W. H. Cooper III, Gulf Breeze, Fla.; five grandchildren; five sisters, Miss Ruth Griffin, Mrs. C. M. Middlecoff, Mrs. Ralph Vaughn, all of Memphis, Mrs. Hez Brown Chattanooga, & Mrs. Tom Duscoe, Union City, Tenn.; and two brothers, Lewis W. Griffin and James M. Griffin, Memphis.
• Research Note*: 10 May 2013; From James J. Griffin:
  FYI, the site of your dad?s house was the former site of a small tenant shack occupied by a black family who helped in various ways (therein lie some really funny stories) and during the flood of 1941 their house was totally surrounded by water which had risen during the night and they had to be rescued by someone with a row boat. My dad?s car was in the garage under the house and was completely covered with water which fortunately stopped rising within a few inches from the floor of our house.
  ; Principal=Lewis Wyman Griffin²
• Research Note*: 10 May 2013; From: jim griffin
  Sent: Friday, May 10, 2013
  Subject: RE: Stepping stones across the creek
  
  I think you mean the stones that were the remnants of the failed hydroelectric project of Mr. Judge when his house was built. A concrete dam was built to drive a small electric generator and had a spill way on one side for surplus water. Well, for reasons never explained to me, it did not work and my dad had it demolished. I think the creek flooded more than was anticipated and the machinery was unreliable and ultimately ruined. I remember the demolition as it was dynamited by some friends who worked in the cement plant quarry and we all had to stay inside until the dust settled?good thing because one small piece went quite high and came down on our roof. The rubble was cleared but several large pieces were put in place as stones to allow crossing the creek. The successor power alternative (about 1928) was a Delco gas engine generator that kept a battery charged capable of powering a few small light bulbs?nothing else. This was in the very late 1920?s and early 1930?s before FDR put in Rural Electrification and we had public power system. The dam was demolished about 1941 after a major flood.; Principal=Julia Judge²

Julia Judge

• Father: Hilliard Milton Judge¹ b. 24 Jan 1879, d. 20 Jun 1927
• Mother: Anna Arlene Cosper¹ b. 12 Jan 1878, d. 31 Mar 1968

• Charts: Cohron Descendants, Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Halsell Descendants, Halsey Descendants, Stewart Descendants, Strickland Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 11 Mar 2014

• (Child) Birth*: 1 July 1906
• (Bride) Marriage*: 17 October 1929; Leeds, Jefferson Co., Alabama; Groom=Joseph Wyeth Griffin
• Married Name: 17 October 1929; Griffin
• (Deceased) Death*: 17 May 1991; Magnolia Springs, Baldwin Co., Alabama
• (Interred) Burial*: Shiloh Cemetery, Leeds, Jefferson Co., Alabama
• Research Note: 10 May 2013; From: jim griffin
  Sent: Friday, May 10, 2013
  Subject: RE: Stepping stones across the creek
  
  I think you mean the stones that were the remnants of the failed hydroelectric project of Mr. Judge when his house was built. A concrete dam was built to drive a small electric generator and had a spill way on one side for surplus water. Well, for reasons never explained to me, it did not work and my dad had it demolished. I think the creek flooded more than was anticipated and the machinery was unreliable and ultimately ruined. I remember the demolition as it was dynamited by some friends who worked in the cement plant quarry and we all had to stay inside until the dust settled?good thing because one small piece went quite high and came down on our roof. The rubble was cleared but several large pieces were put in place as stones to allow crossing the creek. The successor power alternative (about 1928) was a Delco gas engine generator that kept a battery charged capable of powering a few small light bulbs?nothing else. This was in the very late 1920?s and early 1930?s before FDR put in Rural Electrification and we had public power system. The dam was demolished about 1941 after a major flood.; Principal=Joseph Wyeth Griffin¹
• Research Note: 10 May 2013; I asked Jim Griffin about the stepping stones across the creek in his backyard, which I remembered from the early 1960's. From Jim:
  
  I think you mean the stones that were the remnants of the failed hydroelectric project of Mr. Judge when his house was built. A concrete dam was built to drive a small electric generator and had a spill way on one side for surplus water. Well, for reasons never explained to me, it did not work and my dad had it demolished. I think the creek flooded more than was anticipated and the machinery was unreliable and ultimately ruined. I remember the demolition as it was dynamited by some friends who worked in the cement plant quarry and we all had to stay inside until the dust settled—good thing because one small piece went quite high and came down on our roof. The rubble was cleared but several large pieces were put in place as stones to allow crossing the creek. The successor power alternative (about 1928) was a Delco gas engine generator that kept a battery charged capable of powering a few small light bulbs—nothing else. This was in the very late 1920’s and early 1930’s before FDR put in Rural Electrification and we had public power system. The dam was demolished about 1941 after a major flood.
  
  FYI, the site of your dad’s house was the former site of a small tenant shack occupied by a black family who helped in various ways (therein lie some really funny stories) and during the flood of 1941 their house was totally surrounded by water which had risen during the night and they had to be rescued by someone with a row boat. My dad’s car was in the garage under the house and was completely covered with water which fortunately stopped rising within a few inches from the floor of our house.
  ¹
• Research Note*: 19 May 2013; Hilliard Judge ... was the son of James Lawrence Judge who was born in or near Boligee , AL, (cotton planter) and was displaced somehow to Calera, AL, during the great disruptions of Reconstruction after the Civil War. Hilliard moved to B’ham and then to Leeds about 1918. He tried several occupations and served one term in the Alabama legislature.
  
  He was not a successful businessman and his last venture was in Leeds in the insurance business where my dad became his employee for a few years and took over the firm (very small) when Mr. Judge died from complications after a simple gall bladder surgery in 1927.
  
  My grandmother, Anna Judge, worked in the insurance office until about 1950. Our house in Leeds was originally on 10 acres which included the portion which your dad built your house on. The judge house was financed by Mr. Judge’s wealthy sister who lived in Buffalo, NY, and my dad bought it from Ms. Judge after the death of her husband and she lived in the house with us as Julie and I grew up until 1949.
  
  My dad built an addition on the original house in 1941 consisting of the living room on the back of the house, a bedroom and bath, and improvements to the kitchen. The barn you remember was actually a second generation built primarily for the two or three horses we had—the original barn was on the same spot but closer to the house and was for cow, chickens, horse, etc.
  
  The land was originally owned by the Rowan family, and in addition to the small two room shack on the site of your house, there was a black tenant farmer who was called Uncle Henry living on land still owned by Mr. Rowan on the other side of our house—Uncle Henry died when his house burned about 1952. There were amusing stories about the family that lived in the shack where your dad’s house was ultimately built.
  
  Most of the land in the valley along the “creek” was farmed at one time, but the ten acres purchased by Mr. Judge was never farmed after he bought it—just pasture for horse, sheep, and cattle at one time or another. Mr. Judge had planted several fruit trees as well as pear, and also planted grape vines along the fence running from our house up to the “road”. My dad had very little interest or abilities for farming and we did nothing more than keeping a vegetable garden, raising chickens during WWII, keeping sheep for several years mainly to keep the vegetation under control along creeks, etc, and one fairly short period in which he and a friend put about 20 head of beef cattle on our property plus some leased from the Rowans next door (that did not last very long).
  
  The name “Sycamore Hollow” was given by Mr. Judge due to the presence of several large Sycamore trees on the property near the creek which had beautiful smooth white trunks.
  ¹

Ruth Valentine Griffin

• Father: James Olin Griffin b. 30 Jan 1871, d. 31 Jul 1953
• Mother: Minnie Dallas Strickland b. 26 Oct 1877, d. 19 Jun 1950

• Charts: Cohron Descendants, Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Halsell Descendants, Halsey Descendants, Stewart Descendants, Strickland Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 31 Mar 2009

• (Child) Birth*: 14 February 1906; Hackneyville, Tallapoosa Co., Alabama
• (Daughter) Census*: 1910; Hackneyville, Tallapoosa Co., Alabama
• Misc*: 29 September 1919; Goodwater, Coosa Co., Alabama¹
  

  Acrostic from her great uncle Joseph R. Culpepper
• Photographed: say 1923²
  

  Ruth V. Griffin
• Photographed: 1924; Marion, Perry Co., Alabama; This is from the 1924 Judson College Conversationalist, the annual college yearbook.³
  

  Ruth V. Griffin
• Photographed: 1925; Montevallo, Shelby Co., Alabama; This is from the 1925 Technala, the yearbook of Alabama College in Montevallo, AL, now known as Montevallo College. Ruth was a Junior that year.³
  

  Ruth V. Griffin, Junior at Montevallo
• Photographed: 1927; Enterprise, Coffee Co., Alabama; This is from the 1927 Encoala, the yearbook of Enterprise, Coffee County, Alabaama High School. Ruth was teaching Latin and history.³
  

  Ruth V. Griffin
• Photographed: 1928; Enterprise, Coffee Co., Alabama; This is from the 1928 Encoala, the yearbook of Enterprise, Coffee County, Alabama High School. Ruth was teaching Latin and history.³
  

  Ruth V. Griffin
• (Sister) Photographed: circa 1940; Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee; Erom is sitting in the center. From left to right around her are Marie, Frances, Ruth, Clarice, and Louise.; Principal=Mary Erom Griffin⁴
  

  Olin Griffin's daughters
• Photographed*: circa 1962; Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee; 25th Anniversary at Sears
  

  Ruth V. Griffin
• (Deceased) Death*: 14 January 1996; Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee
• Biography*: In a 31 Jan 1982 letter, Ruth wrote that she and her sister (Erom?) both taught at the Elmore County High School in Enterprise, AL. Ruth also worked in the Catalog Department at Sears Roebuck & Co. for many years.
        Mrs. C. W. (Marie Griffin) Middlecoff wrote in a 13 Feb 1995 letter: Ruth graduated from high school in Eclectic, Ala. Sister [Erom] was teaching there. Ruth stayed with her. Goodwater, Ala. did not have an accredited high school. Then Ruth went to Judson College (Marian, Ala.) for 2 yrs. She changed to Montevallo, which is part of the University of Ala. now. She taught 2 yrs. at Enterprise, Ala., + 3 years at Ozark, Ala. This was during the depression. They payed the teachers in warrants. She quit and came back home to 1245 Central, Memphis, Tenn. She worked in the County Agents office in Wetumpka, Ala. for about 5 yrs. She went back to Memphis and got a job with Sears. Mail order working in the office until she retired in 1971. She lives in the family home in Midtown Memphis.
  
  From her niece, Dr. Mary Ruth Lewis, 24 Jul 2004:
  
  I believe that Ruth did teach school. If I remember correctly, Mother told me that during the Depression, Ruth lived a while with her and Daddy while teaching school. However, the state was not able to pay its teachers that year with money, only scrip which must have been virtually worthless, or certainly not a living wage. Ruth had majored in history in College (She went for 2 years to Judson, and the final 2 years to Ala. Women's College in Montevallo)and I think that's what she taught. However, she soon decided to go home to live with Grandad and Grandmother and took employment with Sears.

James Maurice Griffin

• Father: James Olin Griffin b. 30 Jan 1871, d. 31 Jul 1953
• Mother: Minnie Dallas Strickland b. 26 Oct 1877, d. 19 Jun 1950

• Charts: Cohron Descendants, Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Halsell Descendants, Halsey Descendants, Stewart Descendants, Strickland Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 15 Mar 2009

• (Child) Birth*: 1 June 1913; Hackneyville, Tallapoosa Co., Alabama
• (Brother) Photographed: circa 1940; Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee; Principal=Joseph Wyeth Griffin¹
  

  Joseph Wyeth, James Maurice, & Lewis Wyman Griffin
• (Deceased) Death*: 29 August 1992; Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee
• (Interred) Burial*: 1 September 1992; Memorial Park Cemetery, Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee
• Biography*: James wrote in a 14 May 1977 letter that "my middle name is for a doctor." The following is from an unknown source: Southerners Win New Distinctions In Foreign Fields Some Earn Promotions; Others Rewarded for Heroism On Distant Fronts STAFF SERGT. JAMES M. GRIFFIN, son of Dr. and Mrs. J. O. Griffin of 883 Hawthorne, has been awarded the Bronze Star for meritorius achievement in battle on Leyte. While sergeant in charge of an alert platoon, "Sergeant Griffin exercised admirable leadership in taking precautions for the safety of the area during a Japanese attack," his citation reads. Sergeant Griffin entered the Army Air Forces in June, 1942, and has been overseas 20 months with a photo intelligence detachment.
       

Sarah Louise Griffin

• Father: James Olin Griffin b. 30 Jan 1871, d. 31 Jul 1953
• Mother: Minnie Dallas Strickland b. 26 Oct 1877, d. 19 Jun 1950

• Charts: Cohron Descendants, Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Halsell Descendants, Halsey Descendants, Stewart Descendants, Strickland Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 18 Jul 2018

• Name-Comm: Louise Griffin
• (Child) Birth*: 28 October 1908; Hackneyville, Tallapoosa Co., Alabama
• (Daughter) Census*: 1910; Hackneyville, Tallapoosa Co., Alabama
• (Bride) Marriage*: 5 April 1931; Hamilton, Marion Co., Alabama; Groom=Ralph Waldo Vaughn
• Married Name: 5 April 1931; Vaughn
• (Sister) Photographed: circa 1940; Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee; Erom is sitting in the center. From left to right around her are Marie, Frances, Ruth, Clarice, and Louise.; Principal=Mary Erom Griffin¹
  

  Olin Griffin's daughters
• (Deceased) Death*: 24 June 1993; Fort Smith, Sebastian Co., Arkansas
• (Interred) Burial*: say 26 June 1993; Memorial Park Cemetery, Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee
• Biography*: Ralph and Louise lived in Sun City from 1976 until 1990.
  
  From Dr. Mary R. Lewis, 27 Jul 2004:
  
  Louise, a graduate of Alabama College for Womenn at Montevallo, was a successful teacher. Louise taught in a small AL town where she met Ralph. They fell in love and wanted to marry. AL still had the law prohibiting married women from teaching and Louise did not want to give up her job. So they got secretly married during the school year. However, word leaked out and the School Board met to decide what to do about Louise. They decided that she could complete the school year, but she was not allowed to continue after that.
  

Ralph Waldo Vaughn

• Charts: Cohron Descendants, Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Halsell Descendants, Halsey Descendants, Stewart Descendants, Strickland Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 15 Nov 2020

• (Child) Birth*: 2 July 1905; Alabama¹
• (Groom) Marriage*: 5 April 1931; Hamilton, Marion Co., Alabama; Bride=Sarah Louise Griffin
• (Deceased) Death*: 30 May 1997; Fort Smith, Sebastian Co., Arkansas^1,2
• (Interred) Burial*: say 1 June 1997; Memorial Park Cemetery, Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee
• Biography*: Ralph was an electrical engineer.He served in the U. S. Corps of Engineers during WWII. He crossed the Rhine and served with the occupaption forces in Germany.¹

Julia Clarice Griffin

• Father: James Olin Griffin b. 30 Jan 1871, d. 31 Jul 1953
• Mother: Minnie Dallas Strickland b. 26 Oct 1877, d. 19 Jun 1950

• Charts: Cohron Descendants, Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Halsell Descendants, Halsey Descendants, Stewart Descendants, Strickland Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 18 Jul 2018

• Name-Comm: Clarice Griffin
• (Child) Birth*: 2 April 1911; Hackneyville, Tallapoosa Co., Alabama
• (Bride) Marriage*: 31 December 1936; Forrest City, Saint Francis Co., Arkansas; Groom=William Thomas Duscoe¹
• Married Name: 31 December 1936; Duscoe
• (Sister) Photographed: circa 1940; Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee; Erom is sitting in the center. From left to right around her are Marie, Frances, Ruth, Clarice, and Louise.; Principal=Mary Erom Griffin²
  

  Olin Griffin's daughters
• (Deceased) Death*: 19 November 2002; Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee³
• Biography*: From her niece, Dr. Mary R. Lewis, 27 Jul 2004:
  
  Clarice decided not to teach before she was married. She had majored in home economics and decided to take a position with Westinghouse (I think) demonstrating their homemaking and household products. This job involved traveling. Some private corporations, including the one where she was employed, had rules that married women could not be employed. As her job involved traveling, she and Duscoe were able to get married secretly and keep the secret until they were ready to start their family. Then she resigned. I'm not sure how old her two boys were when she decided to start teaching, but she had a long career teaching school in Tennessee. I think she taught 5th grade

William Thomas Duscoe

• Father: Charles W. Duscoe b. 13 Oct 1878, d. 19 Dec 1962
• Mother: Elizabeth F. Price b. 16 Apr 1884, d. 15 Nov 1971

• Charts: Cohron Descendants, Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Halsell Descendants, Halsey Descendants, Stewart Descendants, Strickland Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 27 Jan 2018

• (Child) Birth*: 14 October 1910¹
• (Groom) Marriage*: 31 December 1936; Forrest City, Saint Francis Co., Arkansas; Bride=Julia Clarice Griffin²
• (Resident) Residence*: Union City, Obion Co., Tennessee
• (Deceased) Death*: 27 November 2000; Tennessee¹

Minnie Frances Griffin

• Father: James Olin Griffin b. 30 Jan 1871, d. 31 Jul 1953
• Mother: Minnie Dallas Strickland b. 26 Oct 1877, d. 19 Jun 1950

• Charts: Cohron Descendants, Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Halsell Descendants, Halsey Descendants, Stewart Descendants, Strickland Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 21 Dec 2019

• Name-Comm: Frances Griffin
• (Child) Birth*: 9 February 1918; Goodwater, Coosa Co., Alabama
• (Bride) Marriage*: 24 November 1939; Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee; Groom=Hezekiah Brown Jr.
• Married Name: 24 November 1939; Brown
• (Sister) Photographed: circa 1940; Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee; Erom is sitting in the center. From left to right around her are Marie, Frances, Ruth, Clarice, and Louise.; Principal=Mary Erom Griffin¹
  

  Olin Griffin's daughters
• (Resident) Residence*: 2004; Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., North Carolina
• (Deceased) Death*: 29 November 2009; Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., North Carolina
• Biography*: 30 November 2009
• Obituary*: 1 December 2009; Frances Griffin Brown, 91, of Charlotte, N.C., and Chattanooga, died Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009, at Lawyers Glen Retirement Center in Mint Hill.
  
  Frances was born Feb. 9, 1918 in Goodwater, Ala., to the late James Olin and Minnie Dallas Strickland Griffin. She was preceded in death by her eight siblings; her husband, Hez Brown; and her grandson, Robert Stuart Brown Jr.
  
  Frances was a retired elementary school teacher with the Chattanooga Schools and had lived in Charlotte since 1996. She was an avid gardener and enjoyed growing roses and being a member of several garden clubs in Chattanooga. She enjoyed volunteering at Erlanger Hospital and spending time with her family and her cats. Frances was a member of Brainerd Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga.
  
  She is survived by her son, Robert Stuart Brown and his wife, Marta, of Mint Hill; her grandson, Jeffrey Scott Brown and his wife, Danielle, of Mint Hill; her granddaughter, Jennifer Frances Brown Pait and her husband, Corey, of Wesley Chapel; and a great-granddaughter, Chloe Grace Pait.
  
  After a private family viewing, a graveside service will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, at Hamilton Memorial Gardens in Chattanooga. Mrs. Brown will be buried beside her husband.
  
  The family would like to thank the dedicated staff at Lawyers Glen for their excellent care, as well as the staff at Hospice.
  
  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice, First Candle SIDS Alliance, or an organization of your choice.
  
  Arrangements are by McEwen Funeral Service, Mint Hill Chapel.

Hezekiah Brown Jr.

• Father: Hezekiah Brown¹ b. 21 Jun 1867, d. 2 Dec 1925
• Mother: Margaret Hurst b. 1873, d. 1954

• Charts: Cohron Descendants, Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Halsell Descendants, Halsey Descendants, Stewart Descendants, Strickland Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 13 Aug 2019

• Name-Comm: Hez Brown
• (Child) Birth*: 9 June 1910; Missouri
• (Groom) Marriage*: 24 November 1939; Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee; Bride=Minnie Frances Griffin
• (Deceased) Death*: 1 July 1980; Chattanooga, Hamilton Co., Tennessee¹
• Biography*: Quoting a letter from Frances G. Brown, 11 Mar 1997: "Hez Brown graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in Business Administration. His first job after graduation was with a bank in St. Louis, MO. He then moved on to John Deer and was sent to Memphis where we met and later married. He left John Deer and went to work for Sears to manage their Farm Equipment Store in Chattanooga. A few years later he went into business with R. O. Philips in the farm equipment business. They sold the business in 1978 and both retired. Some of his favorite things to do were fishing, quail hunting, and gardening."

Olga Marie Griffin

• Father: James Olin Griffin b. 30 Jan 1871, d. 31 Jul 1953
• Mother: Minnie Dallas Strickland b. 26 Oct 1877, d. 19 Jun 1950

• Charts: Cohron Descendants, Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Halsell Descendants, Halsey Descendants, Stewart Descendants, Strickland Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 11 Apr 2009

• (Child) Birth*: 18 April 1920; Goodwater, Coosa Co., Alabama
• (Employee) Employment*: teacher||
• (Sister) Photographed: circa 1940; Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee; Erom is sitting in the center. From left to right around her are Marie, Frances, Ruth, Clarice, and Louise.; Principal=Mary Erom Griffin¹
  

  Olin Griffin's daughters
• (Bride) Marriage*: 9 August 1943; Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee; Groom=Charnell Whitfield Middlecoff Jr.
• Married Name: 9 August 1943; Middlecoff
• (Deceased) Death*: 29 October 2001; Somerville, Fayette Co., Tennessee
• Biography*: Marie was named after Mrs. Olga Bazut, a nurse Dr. Griffin had treated in France during World War I. The following is a translation of a portion of a 8 Mar 1919 letter Mrs. Bazut wrote thanking Dr. Griffin for his care: I am very happy at the thought of seeing you again soon, you will have the great joy of finding your little sick one very changed. This is your work. I hope that you will be happy always, it will be with pleasure that I will think of you. In my life I will not forget you. You took such care of me that never will I be able to thank you enough. You alone have known to bring me back to life, now I hope that my health will get better every day.... Do not forget your little sick one, and especially do not go through without coming to see me. Best regards from my husband, from all my family.
  .
  A sister, Ruth Griffin, wrote in a 7 Aug 1982 letter that "Marie retired from teaching this past May. She keeps busy with her yard, the house and grandchildren."
  .
  From the Fayette Falcon, Wednesday, November 7th, 2001, page 4a:
  .
       Mrs. Marie Griffin Middlecoff, a resident of LaGrange Road near Somerville and a retired educator who was involved throughout her lifetime in various civic and community organizations, died at 11 PM. Monday, October 29, 2001, at her residence. She was 81 years of age and died following an extended illness.
  .
       Funeral services were conducted at 2 P.M. Thursday, November 1st at the Somerville First United Methodist Church with Rev. Walter German, Pastor of the Church, officiating. Interment was at the Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis. Peebles Fayette County Funeral Home of Somerville was in charge of arrangements.
  .
       Mrs. Middlecoff was born April 18, 1920, in Goodwater, Alabama. She was the youngest of nine children born to Dr. James Olin and Minnie Dallas Strickland Griffin. At an early age she moved to Moulton, Alabama and at the age of eight, moved to Memphis, Tennessee. There she attended Bruce Elementary School and graduated from Central High School in Memphis in 1937. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in education from the University of Memphis in 1940.
  .
       She was married August 9, 1943, to Charnell Whitfield Middlecoff, Jr. of Memphis. The couple lived in Sioux City, Iowa and Boise, Idaho Where, Mr. Middlecoff was stationed while serving in the Army Air Corps during World War 11.
  .
       In 1951, the Middlecoffs purchased a farm in southeastern Fayette County to begin their farming operations and in 1957 their family moved to the farm. They had been residents of Fayette County sine that time and Mr. Middlecoff operated the farm until his death on April 29, 1986.
  .
       Mrs. Middlecoff was a public school teacher in Memphis in earlier years and taught school in the Fayette County public school system for sixteen years before her retirement.
  .
       Mrs. Middlecoff was a devoted member of the Somerville First United Methodist Church as long as health permitted. She was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority of the University of Memphis and had served as President of the organization. In earlier years she was a Sunday School teacher, a Cub Scout leader and a Girl Scout leader. Mrs. Middlecoff had served as President of the Parent Teacher Association and was a member of King's Daughters, Delta Kappa Gamma and the Craddock Book Club of Somerville.
  .
       She had been involved in Farm Bureau activities for many years and was a member of the Fayette County Farm Bureau Women. Mrs. Middlecoff was an active supporter of the Tennessee Farmers Cooperative during the period that Mr. Middlecoff served as District Representative.
  .
  Mrs. Middlecoff is survived by her daughter, Esther Marie Middlecoff Stevens of Lakeland; two sons, Charnell Whitfield Middlecoff III of Somerville, Richard James Middlecoff of Germantown; two sisters, Clarice Duscoe of Nashville, Frances Brown of Charlotte, North Carolina, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
  .
       Casketbearers were John David Douglass, Clay Hopkins, Whit Middlecoff, IV, Dr. Will Middlecoff, Tom Peebles, Andrew Stevens, John Paul Stevens and Richard Stevens.
  .
       The family request that memorials be made to the Somerville First United Methodist Church.

Charnell Whitfield Middlecoff Jr.

• Father: Charnell Whitfield Middlecoff¹ b. 7 Feb 1889, d. 9 Jan 1960
• Mother: Esther Murry b. c 1890

• Charts: Cohron Descendants, Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Halsell Descendants, Halsey Descendants, Stewart Descendants, Strickland Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 27 Jan 2018

• (Child) Birth*: 6 October 1918; Milan, Gibson Co., Tennessee
• (Groom) Marriage*: 9 August 1943; Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee; Bride=Olga Marie Griffin
• (Deceased) Death*: 29 April 1986; Somerville, Fayette Co., Tennessee
• (Interred) Burial*: 1 May 1986; Memorial Park Cemetery, Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee
• Biography*: Jerry Kirk, "Our Thanks to You, Director Middlecoff" Tennessee Cooperator circa 1976 Its known as "rotating off the board," and it has happened to one of the finest men we know.
        Mr. C. W. Middlecoff of Somerville, because he has served the maximum number of consecutive years allowed under the bylaws, has "rotated off the board" of Tennessee Farmers Cooperative.
        As Mr. Middlecoff steps down as a director, we welcome his successor on the board, Mr.\ John L. Roberts of Lexington, another outstanding farmer and agriculture leader. Mr. Roberts was elected last month at TFC's annual meeting to replace Mr. Middlecoff as the director from District 2.
        Plans had all been made to honor Mr. Middlecoff during the annual meeting in Nashville-to salute him for his dedicated service as a TFC director. Among those ready to say some really nice things about Mr. Middlecoff was Ralph Carter of Greene County, TFC's 1975-76 president. There was a plaque to be presented to Mr. Middlecoff, too.
        But Mr. Middlecoff was unable to attend the annual meeting because his lovely wife, Marie, was hospitalized at the time.
        Here's what Mr. Carter would have said about Mr. Middlecoff, though:
        "It was nine years ago that the TFC membership showed the good judgement to elect a conscientious, hard-working farmer from Fayette County to serve as director from District 2.
        "Yes, it was in 1967 that C. W. Middlecoff of Somerville was first elected to the TFC Board of Directors. And it seems that time moves especially fast when you have a good thing going. TFC for nine years has had a good thing in Director Middlecoff.
        "We can't let his service on the board end without recognizing Mr. Middlecoff for the valuable contributions he has made as a director.
        "He has always been a respected member of the board. Respected for his ability to grasp an issue and suggest courses of action. Respected for his convictions, his insight, his judgments, his decisions. They've all contributed immeasurably to the unparalleled success which TFC has experienced during the past nine years.
        "During his tenure on the board, Mr. Middlecoff served as President of TFC in 1973.
        "Our retiring director has also been an active member of Fayette Farmers Cooperative in Somerville for some 25 years now. He's the current board president, an office he also held in 1967.
        "To you, Mr. Middlecoff, we say 'thank you' for the years of unselfish service which you have given to the cooperative system in Tennessee. The contributions which you have made while serving on our TFC board will continue to bear fruit for many, many years to come."
        Well said, Mr. Carter.
        We also convey our appreciation and thanks to the fine gentleman from Fayette County who has served his fellow farmers so well for so many years.

John Anderson Turnage

• Father: John Quitman Turnage b. 14 Apr 1917, d. 30 Oct 1992
• Mother: Minnie Lee Hathorn b. 27 Nov 1918, d. 16 May 2002

• Charts: Turnage Ancestry

• Last Edited: 15 May 2011

• (Child) Birth*: 3 October 1945; Hattiesburg, Forrest Co., Mississippi
• (Deceased) Death*: 27 February 2010; Lake Saint Louis, Saint Charles Co., Missouri; From: Lew Griffin
  Sent: Thursday, March 04, 2010
  Subject: John Turnage 1945 - 2010
  
  Dear cousins,
  
  I’m sorry to have to report that my sister Bonnie’s husband, John Turnage, died peacefully in his sleep very early Saturday morning, February 27^th. He had been in poor health for several years. He was 64.... John was retired as a v. p. of Kellwood, a clothing manufacturing company based in the Saint Louis area. There was a memorial service at 10 AM on Monday, March 1^st, for the immediate family. John’s ashes will be buried next to his mother and grandmother in Prentiss, Mississippi, sometime in mid-March.
  
  John was a graduate of Mississippi State, I believe in the field of industrial engineering, and had worked for Kellwood since graduation. He and Bonnie were married for 41 years. They first met each other in the second grade. During much of his career, John’s work required him to travel extensively to each of his company’s manufacturing sites, many of which were abroad. John and family lived in Macomb, MS, Asheville, NC, and finally, in Lake St. Louis, MO.
  
  John was noted for his congenial personality, as well as for his engineering and his business talents. He was a good father. He will be greatly missed by his wife Bonnie, his family, and his many friends.
  
  Lew¹
• Biography*: Bonnie wrote in a 25 Feb 1974 letter to her mother: John is enjoying his work. He stays pretty busy running the Engineering Department. He's in charge of Kellwood plants in Oklahoma, Arizona & Arkansas too....
        In a letter to her mother circa 1975-76, Bonnie added: He [John] comes across better than anyone - I never cease to be amazed at his ability to deal with other people and he has such a good personality.
        Bonnie wrote in an 11 Mar 1990 letter: John is fine. He still travels a lot but not as much as he used to. Usually he's only gone one or two days a week. Next week he's got to go to Hong Kong (Kellwood has plants there...) so will be gone a whole week.
        John is now a senior VP for Kellwood Manufacturing.

Melvin Royce Gordon

• Last Edited: 17 Dec 2017

• (Child) Birth*: 21 June 1924; Sparta, Hancock Co., Georgia; son of Melvin Monroe Gordon & Evie Touslon.
• (Deceased) Death*: 4 April 2004

David Monroe Gordon

• Father: Melvin Royce Gordon b. 21 Jun 1924, d. 4 Apr 2004

• Last Edited: 5 Oct 2016

• (Child) Birth*: 12 December 1954; Macon, Bibb Co., Georgia
• Death*: 28 August 2016; Northside Cherokee Hospital, Canton, Cherokee Co., Georgia¹
• Obituary*: say 29 August 2016; DAVID M. GORDON resume
  
  Florence, AL                               
  Career Summary
  
  A management professional with diverse experience in executive leadership roles. A specialist with well-developed abilities in leading teams, implementing visionary leadership, and networking with leaders to recruit and train other leaders. Resourceful and self-motivated with a strong work ethic.
  
  Professional Experience
  CONNEXTIONS, INC., Orlando, FL                July, 2010-August, 2011                         
  Licensed Life, Health, and Variable Annuity agent
  Doing retention work for Anthem Blue Cross and Empire Blue Cross in Florida and 14 other states with Medicare recipients.                              
  REFORMED THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, Orlando, FL     Jan. 2007 – Feb. 2010;
                                               Mar 1995 - Mar 2000
  Senior Vice President of Enrollment Management/Extensions
  Director of Admissions – Orlando Campus
  Responsible for leading the admissions departments of 6 campuses, through an accountable structure to keep admissions directors focused on recruiting prospective students for graduate theological training, implementing extensive training, maintaining a customer service-oriented support staff, and sustaining a winning culture and functional admissions offices.
  * Contributed to a steady/increasing enrollment on all campuses. Saw a 50% increase in new student enrollment at the Orlando campus in fall 2009. Designed, implemented, and oversaw systems for tracking prospective students.
  * Managed staff for 6 offices (25+ employees). Maintained positive relationship among prospective students, networks of pastors, campus ministry referrals, and staff.
  * Responsible for production of all marketing materials for recruiting, and collaborated on
  advertising and promotion via website.
  * Contributed to prospective student recruiting through extensive travel to college campuses, churches, and conferences.
  * Worked with CEO and campus presidents on overall retention efforts.
  * Spoke in churches and conferences as necessary for recruiting and networking purposes.
  * Coordinated Financial Aid for 6 campuses. Chair of the Orlando campus financial aid committee.
  
  NEW CITY CHURCH, Coral Springs, FL                    June 2005 – Jan. 2007
  This church was a new church started in 2005. It grew in attendance to around 600 people from 2005-2007 and later merged with Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Ft. Lauderdale, FL in March 2009.
  
  Executive Pastor/COO
  * Led board and staff meetings.
  * Responsible for oversight of operations for church ministries.
  * Collaborated with the financial committee of the church board to ensure efficient operating, forecasting, and maintaining the church budget.
  * Advisor to the Church Missions Committee.
  * Led mission trips to Jamaica.
  * Led small group bible studies.
  * Taught and preached as directed by the Senior Pastor.
  
  INTOWN CHURCH, Atlanta, GA                           Mar. 2000-June, 2005
  This was a church revitalization effort. Under my leadership the church grew from around 600 to 1100. Additionally our capital campaign raised $2.8 million for the construction of a 40,000 sq. ft. educational building in 2005.
  
  Executive Pastor/COO
  * Led board and staff meetings for a staff of 21 people.
  * Responsible for oversight of operations for church ministries.
  * Collaborated with the financial committee of the church board to ensure efficient operating, forecasting, and maintaining the church budget.
  * Advisor to the Church Missions Committee.
  * Led mission trips to England.
  * Led small group bible studies and outreach groups.
  * Served as chairman of the denominational campus ministry in Georgia.
  * Taught and preached as directed by the Senior Pastor.
  
  Other;       Treasurer, Presbytery of Central Florida                    1994 – 2000
        Managed back account, Budget reports, Payroll to Church Planters
  
  Education
  
  Bachelor of Science, Public Administration; Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 1977.
  
  Master of Divinity, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, MS, 1984.¹

Mary Ruth Lewis

• Father: Hester Marion Lewis b. 6 Aug 1893, d. Apr 1982
• Mother: Mary Erom Griffin b. 9 Jan 1902, d. 21 Apr 1966

• Charts: Cohron Descendants, Glenn Descendants, James GRIFFIN I Descendants, Robert Lee GRIFFIN of Clay Descendants, Halsell Descendants, Halsey Descendants, Stewart Descendants, Strickland Descendants, Wise Descendants

• Last Edited: 18 Jul 2018

• (Child) Birth*: 12 October 1930; Montgomery, Montgomery Co., Alabama
• Employment*: Curriculum Vitae:
  
  Dominant rationales of the past for improving social policies that address the needs of children and youth have fallen on hard times, at least in the U.S. The concept of family policy that propelled European countries into offering a wide array of benefits and services that support parents in their parenting roles was not taken up in the U.S. Here, income support policies now exist primarily through income tax credits and deductions related to children in the home for people who file income tax returns. The provision of social services has become quite decentralized to the state level. Common themes and promising innovations, as well as their rationales, for improving the well-being of children and youth and their families in this context need more visibility as well as sounding the alarm where services are disappearing entirely. In some countries that have ratified the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, there is a new perspective that promotes the involvement of youth directly in the political process, recognizing them as citizens of the state, not just subjects of the state or recipients of services. My personal research agenda includes searching for frameworks and perspectives for action that can recognize and empower youth as active participants in formulating social policy and community enhancements that would improve their possibilities for growth and development in their cultural settings and communities.
  Education:
  Ph.D. (social work and social research) Bryn Mawr College, 1973
  M.S.W. (social work), University of Denver, 1961
  M.A. (public administration), University of Alabama, 1952
  B.A. (history), Wesleyan College, 1951
  Areas of specialization:
  International perspectives on social policies and services for children
  Courses Taught (in last two years)
  SOCW 7349 - Social Policies and Services for Children and Families
  Research Interests:
  Legal rights of the child, cross-national perspectives on social policy frameworks that support parents in their parenting roles, policies and services for children with chronic illness and disability, school social work, service integration for educationally disadvantaged children, juvenile justice
  Selected Publications:
  Integrating Services for Children at Risk: Denmark, France, Netherlands, Sweden, United Kingdom (England and Wales). Paris: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 1996. Also available in French under title Intégrer les Services pour les Enfants à Risque.
  "Professional Social Work Education and Service Integration Roles," in Children and Families at Risk: New Issues in Integrating Services. Paris: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 1998. "The Many Faces of School Social Work: A Research Partnership", Social Work in Education, July, 1998 (20:3), pp. 177-190.
  
  Curriculum Vitae:
  
  VITAE
  Mary R. Lewis, Ph.D.
  EDUCATION
  Degree Institution Major Field Dates
  Ph.D. Bryn Mawr College Social Work and 1973
  Bryn Mawr, PA Social Research
  M.S.W. University of Denver Social Work 1961
  Visiting London School Public Administration 1952-53
  Fellow of Economics
  M.A. University of Alabama Public Administration 1952
  B.A. Wesleyan College History 1951
  Magna cum laude Macon, Georgia
  Harvard Summer School History Summer, 1958
  Union Theological Student YM-YW Summer, 1950
  Seminary Leadership
  Training School
  TEACHING EXPERIENCE
  Professor, Graduate School of Social Work, University of Houston, (M.S.W. and Ph.D. degree programs), Houston, Texas, 1980-present. Teaching areas: Social Policy and Research.
  Associate Professor, School of Social Work, University of Alabama, (B.S.W., M.S.W., Ph.D. programs), University, Alabama, 1976-1980. Teaching areas: Social Policy, Research, HBSE, Practice.
  Assistant Professor, School of Social Service, Catholic University of America, (B.S.W., M.S.W., D.S.W. programs), Washington, D. C., 1973-1976. Teaching area: Research
  Instructor, School of Social Welfare, Florida State University, (B.S.W., M.S.W.), Tallahassee, Florida, 1965-1969. Teaching areas: Field Instruction (in a state mental hospital), Social Policy, Human Behavior and Social Environment.
  
  TEACHING EXPERIENCE (cont.)
  1
  Instructor, Colorado Woman's College, Denver, Colorado, 1957-1959. Teaching areas: American and European History, Western Civilization.
  Teaching Associate (Part-time), University of Colorado, Political Science Department, Boulder, Colorado, 1962-1963. Teaching area: American Government.
  PUBLICATIONS
  Book:
  Integrating Services for Children at Risk: Denmark, France, Netherlands, Sweden, United Kingdom (England and Wales). Paris: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 1996. Also available in French under title Intégrer les Services pour les Enfants à Risque.
  Monographs:
  Social Work in Community - Feel the Power, Proceedings of The Third Annual Social Work Futures Conference, published by the University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work, 1989.
  Children in Need of Supervision (CHINS): A New Concept in Alabama Law, published by the Juvenile Justice Judicial Project, School of Social Work, University of Alabama, September, 1977.
  Alabama's Juvenile Status Offenders: A Pilot Study, published by School of Social Work, University of Alabama, August, 1980.
  Articles and Book Chapters:
  "Day Care Under the Social Security Act," Social Service Review, September, 1974 (48:3), pp. 428-437.
  "The Relationship Between Income Level and Adequacy of Americans'
  Diets," Social Thought, Spring, 1975 (1:1), pp. 25-42.
  "Social Policy Research: A Guide to Legal and Government Documents",
  Social Service Review, December, 1976, (50)4), pp. 647-654. Reprinted in Tropman, John, et al., Eds., News Strategic Perspective in Social Policy. New York: Pergamon Press, 1981, pp. 577-584.
  "Sowing the Seeds of Trouble: An Historical Analysis of Compliance Structure in Child Welfare," with Terry Gibson, Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, September, 1980, (7:5), pp. 679-707.
  "Factors Influencing Court Decisions About Juvenile Status Offenders," with Howard Hess, State Court Journal, Spring, 1981, (5:2), pp. 27-35, p. 44.
  "Juvenile Court Discretion with Status Offenders: An Analysis of Factors of Influence in Alabama," with Michael Parker, Law and Psychology Review, Vol. 10, Fall, 1985.
  2
  "Woerishoffer, Emma Carola," in Trattner, Walter I., (Ed.), Biographical Dictionary of Social Welfare in America. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1986, pp. 787-789.
  "Changing Attitudes Towards Parents of the Chronically Mentally Ill," with Norma Claire Frey, Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal, April, 1988 (11:4), pp. 21-31.
  "Social Work and the Long-term Mentally Ill," in Buffum, William, (Ed.),
  Social Work Leadership in the Decade Ahead, Proceedings of the Second Annual Social Work Futures Conference, Houston, Texas, University of Houston, Graduate School of Social Work, 1988.
  "The Legal Rights of Children in the U.S.A.", Social Thought, 1991, (17:3), pp. 48-60.
  "Social Security Policies for Disabled Children and Their Parents", Social Security: 50 Years after Beveridge - Legal and Administrative Issues - Gaps in the System, Vol. 3 of Proceedings of Conference to Commemorate 50th Anniversary of the Beveridge Report, pp. 109-130. London: Benefits Agency Printing Service, 1992.
  "European Policy Responses to School Truancy and Drop Out". In Robert Page and John Baldock, (Eds.), Social Policy Review 5, 1993, pp. 305-326. Canterbury, Kent, U.K.: University of Kent and the Social Policy Association.
  "Linking Schools with Family and Community Centered Services", in Nelson, Kristine and Adams, Paul, eds. Reinventing Human Services. Hawthorne, N.Y.: Aldine de Gruyter, 1995.
  "Meaning Ascribed to School Experiences by Children in Emergency Shelter Care, with Pamela Boveland and Lane Coco. In Pfeffer, G. & Behera, D.K., eds. Contemporary Society: Childhood and Complex Order. New Delhi: Concept Publishers, 1996, pp.384-404.
  “South Australia: A Leader in Building Effective Structures for Services Integration” with L. M-P Roussel. In OECD, Services that Work for Our Children and Families at Risk: A World Overview. Paris: Organizations for Economic Cooperation and Development, 1997.
  “California, USA: Moving towards Integration in America’s “Honeypot’ State” with L.M-P Roussel. In OECD, Services that Work for our Children and Families at Risk: A World Overview. Paris: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 1997.
  “Alberta, Canada: Radical Change towards Services Integration” with L. M-P Roussel. In OECD, Services that Work for our Children and Families at Risk: A World Overview, 1997.
  “Portugal: Integrating Services in the Context of Socio-Economic Change” with Peter Evans et al. In OECD, Services that Work for our Children and Families at Risk: A World Overview. Paris: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 1997.
  “Finland: A ‘Safety Net’ Approach to Integrated Services Provision” with Phillippa Hurrell et al. In OECD, Services that Work for our Children and Families at Risk: A World Overview. Paris: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 1997.
  3
  “Germany: The Human Service Underpinnings of Europe’s Economic Giant” with Karin Haubrich et al. In OECD, Services that Work for our Children and Families at Risk: A World Overview. Paris: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 1997.
  “Professional Social Work Education and Service Integration Roles,” in Children and Families at Risk: New Issues in Integrating Services.Paris: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 1998.
  “The Many Faces of School Social Work: A Research Partnership”, Social Work in Education, July, 1998 (20:3), pp. 177-190.
  Ph.D. Dissertation:
  "Day Care: Catalyst for Changing a Child Welfare Agency." Ann Arbor, Michigan: Xerox University Microfilms, Order No. 74-16, 465. Cited in Dissertation Abstracts International, Vol. 35, No. 2, August, 1974, pp. 1259A-1260A.
  OTHER RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
  Obermann Fellow, Center for Advanced Studies, University of Iowa, July, 1993.
  Academic Visitor, Department of Social Science and Administration, London School of Economics and Political Science, 1991-1992. Research focus: social security policies for disabled children and services integration for children at risk of school failure, truancy or dropping out.
  Research Consultant, Family Law Center, University of Alabama Law School, 1980.
  Project Director. "Decision-Making by the Juvenile Court and the Department of Pensions and Security about Juvenile Status Offenders in Two Alabama Counties," funded by the University of Alabama Faculty Research Grants Committee, 1979.
  Project Director, "Alabama's Juvenile Status Offenders," Public Research and Technology Research Project funded by the National Science Foundation and the University of Alabama to develop methodology for studying implementation of Alabama's new juvenile code, January 1, 1978 to January 1, 1979.
  Research Consultant, Juvenile Justice Judicial Project to recommend implementation procedures for juvenile section of Alabama's new judicial code, 1976-1977.
  Research Consultant, Child Care Service of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, 1971-1973.
  Research Assistant, Welfare and Health Council of New York City, 1955-1956.
  Research Assistant, Public Administration Clearinghouse, New York City, 1954.
  CONSULTATIONS, INSTITUTES, PAPERS,
  OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
  4
  Invited address, “Five Questions for Juvenile Defense Attorneys”, to Southwest Regional Juvenile Defender Center’s Conference, University of Houston Law Center, June 15 2002.
  Attended Chautauqua (N.Y.) Institution’s week of programs on theme, “Paths of Transformation”, July 27-Aug. 3, 2002.
  Attended Chautauqua (N.Y.) Institution’s week of programs on theme, “Identity, Alienation, and the Human Psyche”, August 7-12, 2000.
  Attended a conference sponsored by the Houston/Galveston Institute on the theme, “Social Construction and Human Transformation”, September 21-24, 2000, in Galveston TX
  Attended UH Fall Technology (one day) Conference, “Learning and Teaching in the Digital Age: New Approaches to Instruction with Emerging Technologies,” November 10, 2000.
  Co-presented workshop on “School Experiences: Potential Support for Children Experiencing Home and Community Violence, “ at DePelchin Children’s Center, Houston TX, March 26, 1999.
  Presented paper about “Developing Awareness of Homosexuality” at Texas NASW Conference in Houston TX, Adams Mark Hotel, Nov. 6, 1999.
  .
  Invited opening address on “Costs and Impact on Families of Caring for a Person with Alzheimer’s Disease: International Perspectives” at a symposium on Alzheimer’s Disease sponsored by the Rich Foundation in Madrid, Spain, October 15, 1998.
  Co-presented a workshop on “The Many Faces of School Social Work in Houston” at the Texas NASW Conference in Austin, TX, Nov.12-14, 1998.
  Co-Chairwoman, 12th Annual Social Work Futures Conference, University of Houston, May 12-13, 1997.
  Presented a paper at a workshop on “Lessons from International Studies of Wraparound Services for Children” at the 74th Annual Meeting of the American Orthopsychiatric Association, March 13, 1997, in Toronto, Canada.
  Consultant, Center for Educational Research and Innovation, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris, France, concerning services integration for children at risk of school failure, truancy, and dropping out of school, 1992-1996.
  Director, Collaboration Project between University of Houston Colleges of Education and Social Work funded by the DeWitt-Wallace Reader's Digest Fund, 1993-1996.
  Presented a paper on “The Role of the Social Worker in Service Integration” at an invitational dissemination conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, sponsored by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (Paris, France), October 20-25, 1996.
  Co-led a workshop on “Collaboration between Schools of Social Work and Schools of Education” at the 1996 Annual Meeting of the Profession (NASW) in Cleveland, on Wednesday, November 13, 1996.
  5
  Presented paper entitled “Combating Educational Disadvantage through Service Integration in Four European Countries” at the International Social Welfare in a Changing World Conference at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on July 30, 1995.
  Presented paper entitled "Community-Based, School-Linked Services for Educationally Disadvantaged Children and Their Families" at the Annual Program Meeting of the Council on Social Work Education, Atlanta, Georgia, March, 1994.
  Presented paper on "Meanings that Children in Shelter Care Ascribe to School Experiences", XIIIth World Congress of Sociology, University of Bielefeld, Germany, July 19, 1994.
  Presented paper on "Social Security Policies for Disabled Children and Their Parents," Beveridge Conference, University of York, September 28, 1992.
  Represented Social Administration Department, London School of Economics and Political Science, at Fourth European School of Historical and Comparative Sociological Research on Social Policy at the Post-doctoral Institute of the University of Amsterdam School for Social Research, June 1-3, 1992.
  Invited participant, International Research Planning Conference on "Childhood as a Social Phenomenon," sponsored by European Centre for Social Welfare Research, Billund, Denmark, September 24-27, 1992.
  Member, University of Texas Health Science Center Standing Committee on Injury
  Prevention, 1987-1991.
  Vice-Chairperson, Adult Advisory Council, Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority of Harris County, 1987-1988. Member, 1984-1988.
  Invited Participant, Conference on Case Management in Infant Stimulation Programs, at University of North Carolina's Institute on the Preparation of Infant Personnel, Durham, North Carolina, July 24-26, 1989.
  Master class teacher on "Implementing PL 99-457: Working With Families of Infants and Toddlers With Handicaps," at the 1989 Annual Conference of the NASW, San Francisco, October 12, 1989.
  Presented paper on "Legal Rights of Children in the U.S.A.," at the Congress of the International Association of Schools of Social Work, July 21, 1988, Vienna, Austria.
  Presented paper on "Role of Clients in Social Work Classroom Education," at the Congress of the International Association of Schools of Social Work, August 29, 1986, Tokyo, Japan.
  Chaired Education for Practice Workshop on "Community Intervention Model of Reciprocal Socialization Opportunities Between Retarded and Non-Retarded Populations," at the Council on Social Work Annual Program Meeting, Washington, D. C., February 19, 1985.
  Presented paper on "The Supreme Court's Philosophy of the Family" before the Social Welfare History Group, AHA, at the Council on Social Work Annual Program Meeting, Detroit, Michigan, March, 1984.
  6
  Invitational study tour of Sweden focused on preventive health and social services and local government responsibilities for them, sponsored by the Swedish Foreign Ministry and the University of Houston, May 9-June 30, 1982, and supplemented by the University of Houston Limited-Grant-in-Aid Program and Provost's International Travel Fund.
  Presented paper on "Roles of Elected Local Government Officials in Planning and Implementing Health and Social Services in Sweden and the U. S.," at the Congress of the International Association of Schools of Social Work, University of Sussex, Brighton, England, August 24, 1982.
  Coordinator, Task Force on Human Welfare and Poverty Issues to Advise Jimmy Carter, 1976.
  Two-month study tour of Pakistan, July-August, 1974, sponsored by the Institute for Indic-Islamic Studies and the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
  FOREIGN LANGUAGE
  Reading knowledge of French.
  SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE
  Director, Children's Health Access and Management Program (C.H.A.M.P.), a case management project for children with complex health care needs funded ($155,000 per year) by the Texas Department of Health, 1988-1992.
  Psychotherapist (Part-time), Samaritan Counseling Center of the Bay Area, Houston, Texas, 1988-1990.
  Field Instructor and Clinical Social Worker, Florida State Hospital, Chattahoochee, Florida, 1965-1967.
  Senior Psychiatric Social Worker, Children's Service, Langley Porter Neuropsychiatric Institute, University of California Medical Center, San Francisco, California, 1963-1965.
  Psychiatric Social Worker, Mental Health Center of Boulder, Colorado, 1961-1963.
  Part-time Caseworker, National Jewish Home for Asthmatic Children, Denver, Colorado, 1960-1961.
  Social Worker, Home Service Division, Denver Chapter, American Red Cross, Summer, 1960.
  Social Worker, Florence Crittendon Home, Denver, Colorado, Summer, 1959.
  Executive Director, Student YMCA-YWCA, University of Denver, 1956-1957.
  PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND CERTIFICATION
  7 8
  Licensed Master Social Worker-Advanced Clinical Practitioner (L.M.S.W.-A.C.P.),
  Texas #002576. Also, A.C.S.W.
  Present Memberships:
  Council on Social Work Education
  National Association of Social Workers
  Phi Beta Delta, honor society for international scholars
  ALUMNAE HONOR
  Awarded a Distinguished Achievement Alumnae Award from Wesleyan College in 1976.
  

  Mary Lewis, Ph. D.
• Biography*: between 1991 and 1993; Mary was a member of the faculty at the University of Houston. During the 1991-92 academic year she took sabbatical leave and was affiliated as an Academic Visitor with the London School of Economics. In a 12 Dec 1992 letter Mary wrote about her stay in Europe: I rented a charming Victorian cottage in Wimbledon Village which must be one of the most delightful places to live in London. My research focused upon two areas, 1) social security policies for disabled children and their families, and 2) services integration or school community relations targeting children-at-risk of school failure, truancy, or dropping out of school. Both were examined from a cross-national perspective. Doing the research on these topics took me on short study visits, also, to France, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden, financed partly by the Center for Educational Research and Innovation of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development for whom I wrote a consultative paper on the second topic.
        Mary wrote in an 11 Dec 1994 letter: Holiday Greetings from Hawaii!
        I have been traveling a lot both during holiday periods and during the academic year since I spent the 1991-92 academic year in England on sabbatical. I became involved in consulting for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's Center for Educational Research and Innovation during that sabbatical year and have continued to do so. I am a member of an international team that goes to various countries for short study visits to see good examples of service integration for educationally disadvantaged children and youth. In 1993 we went to Finland, Portugal and Germany. This year we made study visits in the U.S. and Canada. In March we are expecting to go to Australia. I write reports about these study visits and also other commissioned reports. I am still a full-time Professor at the University of Houston's Graduate School of Social Work. This has been a year for me to redecorate my house because I experienced some water damage in February. I have new carpet and paint throughout the house and changes in my kitchen. Please come to visit me.
        As you know, I have not sent Christmas greetings with the same regularity as before. I do not want to lose touch with you, always enjoy hearing your news and hope that I will be able to see you soon.
        During this holiday period, I am relaxing in Hawaii beginning with a week in Honolulu with my retired friends, Frances and Ralph Eyster. They live here part of the year and in Washington, D.C., the rest of the year. Next week, my friend, Christa Sykes from Galveston, will join me and we will take the Hawaiian-American Christmas cruise around the islands. It goes to Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui. After a final few days in Maui, I will fly to California and spend a week visiting my cousins, John and Carroll Lewis, who have a home right on the beach at Aptos.
        Last summer, I had a marvelous vacation during the month of July in Europe. I spent 10 days in Finland, the first few in Helsinki, the rest in Central Finland, deep in a forest lay a gorgeous lake at the retreat of my friends, the Nikkis from Jyvaskyla, Finland. Then I spent a week's vacation with my English friends, Grace Jackson and Phyllis Angel, in St. Davids, Pembrokeshire, way out on the western tip of Wales where there is a wild and rugged coastline. Then I flew to Germany to attend a conference in Bielefeld to present a paper, rented a car and drove to Paris, stopping in the area where Germany, Belgium, and Holland meet to visit friends. There is much of great interest in that area where I had never been before. The month ended with a few days of work at OECD in Paris.
• Photographed*: October 2011; Houston, Harris Co., Texas¹
  
• Biography: 2012; From: Januari Leo
  Sent: Monday, February 13, 2012 2:45 PM
  To: Lewis, Mary R
  Subject: Fw: NASW Houston Lifetime Achievement Award
  Hi Dr. Lewis-
  I just wanted to make sure you received this, and see if you will be able to attend the breakfast on March 2. Thanks!
  
  Januari M. Leo, MSW
  ----- Forwarded Message -----
  From: Januari Leo
  To: "mrlewis3@uh.edu"
  
  Sent: Thursday, February 9, 2012 9:38 AM
  Subject: NASW Houston Lifetime Achievement Award
  
  Dear Dr. Lewis-
  It is with great pleasure that I inform you that you have been nominated and selected as the National Association of Social Workers Houston branch Lifetime Achievement Award winner. This award is conferred upon an NASW member who:
  Advocates for clients
  Makes a demonstrable contribution in social policy, social work practice, program development, administration and research
  Demonstrates outstanding leadership
  Contributes to a positive image for the social work profession
  Takes risks to achieve outstanding results
  Demonstrates repeated outstanding achievements
  Has recognition beyond the social work profession
  Has made contributions of lasting impact
  Has outstanding creativity
  You will now be submitted to the state level competition, where you will compete against social workers from all around the state who have won at the branch level. The state winner will receive their award at NASW Texas' annual statewide conference, which will be held here in Houston on September 7-9. I wish you the best of luck!
  
  
  The local awards will be presented at Houston's annual Social Work Awards Breakfast, which will be held on Friday, March 2 from 8AM-12PM at the University of Houston Rockwell Pavilion. Please let me know if you will be able to attend to accept your award, as our guest. RSVP to me no later than Tuesday, February 14th.
  
  
  Thank you for your service and dedication, and once again, CONGRATULATIONS!
  
  Januari M. Leo, MSW
  NASW Houston Branch Chair
• Death*: 28 March 2015; Houston, Harris Co., Texas
• Obituary*: say 30 March 2015; Mary Ruth Lewis, beloved sister, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully on March 28, 2015. She was preceded in death by her mother, Mary Erom Griffin Lewis, and her father, Hester Marion Lewis. She is survived by her sister, Marian Lewis Gordon, her niece Mary Elizabeth Gordon Marchman (Wes), her nephew David Monroe Gordon, and many cousins and friends. Mary never had children of her own, but she has a large extended family and had a long, fulfilling career. Her life’s goal was to impact as many people as possible in the social work profession in a way that would benefit children and youth.
  Mary was born on October 12, 1930, in Montgomery, Alabama, and grew up in Alabama and Georgia. Mary received her bachelor’s degree in history from Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Alabama. Then she studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science for a year as a Rotary International Foundation Fellow. She obtained her master’s degree in social work from the University of Denver and a doctoral degree in social work and social research from Bryn Mawr College.
  Mary had a long, distinguished career as an educator. She was an instructor at the University of Colorado, Colorado Women’s College, and Florida State University and a professor at Catholic University of America, the University of Alabama, and the University of Houston, primarily teaching social policy and social research at the post-graduate level. Mary also published numerous books, monographs, and articles in the field of social work. She received the National Association of Social Workers Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the Alabama Social Work Hall of Fame. Before becoming a social work educator, Mary practiced psychiatric social work in the Boulder, Colorado Mental Health Clinic and the Langley-Porter Neuropsychiatric Institute at the University of California, San Francisco.
  Mary endowed the Mary R. Lewis Professorship Endowment in Children and Youth in the Graduate College of Social Work at the University of Houston, where she taught for 28 years. She also left generous bequests to the MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Houston Symphony Society, and for an endowed fund for The Christ Church Cathedral Choir, where Mary sang for many years.
  Interment will be at Riverside Cemetery in Macon, Georgia, with a graveside service at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday April 18. A memorial service to honor and celebrate Mary’s life will be held at Christ Church Cathedral in Houston, Texas, at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 16.