28th Generation

174. Rhoda Bacon SMITH (*) (~) was born on 4 June 1786 in Pomfret Township, Windham County, Connecticut Colony, British Colonial America.^35,36,37,44 (An LDS Family Group Record on www.FamilySearch.org lists her birth place as Woodstock, Windsor County, VT.)

(Connecticut became the 5th State of the Union on January 9, 1788, so it was still a British Colony when she was born.) She appeared in the census in 1790 in Pomfret Township, Windham County, CT.³³ She appeared in the census in 1810 in Fayston Township, Chittenden County, VT.^44,61 Rhoda appeared in the census in 1820 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.⁶² She lived in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT after March 1828.^63,64,65,66 After her husband died, she lived at the home of her son, John Chandler, and his family. She appeared in the census in 1830 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.⁶³ She was living with her son John Chandler and his family. Rhoda appeared in the census in 1840 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.⁶⁴ She was living with her son John Chandler and his family. She appeared in the census in 1850 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.⁶⁵ She was living with her son John Chandler and his family and was listed as "Rhody." She appeared in the census in 1860 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.⁶⁶ She was living with her son John Chandler and his family. Her occupation was "Domestic." Rhoda died on 30 July 1861 at the age of 75 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.^35,44,67 She was buried in Irasville, Waitsfield Township, Washington County, VT.⁶⁷ in the Irasville Cemetery. Gravestone Inscription: "Rhoda B. relict of Stephen Griggs, Died July 30, 1861 AE 75 yrs" ("Relict" means "surviving the death of another" and "AE" was the common gravestone symbol for "age.")

Rhoda Bacon SMITH (*) (~) and Stephen Chandler GRIGGS (*) were married on 8 March 1807 in Pomfret Township, Windham County, CT.^35,44,45,68 Article in the "Fayston Centennial Celebration": "Stephen Griggs was the third (grand)son of a Revolutionary War Soldier, Solomon Griggs, Sr., Englishman. His wife, Rhoda Bacon Smith, was the oldest daughter of the veritable John Smith, from England, linen weaver.

They came from Pomfret, Conn., to Fayston in 1809, and their history is similar to that of many an ambitious, hardy pioneer in those early times.

Mr. Griggs first started on foot to prospect for a desirable location on government land in New York. At a tavern where he stopped for a night, a man returning from Vermont gave such marvelous account of the fertility of the soil, the purity of the air, and the abundance of water--brooks full of trout--that Mr. Griggs changed his course and came here. He bought 80 acres where Howland Russell now lives, and soon had a clearing, a log house and a small barn. He moved his family and all his household goods on an ox sled, and bought one cow soon after his arrival.

He raised corn, flax and wheat, made maple syrup from sap caught in troughs of his own hewing, set out apple trees, helped build roads and bridges, and was ever ready for every good work. The toils and privations of pioneer life were bravely met by them, as by others all around. After the memorable cold year of 1816, before grain was harvested the next year, Mrs. Griggs said that for six weeks she did not taste bread. Their 'staff of life' was potatoes, eggs, milk and abundant berries.

They had eight children. At the early age of 44 years, Mr. Griggs died, leaving the care of his family to his widow and oldest son, J. C. Griggs, who nobly filled the trust." Stephen Chandler GRIGGS (*), son of Stephen GRIGGS and Sarah CHANDLER, was born on 11 October 1784 in Pomfret Township, Windham County, Connecticut Colony, British Colonial America.^{35,44,53,69,70,71,72,73,74,75} His middle name was his mother's maiden name.

His given name was spelled "Steven" on the marriage record of his son, Lucius S., but it is spelled "Stephen" on his gravestone and on that of his daughter Rhoda.

His birthdate is listed as 11 Nov 1784 in the "North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000" page 205; that is believed to be an error.

Connecticut became the 5th Colony to join the United States on January 9, 1788, so it was still a British Colony when he was born. He appeared in the census in 1790 in Pomfret Township, Windham County, CT.^33,70 He appeared in the census in 1800 in Pomfret Township, Windham County, CT.⁴⁶ Stephen lived at his home in Pomfret Township, Windham County, CT in 1809.^35,44,45,70 They moved from Pomfret Township, CT to Vermont in mid-1809. They were early settlers of Waitsfield Township in Chittenden County, VT.

They eventually moved to a farm on Griggs Road near Number Nine Road on Bragg Hill, northwest of Irasville in Fayston Township.

(In 1810, Waitsfield Township became part of Jefferson County, which was renamed Washington County in 1814.) He appeared in the census in 1810 in Fayston Township, Chittenden County, VT.^70,76 His household consisted of one male, age 16-25 (Stephen); one female, age 16-25 (his wife, Rhoda); one male, age under 10 (their son, John Chandler); and one female, age under 10 (their daughter, Lucinda). He appeared in the census in 1820 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.^62,70 His household consisted of one male, age 26-45 (Stephen); one female, age 26-45 (his wife, Rhoda); one male, age under 10 (their son Lucius); one male, age 10-16 (their son John Chandler); four females, age under 10 (their daughters Sarah, Susan, Rhoda and an unknown female); one female, age 10-16 (Lucinda); and one female, age 16-26, who may have been the mother of the unknown female (age under 10). Their identity and relationship are not known. Stephen died on 15 March 1828 at the age of 43 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.^{35,44,45,68,74} He was buried in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.^73,77 near Griggs Road on Number Nine Road in the South Fayston Cemetery. It's a small private cemetery about one mile northwest of Irasville. The inscription on his gravestone reads: "Mr. Stephen Griggs, died March 15 1828 in the 44 year of his age."

The only other family gravestone visible near his is that of his daughter Rhoda (the first of his two daughters with that given name). His wife and other family members are buried in the Irasville Cemetery.

Rhoda Bacon SMITH (*) (~) and Stephen Chandler GRIGGS (*) had the following children:

+203	i.	John Chandler GRIGGS Sr..
+204	ii.	Lucinda Bacon GRIGGS.
+205	iii.	*Lucius Smith GRIGGS () (~).**
+206	iv.	Sally E. "Sarah" GRIGGS.
207	v.	Susannah "Susan" GRIGGS was born on 18 February 1816 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.^44,78,79,80 (The attached picture is of the combined gravestone of Susan and her nephew, Olin Griggs, a son of her brother Stephen Roswell.) She appeared in the census in 1820 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.⁸¹ She appeared in the census in 1830 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.⁸² Susan appeared in the census in 1840 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.⁸³ She appeared in the census in 1850 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.⁶⁵ She was living in a home next to that of her brother, John Chandler, and his family. Between 1851 and 1885 she was a school teacher in Indiana.^35,44,84,85 Susan devoted her adult life to teaching. In 1850 she was one of a number of Vermont women recruited by the National Board of Popular Education, established in 1846 to provide eastern school teachers to needy western schools. Susan taught in several schools including Wilmington, NC, for one year and Wolcottville, IN, for 17 years. According to her biography in Hemenway's Vermont Historical Gazetteer by Anna Griggs Bragg, v.4, pt. 2, pp. 190-191 (VHS R974.30 H37), Susan "resumed teaching in Fort Wayne College, IN; afterwards in Iowa for two years, and is now (1882), in Kendallville, IN..." In the Vermont Historical Society library are several letters from Susan concerning her varied teaching career in IN and MO with the National Board of Popular Education. Representatives from the latter recruited, trained, and placed eastern school teachers in the West. In 1848, Vermont's ex-governor, William Slade (1786-1859), became the Board's general agent. Between 1854 and 1857, Slade wrote several letters to Susan Griggs, who was then teaching in Wolcottville, IN. The letters are businesslike, but Slade maintains a personal interest in Susan's work (MSA 149, Folder 10). In December 1852, she wrote the following letter, which is contained in the "Extracts of Letters from Teachers" in the Sixth Annual Report of the General Agent of the Board of National Popular Education, Cleveland, Ohio, 1853: "I remain in the place to which you sent me in the fall of 1851, and the family school is grown to a Seminary of nearly thirty pupils, with a prospect of constant increase. Mr. Wolcott assumed the responsibility of sending to the Board for a teacher, in 1851, and I feel myself under many obligations to you for sending me to so good a place, and to him for giving me so great opportunities of acting as a Christian teacher to the utmost of health, strength and ability. He has built an excellent house, sufficient to accommodate 100 pupils, and we, together, have expended $700 dollars in furnishing it. We have a Piano, Globes, Maps, Books, etc. All these seemed necessary in order to make the school succeed, and we hope to add a chemical apparatus, but cannot advance any more at present. We teach instrumental and vocal Music, German, French, Drawing, Painting, higher and common English. We have a number who have taught some and intend to do so. This class I meet weekly to give instructions as to the best methods of teaching, governing, etc. I am somewhat involved in the outfit of the school, but trust it will all be met, and more than met, when the good results of a well conducted school are seen in the future, is making society better and cherishing the spirit of vital piety, which we toil to teach by precept and example." In September 1868, Susan was living in Monroe County, WI--probably with her brother Lucius and his family. In April 1885, she returned to Monroe County to visit with her brother and to try to nurse Lucius' daughter Hattie back to health. Hattie died on June 1st, and Susan returned to Indiana. Susan appeared in the census in 1860 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.⁶⁶ She was living with her brother John Chandler and his family. Her occupation was listed as "Domestic." She could not be located anywhere in the U.S. in the 1870 Census, and it is not known where she lived at the time. She on 16 September 1868 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁸⁴ She wrote a letter to Abbie Wolcott, the daughter of George Wolcott who was the founder of the Wolcottville Female Seminary, where Susan taught. The text of the letter is as follows: "Dearest Abbie, I was glad to hear from you & Louis, but I have not written letters as I said I would. I have been seeking change by being out walking, riding to and where in the house. I have washed dishes & determined, if possible, to gain some degree of health. It is cold here--so cold that I want bedding, but have been waiting to know whether the Piano or Melodeon could be sold so that you would not be troubled with sending things but once. I hope you are in better health & all of the people in W (Wolcottville) well and succeeding in business. I think of you, of course now, and wonder if the school bell does not ring from the force of habit and all things move on as before. I have no instrument to play, only as I go to the church or neighbors; have played in church but once since I left you. I do not read, though I want to so much but stay in the open air all I can. Don't you think I am sunburnt and have a good complexion? I have hoped to be able to teach music some when people get over hop-picking, but do not know how it will be. How is brother Hover (?) liked now? Do you have good meetings and is the Sunday School good? Do you teach a class? How large is the bible class? I am not teaching a class--only when some teacher is absent. The S. Schools are not near so good as they are in W. Please send two comforters & a bed quilt or two, unless E. waits to learn about sending the Melodeon. I hope my things are shut up, if the children can get in I am sorry. I must stop writing--hope you will write soon. Love to all & Mrs. Plaistial (?) and Mr. ...bert. Yours very truly, Susan Griggs" (The letter was e-mailed to Gary Griggs on 2/10/2014 by Tim Hudson, a descendant of George Wolcott.) On 28 March 1877 she was in Upland, Grant County, IN.⁸⁴ She was a teacher at Fort Wayne M. E. College (now Taylor University). Susan appeared in the census in 1880 in Wolcottville, Noble County, IN.^44,86 She was living by herself and her occupation was listed as "Teaching School." She was the Principal at the Wolcottville Seminary, which was formed in 1852 by George Wolcott. (The census sheet indicates that she lived in Wolcottville, Orange Township, Noble County, IN. Orange Township has since been renamed Wayne Township.) ⁸⁷ In April 1894 she was visiting her brother Lucius and his wife Kate in Tomah. While there, she wrote a letter to another brother, Roswell, and his wife, Roxanna, in which Susan mentions that, "Lucius is in some respects very well and in some ways feeble and very forgetful. He does not think he can write letters and very seldom goes to church; and, unless he is obliged to do so, he does not go to Tomah and not very often to (his daughter) Florence's. When he does, often he does not stay for a meal time; he seems uneasy to go home." (Gary Griggs has a copy of the letter.) Newspaper article about Susan and one of her nieces, Florence Griggs Bigelow: "Mrs. Florence Bigelow will start tomorrow for northwestern Missouri, in company with her aunt, Miss Susan Griggs, who expects to spend the winter with her brother (Stephen Roswell Griggs) at that place. Mrs. Bigelow expects to stay two weeks." She died on 17 March 1897 at the age of 81 in Winston, Colfax Township, Daviess County, MO.^44,80,88 Newspaper Article: "The many friends of Miss Susan Griggs will be pained to learn of her sudden death of paralysis on March 17th in her 81st year, at her brother's home at Winston, Missouri. Deceased was a sister of L. S. Griggs, of LaGrange, and visited with him about five years ago and later spent some time with her niece, Mrs. Florence Bigelow. Miss Griggs was a native of Vermont and had devoted her entire life since girlhood to teaching. She had taught many terms of school in North Carolina and 19 years continuous teaching in Indiana. She was a lady of fine attainments, an ardent worker in the W.C.T.U. and an efficient helper in the Sabbath School. Of strong religious convictions, she was always in sympathy with the church and church work. One brother and two sisters have passed on before and two brothers and one sister remain, namely: Stephen R., aged 72, who resides in Missouri; Lucius S., aged 86, who resides in LaGrange; and Sarah, age 83, whose home is in Vermont." She was buried in Winston, Colfax Township, Daviess County, MO.⁸⁹ in the Winston Cemetery. She is buried near her brother Roswell.
208	vi.	Rhoda Bacon GRIGGS (1st) was born on 23 January 1820 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.^23,44,73,90 The Griggs-Bragg Family Letter collection lists her birth date as 23 Jan 1821, but her grave stone inscription lists her age at death as 1 year 11 months and 1 day, indicating a birth date of 23 Jan 1820. She died on 3 January 1822 at the age of 1 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.^23,35,44,73 She was buried in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.⁷³ in the South Fayston Cemtery on Bragg Hill, south of Irasville. The inscription on her gravestone reads: "Rhoda B., daughter of Stephen & Rhoda Griggs, died January 3, 1822 at 1 year 11 mo and 11 d." Her gravestone is located next to that of her father.
209	vii.	Rhoda Bacon GRIGGS (2nd) was born on 21 April 1823 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.^35,44,78,79 She appeared in the census in 1830 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.⁸² She appeared in the census in 1840 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.⁸³ Rhoda died on 6 December 1845 at the age of 22 in Fayston Township, Washington County, VT.^44,63,64,67 She is believed to be listed as the "female, age 5-10" in the 1830 Census, and as the "female, age 15-20" in the 1840 Census in the household of her brother, John Chandler Griggs. She was buried in Irasville, Waitsfield Township, Washington County, VT.⁶⁷ in the Irasville Cemetery. Gravestone Inscription: "Rhoda Griggs Died Dec. 6 1845 AE 22 Y.S. and 7 Mo."
+210	viii.	Stephen "Roswell" GRIGGS.