Michael Griffin (Wisconsin politician)

Michael Griffin
Michael Griffin
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives; from Wisconsin's 7th district
	In office; November 5, 1894 – March 3, 1899
Preceded by	George B. Shaw
Succeeded by	John J. Esch
Member of the Wisconsin Senate; from the 30th district
	In office; January 1, 1880 – January 1, 1882
Preceded by	Abraham D. Andrews
Succeeded by	Rockwell J. Flint
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly; from the Columbia 1st district
	In office; January 1, 1876 – January 1, 1877
Preceded by	Marcus Barden
Succeeded by	David Owen
Personal details
Born	September 9, 1842; County Clare, Ireland, U.K.
Died	December 29, 1899 (aged 57); Eau Claire, Wisconsin, U.S.
Cause of death	Stroke
Resting place	Forest Hill Cemetery; Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Emma Irene Daniels; (m. 1871);
Parents	John Griffin (father); Hannah Griffin (mother);
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Volunteers; Union Army
Years of service	1861–1865
Rank	1st Lieutenant, USV
Unit	12th Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry
Battles/wars	American Civil War Vicksburg campaign Siege of Vicksburg; ; Atlanta campaign Battle of Kennesaw Mountain; Battle of Atlanta; ; Carolinas campaign Battle of Bentonville; ;

Michael Griffin (September 9, 1842 – December 29, 1899) was an Irish American immigrant, lawyer, and politician. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin, and served in the Wisconsin Legislature. As a young man, he served as a Union Army officer in the American Civil War.

Early life

Born in County Clare on the island of Ireland (the entirety of which was then part of the U.K.),[1] Griffin immigrated with his parents, John and Hannah Griffin,[2] to the British Canadian colonies in 1847, and then to Ohio in 1851.[1] He moved to Wisconsin in 1856[1] and settled in Newport, Sauk County. He attended the common schools of Ohio and Wisconsin.

On September 11, 1861, he enlisted as a private in the Union Army for service in the American Civil War. He was enrolled in Company E, 12th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, and served until the close of the war, attaining the rank of first lieutenant.[1]

He moved to Kilbourn City, Wisconsin, after the war, in 1865. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1868,[1] commencing practice in Kilbourn City. He married Emma Irene Daniels on September 6, 1871.[1][2] He was cashier of the Bank of Kilbourn from 1871 until 1876.

Political career

Portrait from Proceedings of the State Bar Association of Wisconsin Vol. 3

He served as member of the County Board of Columbia County, Wisconsin, in 1874 and 1875. He served as member of the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1876. He moved to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, in 1876, and was City attorney of Eau Claire in 1878 and 1879. He served in the Wisconsin State Senate in 1880 and 1881.[1]

He was the Department commander of the Grand Army of the Republic in 1887 and 1888. In 1894, he was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-third Congress to fill the vacancy in Wisconsin's 7th congressional district caused by the death of George B. Shaw.[1] He was reelected to the following two congresses as well, serving from November 5, 1894, to March 3, 1899. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1898.

He was appointed chairman of the State tax commission by Governor Edward Scofield on May 28, 1899.

Later life

He died of a stroke in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, on December 29, 1899.[1] He was interred in Eau Claire's Forest Hill Cemetery. In 1972, he posthumously received a single protest vote for Vice President by a disgruntled delegate in that year's Democratic National Convention.[3]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly (1875)

Wisconsin Assembly, Columbia 1st District Election, 1875[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, November 2, 1875
	Republican	Michael Griffin	911	58.36%	+7.83%
	Democratic	O. D. Coleman	650	41.64%
Plurality			261	16.72%	+15.65%
Total votes			1,561	100.0%	-7.30%
	Republican hold

Wisconsin Senate (1879)

Wisconsin Senate, 30th District Election, 1879[5]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, November 4, 1879
	Republican	Michael Griffin	4,374	68.06%	+11.38%
	Democratic	W. H. Smith	1,726	26.86%	-16.47%
	Greenback	Joel Foster	327	5.09%
Plurality			2,648	41.20%	+27.85%
Total votes			6,427	100.0%	-8.43%
	Republican hold

U.S. House of Representatives (1894, 1896)

Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District Special Election, 1894[6]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Special Election, November 6, 1894
	Republican	Michael Griffin	17,766	57.77%	+9.25%
	Democratic	George W. Levis	9,992	32.49%	-8.85%
	Populist	Clement H. Van Wormer	1,619	5.26%	+0.29%
	Prohibition	Edward Berg	1,249	4.06%	-1.11%
	Independent	William F. Button	125	0.41%
		Scattering	1	0.00%
Plurality			7,774	25.28%	+27.85%
Total votes			30,752	100.0%	-2.76%
	Republican hold

Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District Election, 1894[7]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, November 6, 1894
	Republican	Michael Griffin	17,489	57.36%	-0.41%
	Democratic	George W. Levis	9,996	32.78%	+0.29%
	Populist	Clement H. Van Wormer	1,626	5.33%	+0.07%
	Prohibition	Edward Berg	1,250	4.10%	+0.04%
	Independent	William F. Button	128	0.42%	+0.01%
		Scattering	1	0.00%
Plurality			7,493	24.58%	-0.70%
Total votes			30,490	100.0%	-0.85%
	Republican hold

Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District Election, 1896[8]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, November 3, 1896
	Republican	Michael Griffin (incumbent)	24,073	65.80%	+8.44%
	Democratic	Caleb M. Hilliard	11,718	32.03%	-0.75%
	Prohibition	James H. Moseley	791	2.16%	+0.07%
		Scattering	1	0.00%
Plurality			12,355	33.77%	+9.20%
Total votes			36,583	100.0%	+19.98%
	Republican hold

References

"Death of Gen. Griffin". Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. December 30, 1899. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
"Wisconsin, Marriages, 1836-1930," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRL3-3Z7 Archived May 31, 2020, at the Wayback Machine : accessed September 20, 2015), Michael Griffin and Emma I. Daniels, September 6, 1871; citing reference 02131; FHL microfilm 1,275,882.
"Our Campaigns - US Vice President - D Convention Race - Jul 10, 1972". www.ourcampaigns.com. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
Bashford, R. M., ed. (1876). "Official Directory" (PDF). The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 462. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
Warner, Hans B., ed. (1880). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 506. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
"Wisconsin U.S. House Elections, 1848–2008" (PDF). Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 5, 2012. Retrieved January 23, 2022 – via Wayback Machine.
Casson, Henry, ed. (1895). "Biographical" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 659. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
Casson, Henry, ed. (1897). "Biographical" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 654. Retrieved January 23, 2022.

External links

United States Congress. "Michael Griffin (id: G000464)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
Michael Griffin at Find a Grave

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[Obit-1] "Death of Gen. Griffin". Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. December 30, 1899. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.

[Marriage-2] "Wisconsin, Marriages, 1836-1930," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRL3-3Z7 Archived May 31, 2020, at the Wayback Machine : accessed September 20, 2015), Michael Griffin and Emma I. Daniels, September 6, 1871; citing reference 02131; FHL microfilm 1,275,882.

[3] "Our Campaigns - US Vice President - D Convention Race - Jul 10, 1972". www.ourcampaigns.com. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2022.

[1876bio-4] Bashford, R. M., ed. (1876). "Official Directory" (PDF). The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 462. Retrieved January 23, 2022.

[1880bio-5] Warner, Hans B., ed. (1880). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 506. Retrieved January 23, 2022.

[humphrey-6] "Wisconsin U.S. House Elections, 1848–2008" (PDF). Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 5, 2012. Retrieved January 23, 2022 – via Wayback Machine.

[1895bio-7] Casson, Henry, ed. (1895). "Biographical" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 659. Retrieved January 23, 2022.

[1897bio-8] Casson, Henry, ed. (1897). "Biographical" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 654. Retrieved January 23, 2022.