gift

Tappan Presb. Assoc.

2-3-1933

MEMOIR OF REV. DOCTOR GRIFFIN.

CHAPTER I.

FROM HIS BIRTH TO THE TIME OF HIS SETTLEMENT AT NEW-HARTFORD.

EDWARD DORR GRIFFIN was born at East Haddam, Connecticut, January 6, 1770. His father was GEORGE GRIFFIN, a wealthy farmer, a man of a vigorous intellect, of great enterprise, and of a superior education for a common one of that day. His mother was EVE DORR, of Lyme, and is said to have been distinguished for her lovely and engaging qualities. She belonged to a family strongly marked by good sense, and extensively known in the civil history both of the state and nation.* He had two brothers, (Col. JOSIAH GRIFFIN, of East Haddam, and George GRIFFIN, Esq. an eminent lawyer of the city of New-York,) and five sisters, all of whom were married. He was named after

* Her mother was a sister of the first Governor GRISWOLD. VOL. I.

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his uncle, the Reverend EDWARD DORR, of Hartford, and was, in the intention of his parents, devoted to the ministry from his birth; a circumstance which was certainly somewhat singular, as neither of his parents at that time made any pretensions to piety. His uncle, who married a daughter of Governor TALCOTT, but had no children, would probably have educated him if he had lived, but he was removed during his nephew's infancy.

As he was intended for the ministry, and withal was incapacitated by bodily indisposition to labour much upon the farm, he was kept almost constantly at school up to the time of his entering college. His preparatory studies were chiefly under the Reverend JOSEPH VAILL, of Hadlyme, towards whom he continued till the close of life to cherish the most grateful and filial veneration.

In September, 1786, he became a member of Yale College. Here he distinguished himself in every department of study, and gave unequivocal indications of a commanding and splendid intellect. He graduated with the highest honors of his class, in 1790.

While he was at home during one of his college vacations, a circumstance occurred by means of which he had well nigh lost his life. His father had a fine young horse, whose spirit no one had been able to subdue. Edward mounted him, rode him for several hours, and returned in high spirits, declaring that he would have him for his Bucephalus. Shortly after he mounted him a second time, upon which the horse instantly stood erect upon his hind feet,