My Genealogy Hound

Elisha D. Griffith was born in Wabash County, Ill., in March, 1847, and is the son of S. N. and Phoebe (Higgins) Griffith. [See sketch.] Elisha D. grew to manhood in his native State, assisted on the farm and attended the district school up to the time of the breaking out of the late war. He was not old enough to enlist at that time, but in March, 1864, he enlisted in the Sixty-fourth Regiment Volunteer Infantry, Company K, under Capt. Case, and was at Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Ga., Savannah, Ga., and at Smithfield, N. C., and was in a number of minor engagements and skirmishes. He was in the second leading battle fought at Atlanta, and was but slightly wounded, and that at Kenesaw Mountain, from a piece from a bomb-shell. He was discharged in August, 1865, at Chicago, and mustered out of service at Louisville, Ky. At the time of his discharge he belonged to the Seventeenth Army Corps. After his discharge, in October he and his parents came West and located in Greene Township, where he remained with his parents about one year, or until he was married, when he improved some land in the same section, and on this he now lives. He has owned three different farms in this section. In 1867 he married Miss Nancy Gray, who was born in Greene Township, Lawrence Co., Mo., August 21, 1847, and is the daughter of David S. and Mary (Bird) Gray, natives of Illinois and Tennessee, respectively. The father was an early settler of Greene Township, and died in 1861. The mother is still living, and makes her home with her children. To Mr. and Mrs. Griffith were born three children: Mary Ida, David O. and Ora Ellen. Mr. Griffith is a Democrat in politics, is a member of the Farmers’ Alliance, and he and wife are worthy members of the Christian Church.