VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
507
a farmer in calling, married Earsheba Allen,
and had one son, Nathaniel, father of John
T. Griffin.
Nathaniel (iriftin was hcjrn in 1806. in Nansemond county, and died in 1887. His first business venture was that of manufac- turer of wa<^ons and carriag'es and other products which a general blacksmith made in that time; finally abandoning this calling to give his entire time to the cultivation of land. He was know^n throughout the vicin- ity for the charity and kindness that per- vaded his whole life and were his most dis- tinguishing attributes, his piety and good- ness ruling his every act. A member of the Baptist church, he did not confine his well- doing to the regular channels of church work, but tirelessly sought opportunities for the relief and help of his fellows. His own life was a model of self-abnegation, and from his deeds of benevolence great good came, in example as in actual personal bene- fit to him in wdiose behalf aid was extended. Nathaniel Griffin married \irginia Ann Guinn, and had children : \"irginia ; John Thomas, of w-hom further; James Henry, died in infancy.
John Thomas Griffin, son of Nathaniel and Virginia Ann Griffin, was born in Suf- folk, Virginia, February 5, 1838. His father moved to Churchland, Norfolk county, when John T. Griffin was a lad of six years. After obtaining a thorough preparatory education, he entered Columbian College, at Wash- ington, D. C. whence he was graduated in the class of 1859. receiving the degree Bachelor of Arts, and in i860 the degree of Alaster of Arts. Of the class that w^as graduated in. that year from Columbian College, there are besides yir. Griffin but two survivors (1914). His academic courses completed, ^fr. Griffin was placed in charge of the college preparatory school, holding this position until 1861, ha\ing during these three years continued studies in engineer- ing. In the second year of the civil war Mr. Griffin offered his services to the en- gineering corps of the Confederate States army, and was assigned to duty under Gen- eral Randolph. In the service he gained the rank of captain, although his appointment was never confirmed by commission, and he was an intimate friend of many of the lead- ers of the Southern cause. He was with General Lee at the final surrender.
Returning to Churchland at the close of
the war he became a teacher in the Norfolk
county schools, at the same time filling the
office of county surveyor in Nansemond
county. He began farming on a rented
tract and later purchased a farm of seventy-
five acres. To this he has constantly added
until liis possessions are now more than one
thousand acres, and such immense propor-
tions have the operations thereon conducted
assumed that he incorporated the business
as the John T. Griffin Truck Corporation, of
which he is president, his son-in-law, Judge
Charles \\\ Coleman, secretary and treas-
urer. A ready market awaits the products
raised on the projjerty of this company, and
under Mr. (Irifiin's able direction the busi-
ness has brought excellent returns. Mr.
Griffin in 1870 was elected to the presidency
of the Western Branch Draw-bridge Com-
pany. His entrance into the financial world
was made in 1885, when upon the failure of
the Bain Brothers Bank, he was appointed
one of the trustees to close up the aflfairs of
the defunct institution. He was afterward
elected to the presidency of tlie Merchants"
and Farmers' Bank, of Portsmouth, and
continues at the head of this solid institu-
tion to the present time. As a financier he
is known to be conservative and exacting,
guarding the welfare of the depositors and
customers of his bank with fidelity and zeal,
enforcing the highest degree of strictness
and regularitv in all of its transactions. The
maintenance of the worthily high reputa-
tion of the Merchants' and Farmers' Bank
is the end for which he strives, and to such
good efifect that to it has been given, if pos-
sible, additional firmness and stability. In
1907 he was appointed as receiver of the
Peoples Bank of Portsmouth. For many
years he held the office of justice of the
peace, and in the organization of the Baptist
church is a deacon. His record in Sunday
school work reflects great credit upon his
constancy, forty years being the time he has
passed in the capacity of superintendent in
the school of the church of wdiich he is a
member.
Mr. Griffin is a gentleman of the old school, pleasing in manner, proper in speech, and courteous in bearing. In a social gather- ing his congeniality and affability are as natural as his calm dignity and confident bearing when presiding over a meeting of a board of directors, and in conversation his peer in agreeableness and interest is not to
