Childhood 1908-1913

I was born in my parents house located at 2063 Monroe Avenue, Ogden, Utah, on October 25, 1908 and was blessed as John Smith Griffin. My Mother was Maud Marianna Smith, the oldest daughter of John Pearson Smith and Eliza Ann Stratford. She was born at Ogden, Utah on July 27, 1879. My father was Benjamin James Griffin, the fourth child and third son of John Griffin and Ruth Keep. He was born at Newton, Utah on April 28, 1881. (My father and mother) were married on March 21, 1906. I am the first son and second child born to my parents. My older sister Ruth was born at Ogden, Utah on February 2, 1907. My next brother, Smith Benjamin was born at Ogden, Utah on February 22, 1910, my next brother, Cordon Smith was born on November 4, 1914, and my brother Donald Smith and sister Elsie Mae (twins) were born at Ogden, Utah on March 28, 1916.


YEAR (FILE ) PICTURE AND SUBJECT
---- ------- ----------------------------------------------------
1908 (1346) Picture - John Griffin's Birthplace
1915 (1336) Portrait - Benjamin James Griffin
1908 (1335) Portrait - Maude Smith Griffin
1908 (4681) Portrait - John Griffin Baby Picture
1908 (9094) Document - John Griffin Birth Certificate
1908 (9103) Document - John Griffin Birth Certificate
1908 (4666) Group    - John and Ruth Griffin and others
1909 (4809) Portrait - John Griffin

We moved from our home at 2063 Monroe Avenue to the home which my parents now occupy at 2342 Madison Avenue, in June 1914. Although I was only five years old at the time we moved, I can recall several events which occured at the Monroe Address. My father is a merchant engaged in the paint, glass, and wallpaper business at Ogden and has been so engaged as long as I can recall. In connection with this business he operated 2 or 3 delivery wagons, and we had a barn in our back yard which housed the horses used for this purpose as well as a cow which supplied the family with milk. On one occasion someone neglected to fasten the gate on the corral and the cow got out. Right behind the barn on another street a family named Hadley lived. They had four or five boys and on this occasion two of the boys rounded up the cow and put her back in the corral. Dad gave each of them a quarter for their efforts. Thereafter, whenever the Hadley boys needed a little spending money the cow would get out and they would round her up.

I recall playing in the sand box back of the house with my sister Ruth and the many arguments and fights we had with the neighbor children. One little girl whose name was Verna Reeve was especially troublesome and one day in the course of an argument I hit her on the head with a toy hammer which I had. She is now Mrs. Sermon Smith of Salt Lake City and she and her husband are good friends of ours. She never misses an occasion to remind me of my misdeed when we were children.

One of my earliest recollections is of a fire which occurred at the State School for the deaf and blind located about a block from our old home on Monroe. I recall seeing the fire wagons go past our place and following them and the crowds of people over to the fire. I also recall how terribly upset my mother was when she finally found me among the crowds over at the school. I was marched back home and made to sit out on the front porch where I watched the fire wagons come back from the school.

page 1

Next Page  Table of Contents