Michael Griffin (politician)

Michael Griffin (September 9, 1842  December 29, 1899) was an Irish American immigrant, lawyer, and politician. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin, and served in the Wisconsin Legislature. As a young man, he served as a Union Army officer in the American Civil War.

Michael Griffin
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Wisconsin's 7th district
In office
November 5, 1894  March 3, 1899
Preceded byGeorge B. Shaw
Succeeded byJohn J. Esch
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 30th district
In office
January 1, 1880  January 1, 1882
Preceded byAbraham D. Andrews
Succeeded byRockwell J. Flint
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the Columbia 1st district
In office
January 1, 1876  January 1, 1877
Preceded byMarcus Barden
Succeeded byDavid Owen
Personal details
Born(1842-09-09)September 9, 1842
County Clare, Ireland, U.K.
DiedDecember 29, 1899(1899-12-29) (aged 57)
Eau Claire, Wisconsin, U.S.
Cause of deathStroke
Resting placeForest Hill Cemetery
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)
  • Emma Irene Daniels
  • (m. 1871)
MotherHannah Griffin
FatherJohn Griffin
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Union Army
Years of service1861–1865
Rank 1st Lieutenant
Unit12th Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

Early life

Born in County Clare on the island of Ireland (the entirety of which was then part of the U.K.),[1] Griffin immigrated with his parents, John and Hannah Griffin,[2] to the British Canadian colonies in 1847, and then to Ohio in 1851.[1] He moved to Wisconsin in 1856[1] and settled in Newport, Sauk County. He attended the common schools of Ohio and Wisconsin.

On September 11, 1861, he enlisted as a private in the Union Army for service in the American Civil War. He was enrolled in Company E, 12th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment, and served until the close of the war, attaining the rank of first lieutenant.[1]

He moved to Kilbourn City, Wisconsin, after the war, in 1865. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1868,[1] commencing practice in Kilbourn City. He married Emma Irene Daniels on September 6, 1871.[1][2] He was cashier of the Bank of Kilbourn from 1871 until 1876.

Political career

portrait from Proceedings of the State Bar Association of Wisconsin, Volume 3

He served as member of the County Board of Columbia County, Wisconsin, in 1874 and 1875. He served as member of the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1876. He moved to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, in 1876, and was City attorney of Eau Claire in 1878 and 1879. He served in the Wisconsin State Senate in 1880 and 1881.[1]

He was the Department commander of the Grand Army of the Republic in 1887 and 1888. In 1894, he was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-third Congress to fill the vacancy in Wisconsin's 7th congressional district caused by the death of George B. Shaw.[1] He was reelected to the following two congresses as well, serving from November 5, 1894, to March 3, 1899. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1898.

He was appointed chairman of the State tax commission by Governor Edward Scofield on May 28, 1899.

Later life

He died of a stroke in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, on December 29, 1899.[1] He was interred in Eau Claire's Forest Hill Cemetery.

Sources

  1. "Death of Gen. Griffin". Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. December 30, 1899. p. 3. Retrieved September 20, 2015 via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Wisconsin, Marriages, 1836-1930," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRL3-3Z7 : accessed September 20, 2015), Michael Griffin and Emma I. Daniels, September 6, 1871; citing reference 02131; FHL microfilm 1,275,882.
Wisconsin State Senate
Preceded by
Abraham D. Andrews
Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 30th district
1880  1882
Succeeded by
Rockwell J. Flint
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
George B. Shaw
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Wisconsin's 7th congressional district

November 5, 1894  March 3, 1899
Succeeded by
John J. Esch


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.