San
Joaquin County
Biographies
CHARLES AUGUSTINE GRISWOLD
Among the residents of the farming
community of Lodi, conspicuous for their worth and ability, is Charles
Augustine Griswold, a retired vineyardist and a veteran of the Civil War. Before coming to California twenty years ago,
he was actively connected with the progress and development in his native state
of Pennsylvania and also in Nebraska. He
was born near Montrose, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, August
5, 1840; a son of James F. and Lydia (Franklin) Griswold, natives of New
York. Grandfather Griswold served in the
War of 1812. Lydia Franklin’s mother was
a Lee, an aunt of Robert E. Lee, and her grandfather Lee served in the
Revolutionary War. She is also a direct
descendant of Daniel Franklin, a brother of Benjamin Franklin. Mr. Griswold’s parents died in
Pennsylvania. He was the seventh child
in a family of ten children and had a brother, King E. Griswold, who also
served in the Civil War.
Charles A. Griswold received his
education in the Elk Lake district school, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania,
and he not only helped his father on the home place, but worked on various
farms throughout the county. On October
21, 1861 he enlisted in Company E, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry, his brigade commander being General Kirkpatrick. He served
under Generals McClellan and Sherman and was with General Sherman on his famous
march through Georgia and to the sea and took part in all the engagements. After being mustered out December 24, 1864 he
returned to his native county in January, 1865 and followed his trade of
carpenter, extending his territory to Bradford County as well. In 1877 he located in Franklin County,
Nebraska, and was engaged for many years in bulding operations. He erected the Franklin Academy, a number of
store buildings, a grist mill, a woolen mill and many school houses; he also
helped build the court house at Bloomington, Nebraska. While residing in Franklin County, he filed
on a quarter section of land, which he farmed to grain, cattle and hogs with
considerable success. When a railroad
was built within a mile of his homestead and Upland, Nebraska sprang into being
he established a general store there and for fourteen years served the
community as postmaster and justice of the peace.
Removing to California in 1903, Mr.
Griswold located in Stockton and engaged in bulding operations; however, his
stay in Stockton only occupied one year and in 1904 he settled in Lodi where he
purchased a fifteen-acre vineyard set to four year old vines for which he paid
$3,700; his first year’s crop was sold for $800 cash. The vineyard is located one mile west of Lodi
and is still in his possession, but is now leased. Some time ago he bought an acre and a half on
South School Street where he erected a commodious and modern residence, but has
sold all but two lots of this tract. Mr.
Griswold did some building after settling in Lodi; he erected the Morehead
residence on West Elm Street and the O. Poole residence east of Lodi. He has now retired from active carpenter
work, but is never so happy as when he has a saw and
hammer in his hand.
The marriage of Mr. Griswold
occurred in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, May 1, 1867 and united him with Miss
Martha M. Arnout, a native of Bradford County,
Pennsylvania, a daughter of Joshua Arnout and Martha
C. Chilson Arnout, natives
of Orange County, New York, who spent their last days in Bradford County,
Pennsylvania. Mrs. Griswold is the
seventh born in a family of nine children and had two brothers, Theodore and
George, who served in a New York Regiment in the Civil War; the latter died in
service and the former soon after the war.
Mr. and Mrs. Griswold are the parents of three daughters: Cora married Oselus
Poole, a rancher living east of Lodi and they have six children; Grace is Mrs.
S. D. Nelson and they have four children; Mary is Mrs. Charles Waite and they
have five children and reside in Sacramento.
There are fifteen grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren in the
family. In politics Mr. Griswold is a
stalwart Republican and has been an ardent supporter of the principles of that
party wherever he has resided. At the
age of twenty-five he joined the Masonic order in Bradford County,
Pennsylvania, and is now a member of Lodi Lodge No. 256 F. & A. M. and with
his wife is a member of the Eastern Star.
He joined the G. A. R. in Upland, Nebraska, and is now a member of the
Hartford Post, G. A. R. of Lodi. He is a
past commander and now is chaplain. He
and his wife are members of the Congregational Church of Lodi, of which he is a
deacon. Mrs. Griswold is an active
member of the W. R. C. In 1917 they
celebrated their golden wedding. In the
various relations of life he has manifested those traits of character which
ever command respect, and his circle of friends is
therefore an extensive one.
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
1311. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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