Thomas Griffin (politician)

Thomas Griffin (1773 – October 7, 1837) was an eighteenth and nineteenth century politician, planter, lawyer and judge from Virginia.

Thomas Griffin
Thomas Griffin, engraving by Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 12th district
In office March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1805
Preceded by	John Stratton
Succeeded by	Burwell Bassett
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from York County
In office December 3, 1827 – December 5, 1830 Serving with Robert Sheild
Preceded by	Thomas C. Russell
Succeeded by	district merged with James City County
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from York County
In office December 6, 1819 – November 30, 1823 Serving with William McCandlish, Robert P. Waller, Scervant Jones
Preceded by	Robert Pescud
Succeeded by	Thomas C. Russell
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from York County
In office October 21, 1793 – November 30, 1800 Serving with Hugh Nelson, Samuel Shield, William Waller
Preceded by	Robert Shield
Succeeded by	John Waller
Personal details
Born	Cyrus Griffin (1773-07-16)July 16, 1773 Yorktown, Colony of Virginia, British America
Died	October 7, 1837(1837-10-07) (aged 64) Yorktown, Virginia
Spouse	Mary Griffin
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch/service	Virginia militia
Years of service	1812-1814
Rank	Major
Battles/wars	War of 1812

Early and family life

Born in Yorktown, Virginia to Dr. Corbin Griffin and his wife. His father was a prominent local patriot during the American Revolutionary War: as a member of the York County Committee of Safety (1775-1776), and then as surgeon in the Virginia line. Meanwhile, young Thomas remained in the Hampton Roads area and received a private education suitable to his class, then studied law. He married his cousin Mary, daughter of prominent lawyer and patriot, then U.S. District Judge Cyrus Griffin.

Career

After being admitted to the Virginia bar, Griffin practiced law, as well as operated a plantation using enslaved labor. In the last census before his death, he owned 29 enslaved people, and his household also included a free Black woman of between 24 and 35 years old.

Voters in York County first elected Griffin as one of their two representatives in the Virginia House of Delegates in 1793, and he won re-election each year until 1800.

During this part-time legislative service, Griffin also accepted an appointment as a justice of the court of oyer and terminer on October 17, 1796, serving until 1810.

In 1802, Congressman John Stratton having announced his retirement, Griffin won election as a Federalist to the United States House of Representatives in 1802, serving from 1803 to 1805. Democratic Republican Burwell Bassettdefeated him in 1804 (and would win re-election several times

He was then appointed chief justice of the Court of Quarter Sessions in Yorktown on September 1, 1805, serving until 1810 when he became a justice of the York County Court, serving as this until 1812.

During the War of 1812, British ships threatened the Hampton Roads area. Griffin served as a major of Infantry, and was second in command during the Battle of Hampton.

After the war, Griffin again became a justice of the court of oyer and terminer, this time as chairman of the court, serving from 1814 to 1820.

In 1819, voters again elected Griffin as one of their representatives in the Virginia House of Delegates, and re-elected him, so he served from 1819 to 1823. He again won election and re-election from 1827 to 1830, but following the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1829-1830, the Tidewater area lost representatives and more were allocated to western Virginia, so the York County district was merged with neighboring James City County.

Death and legacy

Griffin died at "The Mansion" near Yorktown, Virginia on October 7, 1837.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress