Harvel Dea Griffin, who established
residence in the Keller Community in 1895, was a descendent of a family who
came from Ireland to the Old
North Colony, now North Carolina,
at an early date in the American Colonial history. Migration took the family from North Carolina to South Georgia and later to North
Georgia, where Harvel Dea, the seventh child was born in Taliferro County,
August 27, 1846. His parents were
Matthew Griffin, born 1800 and died 1881, and Harriett Carroll of Scotch
descent, who was Dean of Girls at the State
School for the Deaf in Cave Springs, Georgia at the time of her death.
The Griffins and allied families
served their country in various wars. A
maternal great grandfather Carroll was the last veteran of the American
Revolution buried in Georgia. He was given military honors and was buried
with the brace of pistols worn during the war.
An uncle, Richard Griffin, fought in the Texas Revolution. For this service he was given a grant of land
which he never claimed and which now includes the city of
Austin, Texas. A sister-in-law, Elizabeth Lloyd, was a spy
for the confederacy. When the nearness
of the Union soldiers was a threat to her safety, she escaped under cover of
night, going on horseback with her father, Albert Lloyd, from Tennessee
to Georgia.
Another story handed down to
present day descendents concerns Frances (Fannie) Lloyd, who became the
mother-in-law of Harvel Dea Griffin. Her
home was being ransacked by Union soldiers.
Realizing the importance of saving her family’s meager supply of food,
she armed herself with a butcher knife, stood with her back to the pantry door
and told the heavily armed officer that she had a half bushel of meal and would
defend it with her life. His answer was
a broad smile as he walked away.
Harvel Dea Griffin and his brothers
Tom and Joe served in the Confederate Army, the later being killed in the
battle of Chickamauga.
Harvel Dea was married to Martha
Jane Lloyd, October 22, 1872, at Cedartown, Polk County, Georgia. She was born April 16, 1850 in Sequatchie Valley,
Bledsoe County, Tennessee, the daughter of Albert and
Francis S. Wofford Lloyd. Ten children
were born to this marriage, nine of them in Georgia
and one in Tarrant County, Texas.
They are
1)
Hattie, born March 9, 1874, died 1939, married Will E.
Musser.
2)
Mattie, born February 28, 1876, died 1906, married John
McMahon.
3)
Charlie, born March 20, 1878, died 1937, married Myrtle
Harrell.
4)
Albert, born August 22, 1880, died 1918.
5)
Margaret, born August 29, 1882, married Claud C. Merrett.
6)
Joe, born April 15, 1885, married Tennie Green, Haney
Johnson and Jo _____.
7)
Jennie Estella, born 1887, died 1889.
8)
Tom, born February 13, 1890, died 1964, married Estelle
Robinson.
9)
Lloyd, born August 27, 1893, married Sheba _____.
10) Angie,
born July 8, 1899, married Bryan Lotspeich.
In the early 1890’s, a
brother–in-law, J.C. Allen, came from Cedartown,
Georgia to
Fort Worth to explore business possibilities before
bringing his wife, Martha Griffin. At
this time, Fort Worth
had a population less than ______.
Street cars were drawn by both mules and horses. There was a swinging bridge across the Trinity River just west of present day Paddock Viaduct
and a small packing plant in a rock building on the north side of the river
with a nearby boarding house for the employees.
The Allen grocery at the southeast
corner of the intersection of Main
Street and Weatherford became a profitable
business. Letters bearing this news
convinced relatives in the home state that Texas was a land of opportunity. With moving in mind,
Harvel Dea Griffin came to Fort Worth, took a closer look at the money making
possibilities and decided that he too would come to Texas.
The final plan was that he should
return to Georgia,
charter a coach on the Cotton Belt Railway and get the two families ready for
the trip. By the time he reached Georgia, his enthusiasm for Texas had waned. He decided not to make the move, but went on
with travel plans for his sister, Martha, only to learn that because of his
decision, she too had made up her mind to stay in Georgia. This opened the way for more discussion,
ending with a return to the original plan, plus an increased passenger list to
include a brother, Tom, his wife Sallie and their five children and a
neighboring family, the Sam Greens.
Despite the fact that this private
car was lighted by oil, heated by coal and boasted no diner or Pullman, it was
a luxury liner compared to wagon trains that brought earlier settlers to
Texas. Generous quantities of food were
packed in boxes and baskets and a featherbed was put aboard for the comfort of
the small children.
The train arrived in Fort Worth March 16,
1895. The Harvel Dea Griffins rented a
house at 1,000 East Belknap, the former home of attorney, Bob McCart, who had
moved his family to the new, fashionable addition, Arlington
Heights. Five months later,
the Griffins bought fifty acres of land at $18.00 per acre, from Mrs. John
Merrell, the farm now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Jess Berry, about a mile west of Keller. This location continued to be the family home
until after the death of the mother.
In addition to being a farmer, the
father was also a carpenter. The doors,
steps and much of the interior finish of the old Church of Christ
were products of his skill.
The Griffins were members of the Church of Christ.
She passed away August 22, 1906 and he February 24, 1924. Both are buried in Bourland Cemetery.
Interview: Margaret (Maggie) Griffin, (Mrs. Claud C. Merrett)
