Armer And Griffin Family History, Part 1/3

Descriptive

Part OfArmer and Griffin Family History Oral HistoryIntervieweeEdgar A. ArmerInterviewerJoyce McBrideBrowse TopicBusiness and IndustryCommunity GroupsLand, Environment, and Natural ResourcesSociety and CultureSubjectOral historiesArizona HistoryArizona History 19th centuryArizona History 20th CenturyGila County (Ariz.)BiographyCattle--West (U.S.)--HistoryRanching History of Gila CountyRanch managers--ArizonaSalt River Watershed (Ariz.)Post offices--Arizona--1890-1910Roosevelt dam (Ariz.)Livingston (Ariz.)Gallaudet CollegeDescriptionPart 1: Edgar Armer tells the story of his ancestor, Charles Clifford Griffin, a proper Easterner who was deaf, coming alone as a young man by train and stage coach to Globe, Arizona. We are fortunate that Mr. Griffin kept a journal of his life as it gives us his unique impressions of Arizona in the mid to late 1880's. After learning the cattle business working for the Aztec Cattle Company a few years, he returned to the Salt River Basin and established a ranch. After a horse accident in the river, he was rescued by his neighbor and consequently met young Laura Belle Hawker. She had another suitor, Frank Armer, but her father ran him off. Laura Belle and Clifford Griffin were married at the Hawker ranch in 1888, their 2-day wedding celebration being the largest in the Territory with many honored guests, including the governor of Arizona Territory, neighbor George Hunt. The Griffins developed a large herd of cattle on their Bar B Bar Ranch, and also bought a livery stable and a mercantile store in Livingston. Clifford Griffin bought the store in Pinto Creek as well. They also sold produce and pigs from their large cultivated farmland to the workers building the Roosevelt Dam and to the mining town of Globe and Miami, AZ. In 1906, when the dam was completed and the water started to fill, the US government bought their land and businesses. Clifford traded the Pinto Creek store for the ZT's in Young, and moved his young family to that ranch. As their daughters completed high school, Clifford and Laura Belle sold the ranch and moved to Tempe so the younger ones could attend Tempe Normal School. Clifford returned to Roosevelt, bought land and built another house, the moved again to Gisela. In 1910 he and a partner, Frank Cline, bought the 76 Quarter Circle Ranch at Rye and Tonto Creek. Clifford Griffin stayed on that ranch until 1937 when he became ill and needed to move into Globe. He kept the ranch, so after he died in 1943, Grandma Griffin lived there until she died in 1958. Ed Armer describes fondly the unique attributes of his grandfather who courageously overcame physical handicap and lived a very successful and affluent personal life. Two of their daughters married the younger Armer brothers of Laura Belle's suitor, Frank Armer. So the Armers and the Griffins are forever together.Audio Length00:22:45Date Original2010-03-22Date Range1860s (1860-1869)1870s (1870-1879)1880s (1880-1889)1890s (1890-1899)1900s (1900-1909)1910s (1910-1919)1920s (1920-1929)1930s (1930-1939)TypeSound- NonmusicalOriginal FormatOral historiesLanguageEnglishContributing InstitutionArizona Heritage Research FoundationCollectionOral Histories of Gila County RanchersRights StatementThe opinions expressed in this interview are those of the interviewee only. They do not represent the views of the Arizona Heritage Research Foundation, the Gila Co. Historical Museum or the Arizona State Library. Please contact the Arizona Heritage Research Foundation with questions about the use and reproduction of this resource.

Geographic

CountyGila CountyStateArizonaCountryUnited States

Oral HistoryArmer and Griffin Family

Administrative

IdentifierArmer and Griffin Family History, Part 1.mp3Date Digitized2010-03-22Digital FormatMP3

39.mp3

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Armer And Griffin Family History, Part 1/3