Thirteenth Generation

813. Colonel Chauncey Wright GRIGGS was born on 31 December 1832 in Coventry Township, Tolland County, CT.^79,238,405 (This is a picture of a wooden box from his company, Griggs Cooper & Co. The box is in the possession of Gary Griggs.) He appeared in the census in 1850 in Monson, Hampden County, MA.⁵²⁸ He was living in the household of Timothy and Lucinda Packard and his occupation was "Student." He appeared in the census in 1860 in St. Paul, Ramsey County, MN.⁵²⁹ His occupation was "Real Este Dealer." Chauncey served in the military He enlisted in the Civil War and was a 1st Lt. in 1862, a Major in 1862. in 1861 in Fort Snelling, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, MN.⁷⁹ He served with distinction with the Third Minnesota Infantry. He appeared in the census in 1870 in St. Paul, Ramsey County, MN.⁵³⁰ His household was in the 4th Ward and his occupation was "Merchant." He appeared in the census in 1880 in St. Paul, Ramsey County, MN.⁵³¹ His household was located at 76 Arnndt (?) Street and his occupation was "Wood & Coal Dealer." In 1882 Chauncey was a founder and President of Griggs, Cooper and Company in St. Paul, Ramsey County, MN.¹²⁷ It was the largest wholesale grocery and food manufacturing company in the Northwest. After 1888 he was a co-founder and President of the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company in Tacoma, Pierce County, WA.¹²⁷

From an advertisement of the St. Regis Paper Company: "The largest timber purchase in history gave birth to St. Regis here in Tacoma. The option to buy 80,000 acres of timberland from the Northern Pacific Railroad had brought Colonel Chauncey Wright Griggs, Henry Hewitt, Jr., and his brother-in-law Charles Jones to the Tacoma Hotel in 1887. It was there that they first agreed to pool their resources and Midwest lumbering experience, and move West.

So in May 1888, the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company was born. Just about everything concerned with this venture was innovative. Not only was the mill the largest in the Pacific Northwest, sawing over a million board feet a day, but it was the first bandsaw mill on the Pacific Coast. And, finally, the mill was built on pilings on the Tacoma tideflats, and that was thought downright impossible. It wasn't...it was just another first.

Later, Colonel Griggs and the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company came up with many more innovations for the industry. They developed tree farming techniques years before America's first tree farm was founded at Clemons. They also developed kilns to dry hemlock lumber, and were the first to merchandise hemlock lumber nationally."

. He appeared in the census in 1900 in Tacoma, Pierce County, WA.⁵³² His household was at 401 North Tacoma Avenue and his occupation was "Lumber Manufacturer." Chauncey appeared in the census in 1910 in Tacoma, Pierce County, WA.⁵³³ His household was at 401 North Tacoma Avenue and his occupation was "Manufacturer, Lumber." Living in his household with him and his wife were 2 servants, 3 nurses, a chauffeur and a cook. He died on 29 October 1910 at the age of 77 in Tacoma, Pierce County, WA.^79,534,535

Obituary Notes: "The Funeral of Col. C. W. Griggs of this city who died on Saturday morning at the age of 78 years was held this afternoon.

Col. Griggs was for many years one of the most noted figures in the business and political life of the state. He came here in the 90's from St Paul. He was involved with timber and lumber, St. Paul and Tacoma Co."

Obituary Notes: "Colonel Chauncey Griggs died today in his seventy-eighth year of paralysis. He was in the wholesale grocery business in 1869 with James J. Hill in St. Paul. Col. Griggs served In the 33rd Minnesota Infantry during the Civil War and commanded a brigade under Gen. Grant."

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Colonel Chauncey Wright GRIGGS and Martha Ann GALLUP were married on 19 April 1859 in Detroit, Wayne County, MI.^79,127,405 Martha Ann GALLUP⁵³⁶, daughter of Christopher Milton GALLUP and Ann Stanton BILLINGS, was born on 7 September 1834 in Ledyard, New London County, CT.^79,405 She appeared in the census in 1860 in St. Paul, Ramsey County, MN.⁵²⁹ She appeared in the census in 1870.⁵³⁰ Martha appeared in the census in 1880 in St. Paul, Ramsey County, MN.⁵³¹ Before 1890 she was in St. Paul, Ramsey County, MN. She was the President of the Protestant Orphan Asylum and a member of the Plymouth Congregational Church. After 1890 she was in Tacoma, Pierce County, WA.⁷⁹ She was a founder of the Tacoma Art League and of the Aloha Club. She was an organizer and first Regent of the Mary ball Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and a State Regent of the Washington D.A.R. between 1896 and 1899. Martha appeared in the census in 1900 in Tacoma, Pierce County, WA.⁵³² She appeared in the census in 1910 in Tacoma, Pierce County, WA.⁵³³ She died in 1913 at the age of 79 in Tacoma, Pierce County, WA.⁷⁹
From an article in the Tacoma Public Library: "The children of Col. Chauncey W. Griggs and Martha Ann Griggs posed for a family portrait in April of 1909 on the occasion of their parents' golden wedding anniversary.

From left to right are: Heartie D. (wife of Dr. George C. Wagner), Everett G.; Herbert S.; Theodore D.; Chauncey Milton (called Milton), and Anna B. Milton was the oldest son and Anna the youngest child in the family.

Col. Chauncey W. Griggs was one of the founders, in 1888, of the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co., and served as its first president continously until 1908 when he became chairman of the board of trustees. He died in October of 1910. (Major) Everett Gallup Griggs succeeded his father as president of the firm."

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Colonel Chauncey Wright GRIGGS and Martha Ann GALLUP had the following children: