Horace Decatur Griffin (1878 - 1968)

Born 20 May 1878 in Ferry Village, South Portland, Cumberland, Maine, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Bridget Agnes (Mulkern) Griffin — married 14 Jul 1909 in Portland, Cumberland, Maine, United States

Descendants

Died 29 Jan 1968 at age 89 in Portland, Cumberland, Maine, United States

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Biography

Horace Decatur^[1] Griffin was born on May 20, 1878^[2][3][4] in Ferry Village, South Portland, Maine. He was the second and youngest child of Frank L. Griffin and Ada C. Bailey.

In 1880, the Griffins lived in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Also living in the household were Horace's maternal aunt, Annie Bailey Millett, and her daughters Ada and Carrie. Horace's maternal grandparents George R. Bailey and Rhoda Bennett Johnson lived next door.^[5]

In 1900, Horace was a 22-year-old sailor. He was a boarder in his paternal uncle William Griffin's household in South Portland, Maine.^[6]

Horace married Bridget Agnes Mulkern on June 29, 1909 in Portland, Maine. At the time of their marriage, he was a seaman living in Allston, Massachusetts.^[1] Their thirteen children—all born in Portland—were:^[7][8]

1. unknown child^[9] (died before 1910)^[10]
2. Frank James Griffin (b. 30 Jan 1911)^[11]
3. Festus William Griffin (b. 20 Oct 1912)^[12]
4. Margaret A. Griffin (b. 16 Oct 1914)^[13]
5. Agnes Virginia Griffin (b. 13 Nov 1916)^[14]
6. Thomas Griffin (b. 18 Sep 1918)^[15]
7. Barbara Dorothea Griffin (24 Dec 1919–5 Sep 1920)^[16][17]
8. Catherine Griffin (b. 7 Apr 1921)^[18]
9. Barbara Griffin (b. abt 1923)
10. Robert Griffin (b. abt 1925)
11. John Griffin (b. abt 1926)
12. Ann Griffin Trent (27 Aug 1928–26 Jan 2001)
13. Mary Griffin (b. abt 1929)

By 1910, Horace and Agnes had moved to Portland, Maine, where they lived the rest of their lives.^[10]

Residences (Portland, Me.):

• Apr 15, 1910: 7 Cotton Street^[10]
• Jan 30, 1911: 7 Cotton Street^[11]
• Oct 29, 1912: 32 Pleasant Street^[12]
• Oct 16, 1914: 32 Pleasant Street^[13]
• Nov 13, 1916: 7 Cotton Street^[14]
• Sep 12, 1918: 7 Pleasant Street^[3]
• Sep 18, 1918: 7 Cotton Street^[15]
• Dec 24, 1919: 7 Cotton Street^[16]
• Sep 5, 1920: 5 Danforth Street^[17]
• Apr 7, 1921: 23 Center Street^[18]

Horace passed away on January 29, 1968.^[2][4] He is buried in Calvary Cemetery in South Portland, Maine.^[19]

Research Notes

• At the time of Horace's death, it was understood by the Griffin family that he had been in his late 90s. However, for his headstone marker Veteran Affairs relied on military records, which indicated his year of birth as 1878. This is the cause of the discrepancy between the year on the VA marker (1878) and the year on the family headstone (1871).

Rebuilding biography; following is information to doublecheck and re-incorporate:

b. Cape Elizabeth^[1][12][11]

b. South Portland^{[18][13][16][14]}

^{[20] [21]}

• 1920^[7]
• 1930^[8]

d. in a Portland, Maine hospital.^[20][22]

Maritime Career

On May 19, 1898, Horace enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an Ordinary Seaman.^[4] He served aboard the U.S.S. Montauk as an ordinary seaman during the Spanish-American War.^[20][23] He was discharged on September 13, 1898.^[4]

On March 6, 1907, Horace enlisted in the United States Revenue Cutter Service as a 2nd class boy aboard the U.S.R.C. Woodbury. He also served as seaman, coxswain, and acting boatswain on the Woodbury. He was honorably discharged on March 5, 1908 as acting coxswain.^[24]

During World War I, he served as mate on a steamer supply ship, the Lake Houghton, which wrecked off Cranberry Island, Nova Scotia in June 1918. The ship had been carrying coal from Sydney, Cape Breton Island, to Boston.^{[20][25][26][27]}

The last masted ship Horace served on was the Carroll A. Deering in 1919, before the ship was mysteriously abandoned—and its crew vanished—in 1921 off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.^[20] He served as first mate on her maiden voyage out of Newport News, Virginia, to deliver coal to Rio de Janeiro.^[21]

During World War II, Horace was chief mate on a tug in the U.S. Army Transport Command, "which acted as a tow service across the English channel from the Dover coast to Normandy." He was discharged on February 1, 1944, after being determined physically unfit for service.^[20][21]

Horace also raced schooners; according to a 1947 article, he placed sixth in the Bermuda Race, piloting the schooner Baghera. Carroll Brown of Portland then purchased the yacht and kept Horace on as skipper for a year.^[21]

Occupations:

• 1909: seaman^[1]
• 1910: sailor, merchant vessel^[10]
• Jan 30, 1911: seaman^[11]
• Oct 29, 1912: seaman^[12]
• Oct 16, 1914: fisherman^[13]
• Nov 13, 1916: fisherman^[14]
• Sep 12, 1918: ship caulker for Cumberland Ship Building Company, South Portland^[3]
• Sep 18, 1918: laborer^[15]
• Dec 24, 1919: laborer^[16]
• Sep 5, 1920: fisherman^[17]
• Apr 7, 1921: seaman^[18]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q28Q-D7YL : 22 July 2021), Horace Decatur Griffin and Bridget Agnes Mulkern, 24 Jun 1909; citing Portland, Cumberland, Maine, United States, multiple sources, Maine; FHL microfilm.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JK6S-TMG : 7 January 2021), Horace Griffin, Jan 1968; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZFY-KZ3 : 23 February 2021), Horace Decatur Griffin, 1917-1918.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} "United States, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPRX-75Q2 : 23 October 2019), Horace D Griffin, 13 Sep 1898; citing Military Service, NARA microfilm publication 76193916 (St. Louis: National Archives and Records Administration, 1985), various roll numbers.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MF3J-F9P : 19 February 2021), Horace D Griffin in household of Frank L Griffin, Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland, Maine, United States; citing enumeration district ED 26, sheet 120C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,477.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMLF-FF4 : accessed 20 August 2021), Horace D Griffin in household of William Griffin, South Portland town South Portland city (east part) Ward 1-5, Cumberland, Maine, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 79, sheet 15A, family 328, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,591.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFZD-38Y : 1 February 2021), Horace Griffin, 1920.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XM8G-VMV : accessed 20 August 2021), Horace Griffin, Portland, Cumberland, Maine, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 44, sheet 3A, line 25, family 46, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 830; FHL microfilm 2,340,565.
9. ↑ Personal recollection of family members.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3} "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MR39-F62 : accessed 20 August 2021), Horace Griffin, Portland Ward 4, Cumberland, Maine, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 77, sheet 1A, family 4, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 539; FHL microfilm 1,374,552.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3} "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24N-MHFD : 2 March 2021), Horace D Griffin in entry for Frank James Griffin, Birth 30 Jan 1911; multiple sources, Maine; FHL microfilm 10,124.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3} "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24F-1NCF : 2 March 2021), Horace D Griffin in entry for Festus W Griffin, Birth 29 Oct 1912; multiple sources, Maine; FHL microfilm 10,124.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3} "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24N-MDBZ : 2 March 2021), Horace D Griffin in entry for Margaret A Griffin, Birth 16 Oct 1914; multiple sources, Maine; FHL microfilm 10,124.
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3} "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24F-1YF4 : 2 March 2021), Horace Griffin in entry for Agnes Virginia Griffin, Birth 13 Nov 1916; multiple sources, Maine; FHL microfilm 10,124.
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1 15.2} "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24F-1JJ4 : 2 March 2021), Horace Griffin in entry for Thomas Griffin, Birth 18 Sep 1918; multiple sources, Maine; FHL microfilm 10,124.
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3} "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24F-1B4T : 2 March 2021), Horace Griffin in entry for Barbara Dorothea Griffin, Birth 24 Dec 1919; multiple sources, Maine; FHL microfilm 10,124.
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1 17.2} "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24F-1VNH : 2 March 2021), Horace Griffin in entry for Barbara Griffin, 05 Sep 1920; citing Portland, Cumberland, Maine, United States, multiple sources, Maine; FHL microfilm.
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3} "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24F-1GTB : 2 March 2021), Horace Decature Griffin in entry for Catherine Griffin, Birth 07 Apr 1921; multiple sources, Maine; FHL microfilm 10,124.
19. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/172237074/horace-d-griffin : accessed 20 August 2021), memorial page for Horace D. Griffin (20 May 1878–29 Jan 1968), Find A Grave: Memorial #172237074, citing Calvary Cemetery, South Portland, Cumberland County, Maine, USA ; Maintained by € (contributor 48710146).
20. ↑ ^{20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5} "Last of City's Five-Mast Ship Captains Dies at 89." Portland Press Herald, January 31, 1968.
21. ↑ ^{21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3} Johnson, Sanders R. ”Sea Captain Yearns for a Ship at 70”. Portland Press Herald, August 16, 1947.
22. ↑ Ancestry.com. Maine, Death Index, 1960-1997 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.
23. ↑ Disability form, private copy.
24. ↑ 1908 discharge papers, private copy.
25. ↑ Shipping: A Weekly Journal of Marine Trades, Volume 4. September 28, 1918. [1]
26. ↑ "SS Lake Houghton Off Nova Scotia Breaking Up". Boston Daily Globe, July 10, 1918.
27. ↑ Horace's obituary erroneously states that this happened during World War II. It is possible an older quote from Horace about the wreck occurring "during the last war" was misconstrued.