Nathan Griggs, the great-grandfather of David A. Griggs, married Elizabeth Sharpe and resided in Pomfret. John Griggs, son of Nathan, married Ruth Ashley and resided in Coventry and Hampton, Connecticut. His son Daniel was born in Coventry, March 24th, 1 7 79. He married Elizabeth Hewitt, daughter of Robert and Abigail Hewitt of Hampton. Robert Hewitt was a patriot of the revolutionary war. Daniel Griggs resided in Hampton, Brooklyn, Pomfret and Chaplin, where he died June 26th, 1862. He was a farmer and large owner of real estate. He had a family of eleven children, viz.: Elizabeth H., married Ephraim W. Day; Sophia S., married David G. Corey; Daniel A., David A., Nathan, George M., Lucy P., Appleton M., John W., Edward G. and C. Edwin; of whom four sons and two daughters survive and reside-in Chaplin.
David A. Griggs was born June 23d, 1811, in Hampton, and during his minority lived in Hampton, Brooklyn and Pomfret (Abington Society). At the age of seventeen he united with the Congregational church in the latter place. At the age of twenty he became a resident of Chaplin, and soon after removed his church relation to the Congregational church in that town. From that time lie taught school in winter and labored on his father’s farm in summer until the year 1837, when he purchased a saw mill, grist mill and shingle mill which he still holds. The farm which is his present home he acquired in 1842, the residence having been erected in 1844. In politics Mr. Griggs was a whig, and has been a republican since the organization of that party. In 1841 he was chosen a justice of peace, which office he held until 1881, when age set a limit to his office. He was elected a representative to the Connecticut legislature in 1854. He has been frequently chosen to the position of selectman of the town; was especially earnest in his support of the government during the late war, and zealous in his efforts to furnish the quota of his town in that eventful crisis.
Mr. Griggs was married March 1st, 1837, to Damaris C., daughter of Chester Storrs, of Chaplin. Their children are Clark Hewitt, Catharine Ferdon and two that died in infancy. Mrs. Griggs died in 1854 and in 1855 he married Sarah L., daughter of Phares Barrows, of Mansfield, who had one child that died in infancy. His son Clark Hewitt was born January 27th, 1839, and graduated from Amherst College in 1863. He entered the service during the late war as hospital steward, and after undergoing a varied experience was discharged on account of illness, when he engaged in teaching. He afterward entered the patent office in Washington as clerk, and by his ability won rapid promotion. At the date-of his death, November 11th, 1872, he filled the responsible position of principal examiner in that bureau. He married Mrs. S. S. Morris, a widow with two children, Emma and Ballard, and had three daughters, Kate P., Dora and Elise. Kate is the wife of William Robertson, of Washington, D. C.; Dora married Ernest I. Atwood, of Springfield, Mass., and Elise died in childhood. Catharine Ferdon married Edgar S. Lincoln, of Chaplin, and has two daughters, Lucy G. and Mabel S.