Kings County Biographies This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm GRIFFITH, FRANK (V.S.) This well-known veterinarian of Hanford, Kings county, Cal., was born October 4, 1850, twelve miles northeast of the site of Merced and nine miles from Snelling, Cal., a son of Dr. Joshua Griffith, at which time the place described was in Mariposa county. Dr. Joshua Griffith was born June 28, 1800, seven miles below the site of Brownsville, Washington county, Pa., which was then known as Red Stone Fort. In 1810 he was taken by his family to Ohio, to a sparsely settled section in which the nearest schoolhouse was twenty-five miles distant. In 1820 he went to Missouri, and there he met John Hawkins, and in 1822 he was a member of the Ashley expedition, consisting of sixty men, to explore the Missouri river to the mouth of the Yellowstone. The party made the trip in a large keel-boat, returning in 1823. In 1824 he opened a gunshop at Santa Fe, N. M., where he made considerable money, and in 1830 he went to Sonora, Mexico, and had many interesting adventures. In 1831 he established a variety store at Hermosillo, Mexico, and from that time until 1848 he prospered variously. In the last named year he came to Los Angeles, Cal., and soon after he was mining at Amador with old man Amador. Later he mined at Volcano and Mokelumne Hill and on the fifth of November, 1848, he discovered Jackson creek in Amador county. July 25, 1844, Dr. Griffith married Miss Fanna Arreas, a native of Sonora, Mexico. He brought his wife with him to California in 1848 and theirs was a slow journey across the plains and through mountain passes. Some of his recollections of mining at that time included experiences at Aqua Frea. From Amador county he went back to Los Angeles and from there he moved to near Snelling in July, 1849. Thus began his experiences in Merced county. He was the first to sow wheat on the bottom lands and plains there and he garnered his first crop in 1851. Going to Santa Cruz he brought back with him a pack-train, some seed corn, some chickens, three dogs and several cats. When he settled on the Merced river the only other settlers along the stream were Samuel Scott, James Waters and J. M. Montgomery. Before he built his house and while it was under construction he camped under a big oak tree in the open and there his wife gave birth to their son Frank. It was necessary for the doctor to go to Santa Cruz and Stockton for the necessaries of life. He packed in household goods and trees and once brought from Santa Cruz a sack of wheat for which he paid $150, and from which he raised his first crop. In 1853 he built a small flour mill principally for his own use, which was operated by water which he brought from the Merced river through a ditch two miles long, and was the first water-power grist mill in the San Joaquin valley south of Sutter�s Fort. It stood until 1861-62, when it was washed away by flood. In his young manhood, Dr. Griffith studied medicine, and he practiced almost continuously as occasion offered from the time he was twenty-four years old until 1874, during a period of fifty years. As a pioneer and in his later business enterprises he was a potent factor in the development of the country, and as a citizen he was widely known and respected. He died June 11, 1896, his wife in June, 1897. They had four children of whom two, Frank and Frederick, are living. The old Griffith homestead was later sold to Henry Cowell of Santa Cruz. Frank Griffith was reared on his father�s farm, educated in the public schools and assisted his father until 1875, when he came to the site of Grangeville in what is now Kings county, Cal., which was nearer to Kingston than to any other town. Having gained a good knowledge of medicine under his father�s tuition he took up veterinary practice in connection with farming. He had been to this locality in 1870 on a trip of exploration and at that time he rowed a boat over Tulare lake, which then covered much land which was bare in 1875. He had rowed to within ninety yards of the school house at Lemoore, in company with Judge and Mrs. R. B. Huey, Mr. and Mrs. George W. Skaggs and Mrs. Griffith, and their boat had floated over the land later included in the Cochran, Stratton and Jacobs tracts. He remained at Grangeville practicing veterinary surgery until 1877. As a citizen he attained to considerable prominence and eventually became a constable, a deputy sheriff and a deputy United States marshal, and in 1884 he was made under sheriff of Tulare county and took up his residence at Visalia. In 1886 he removed to Santa Cruz for the benefit of his wife�s health, and there opened a veterinary office and built a home. In 1890 he came to Hanford, and in 1891 his wife, who had greatly improved, joined him. He had in the meantime bought seven acres of land on Seventh street, where he has since lived. He established his office on the site of the present Emporium building, but several years later moved it out to his ranch, where he constructed and fitted up a hospital, and until 1907 he maintained his office and infirmary on Green street not far from his present location. In 1907 he built his present quarters, consisting of an office, a hospital and an infirmary for the accommodation of twenty-four animals in the main building with fifteen outside stalls under a separate roof. While carrying on a general veterinary practice, he makes a specialty of the treatment of dogs and is the owner of a fine kennel. His acquaintanceship and his professional reputation have been extended through his incumbency of the office of county livestock inspector and county veterinarian of Tulare county for fourteen years, he being appointed to thsee positions by the supervisors of the county after the division. He has for many years raised thoroughbred Berkshire hogs, Dark Brahmah chickens and Muscovy ducks. September 19, 1869, Dr. Griffith married Harriett A. Moore, a daughter of Joseph Moore, who brought his family to Kings county from Oregon in 1864. Fraternally the doctor affiliates with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being a member of lodge, encampment and canton, and with the Natives Sons of the Golden West, a charter member of Visalia parlor No. 19, in which he has passed all chairs. SOURCE: History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical Sketches - Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company, 1913 Pp 439, 440, 441 Transcribed by: Craig A Hahn FRANK GRIFFITH, V. S. The importance of a business or profession is in a very large measure determined by its beneficence or usefulness. As a live stock inspector for many years, Frank Griffith has performed a very notable service for his fellow citizens and the character of 'his work has been such as to win the commendation of all who know him. As a veterinary, Dr. Griffith is skilled and conscientious, and has long stood among the leaders of his profession in this section of the state. He was born about twelve miles north of Merced, Merced county, California, on the 4th day of October, 1850, the son of Dr. Joshua and Frances (Aries) Griffith. Joshua Griffith, who was an easterner by nativity, was a pioneer of California, coming by the way of Mexico, and as early as 1848 was engaged in placer mining in Mariposa county. Later he engaged in farming and built the first flouring mill in the San Joaquin valley. While in Mercer county, in which he finally located, he resumed the practice of medicine, which profession he had followed before coming west, and he gained a high place in the confidence and esteem of his fellowmen. When he first settled there his land was under the control of Mexico, but on the 9th of September, 1850, he received a grant for the land where his home stood and this remained in the family until about fifteen years ago, when it was sold. Frank Griffith received such educational training as was possible in the primitive schools of those early days here. He attended the old Snelling school, in Merced county, but did not allow himself to be bound by his meager opportunity there, for he persisted in his search for knowledge by reading and studying everything he could get hold of. He spent his youthful days on the farm and was thrown much with live stock, where he probably received his first inspiration for that branch of science in which he has specialized since. Not having the chance to go to a technical school, he studied privately, and under his father's direction, and eventually appeared before the state veterinary board for examination and was granted a certificate in 1901. In 1870 Dr. Griffith came to Hanford, remaining but a short time, but in 1871 he came again. Some time later, in 1875, he went to Grayeville and opened a meat market, from which he furnished meat for the construction gangs who were engaged in the building of the railroad through this section. From there Dr. Griffith went to Lemoore, where he served as constable. During this period the Doctor was also practicing his profession and was gaining not only splendid experience, but was also acquiring a reputation as a careful and successful veterinarian. From Lemoore he went to Visalia, where he remained four years, serving as deputy sheriff, after which he spent six years in Santa Cruz. In 1891 Dr. Griffith came to Hanford and has since made this his home. It is a notable coincidence that in each place he has lived he has served as live stock inspector and since 1894 has served in that position continuously in Kings county. A man of many fine qualities of character, he has shown a public-spirited attitude toward all movements for the betterment of the community along material, civic or moral lines, and stands high in the regard and esteem of his fellow citizens. The doctor owns a valuable ranch adjoining Hanford, also other agricultural land in Kings county. Dr. Griffith was married in San Francisco, to Miss Harriet A. Moore, the daughter of J. D. Moore, a native of Ohio, and a pioneer of Nevada. Politically, Dr. Griffith has always given his support to the republican party and at one time served as deputy United States marshal. He is deeply interested in the history of this locality and has a fine collection of Indian relics, embracing some very rare specimens. Source: History of Tulare County and Kings County, California � Kathleen Edwards Small & J. Larry Smith, Vol. II, Chicago, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1926. p. 544 Transcribed by Kathy Sedler