Mary E. Griffing
Chenango Union, March 18, 1880
About half-past four o'clock on Saturday morning last, the fire alarm sounded with unusual clearness, and aroused many a sound sleeper, who hurried towards the center of the village, to ascertain the cause. No light was visible, and many thought it was a false alarm. But when the steamer was dragged to the park reservoir, and two lines of hose laid across East side Park, and down East Main Street, it was evident that there was business ahead. A crowd was collecting in front of and around the residence of Mrs. Mary E. Griffing, opposite the piano block, and smoke was seen issuing from the south east corner of the building. Horror was depicted upon every countenance, as the report went like an electric shock through the crowd, that it was Mrs. Griffing's bedroom that was on fire, and that that lady was burning in her bed. Parties were present who had entered her room, seen her in bed, and attempted to draw the bed towards the window through which they had entered the apartment, but were driven back by the flames. While the fire was rapidly gaining headway, and the crowd were waiting with feverish impatience the arrival of water--which was long delayed by the imperfect working of the steamer--it was reported that Mrs. Lull, the aged and invalid mother of Mrs. Griffing, was in her room on the second floor. The alarm was given, and a rush made for the front doors, the outer ones of which were open, but the inner doors of the vestibule were fastened. These were at once forced open, when those in the advance on entering the hall were horrified upon stumbling over the prostrate form of a person, which, when torches were brought in, proved to be the body of Mrs. Griffing, which was lying upon the east side of the hall, with her head within two or three feet of the closed door of the partition which divides the front from the rear hall, and her feet towards the front door. The body was nude, with the exception of stockings upon her feet, and the remains of a night dress about the upper part of her person. Feathers and the remains of a pillow case were near her, and were on fire. She was burned to a crisp about her neck and chest, her hands and arms badly burned and blistered, while her face was less severely burned, having probably been protected by the pillow which she held to her face while fleeing from her burning room, through the rear hall, to that in front. The remains were wrapped in bed clothing, placed upon a sofa, and conveyed to the residence of N.P. Wheeler.
Search for Mrs. Lull was continued, but so dense had the smoke become in the upper hall that those who made the attempt to reach her room--which was on the northeast corner of the second floor--were compelled to creep close to the floor, and in this manner they succeeded in reaching her door, which was closed. Upon opening it, but little smoke was found within, and the old lady was sleeping soundly. She was aroused, and was carried from the building, to the residence of S.R. Follett, one door west. Miss Conkling was also conducted to Mr. Follett's residence in an exhausted condition. In the meantime the fire was making slow but sure progress in the room where it originated, although two streams were thrown through the windows, and finally the hose was laid through the front door and to the room. Towards six o'clock it was thought the fire was under control, and would not extend much beyond Mrs. Griffing's room, but owing to the peculiar construction of the building, this proved to be a mistake. Inside of the brick walls are strips of furring or joists, some eight inches in thickness, upon which the lath for the plastering is nailed, thus creating flues between the two walls, which conducted the flames to Miss Conklin's room above, and from thence to the attic--one large room, the size of the entire main building, filled with various articles of more or less value. Here the flames had abundant material upon which to feed, and the whole was soon in a blaze, with the flames bursting through the roof. The wing, containing the kitchen, etc., was also on fire. Three streams were now in use, and the firemen worked bravely until about seven o'clock when the order was given to "take up"--the fire was extinguished, leaving the east portion of the building badly burned, the roof a complete wreck, and the structure throughout much damaged by water and smoke. The furniture was all removed, but much of it was broken or injured by careless handling, while many smaller articles, it is said, were carried away by some who assisted in the hasty removal.
The building, which is of brick, was one of the finest and most substantial residences in town. It was erected by Mr. Griffing, some thirty-five years ago, and has been occupied by his family since. There was an insurance of $4,000 upon it, and the loss is variously estimated at from $4,000 to $5,000. There was no insurance upon the furniture.
David Griffing, who during his life was one of our prominent business men, died in 1872, and the household at the time of the accident consisted of his widow, Mrs. Mary E. Griffing; her aged mother, the widow of the late Dr. Lull; her sister, Miss Kate Conkling; Ellen Beans, a servant girl, and Charles B. Cannon, a clerk in the Bank, who had rooms in the house. Jasper R. Griffing, son of the deceased, was absent from hone at the time of the fire. Deceased was the second wife of the late David Griffing, to whom she was married in Syracuse, May 31st, 1848. At that time she was a widow, her first husband, Mr. Blossom, having died some years previous. A devoted wife, a fond and indulgent mother, a kind neighbor, and a sincere Christian lady, she was beloved by those who knew her intimately, and her many acts of kindness and benevolence had endeared her to a large class who will sadly miss her. In the social circle her loss will be deeply felt, while the society of Emmanuel Chruch, of which she was a zealous member, will sincerely mourn her shocking death. But one of her four children --Jasper R. Grififng--survives her. Her age was fifty-seven years. Her funeral was attended at Emmanuel Church, on Monday afternoon, the Rector, Rev. E. Hayard Smith, conducting the services. Sympathizing friends and neighbors gathered there to pay the last say tribute to her memory.
From the statement of Miss Conkling, and the evidence of Miss Beans, it appears that kerosene oil was burned throughout the house; that on the night of the accident and the night previous, Mrs. Griffing had not used the lamp she had burned for months in her room, but was using instead an old burning fluid lamp, which had recently been fitted with a kerosene burner; that she was in the habit of reading while lying in bed for diversion, in her hours of sleeplessness and anxiety. The theory arrived at by the Coroner's jury was that she had probably been reading on Friday night; that she dropped into sleep while reading, as the glasses upon her face would indicate; that the newly modeled lamp, upon a stand on the east side of her bed, exploded, throwing the burning oil upon her breast, which was burned most; that she sprang from the west side of her bed, and ran through the west door of her room, into the rear hall, and from this to the front hall, where her body was found' that she held a pillow to her face, to prevent the inhalation of the flames, the remains of which were found near her....
David Griffing
Chenango Union, December 5, 1872
Died, at his residence in Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], on Sunday, November 24th, 1872, David Griffing, aged 75 years.
Mr. Griffing was one of the early settlers of Norwich, having come to this village to reside in 1819. then a young man, he purchased the business of the well-known David G. Bright, who with his family was about removing West. As a business man, Mr. Griffing early developed qualities of energy, intelligence and thrift, that insured his abundant success in life. Throughout his long and active career, it is not praise overmuch to say that he maintained a character for integrity and enterprise that was without a blemish. From the onset of his residence here, he was intimately and honorably identified with the growth and prosperity of the village; and it may with truth be said that he contributed far more to the advancement and welfare of the place by the number and importance of the structures he reared in our midst, and the good taste and public spirit displayed in their construction, than any other of our citizens.
But it is not alone as a man of business and wealth that Mr. Griffing is to be remembered and honored in the community in which he lived. Though scrupulously exact and just in his dealings with his fellow men, claiming rightfully what was his own, and religiously allowing to everyone else his honest due, he gave generously and at times largely of his means for charitable and Christian objects, both public and private. His subscription to the building fund of the Norwich Academy, considering his then comparatively limited circumstances, was a fine example of liberality and public spirit, as well as a fair illustration of his personal disposition and character. It is also known that Emmanuel Church, of which he was a member, during the many years that he was connected with it, and down to the day of his decease, leaned upon him financially and morally as a pillar of strength. One of his last acts, it may be mentioned, was the making of a bequest of fifteen hundred dollars to this Society, to aid in the erection of a new church edifice. Mr. Griffing was not possessed of the advantages of early education, but business and social intercourse with the world, and much of travel and reflection, had given such culture to his mind and habits, that the later years of his life were characterized by a degree of intelligence and refinement befitting his position and the high estimation in which he was universally held.
His sickness was protracted and severe, extending over a period of a year or more in which his naturally strong constitution gradually and slowly succumbed to the unrelenting approaches of disease and age; but he bore his affliction with Christian fortitude and with abiding faith in the Redeemer's promise of everlasting life. His funeral took place on Wednesday of this week, at 2 PM, and was largely attended. He leaves a widow and four children to mourn their bereavement; the two eldest of the children being by his former wife. At the time of his death, Mr. Grififng was the Senior Warden of Emmanuel Church, and also a Director of the Frist National Bank of Norwich.
Eliza Lull
Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, March 28, 1885
At her residence on Piano Street, Mrs. Eliza Lull, widow of the late Dr. Lull and the mother of the late Miss Kate Conklin and Mrs. David Griffing, died Thursday evening at 9:30. Mrs. Lull was 82 years of age. She has been a confirmed invalid for a number of years. It will be recollected that at the burning of the Grififng place, in which Mrs. Grififng perished, Mrs. Lull was with considerable difficulty rescued. From that time she has resided on Piano Street in the home purchased by Miss Conklin and left by her at the time of her death for the care of her mother. Mrs. Lull leaves surviving her a brother in Fort Plain and a sister in Parsons, Kansas. Ex-Mayor Hutchinson, of Utica, is her nephew. Her funeral will take place Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock.
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