William Patton Griffith

Colonel William Patton Griffith, Past
Commander of New York Department and
leader in the Grand Army of the Republic was
born in Washington, D.C.. July 22, 1843 and
answered the last roll call January 16, 1936 at the
age of 92.

Col. Griffith served in the Civil war from the
beginning to the end in the 102nd Pennsylvania
Veteran Volunteers.

For mor than 50 years he worked on the editorial
staff of the “New York Herald”, “The Sun”,
“The Evening World” and others.

Col. Griffith was probably Brooklyn’s best
known Civil War veteran. He was the last
Deputy City Clerk of the city and had been Clerk
of the Supreme Court in Brooklyn for many years, retiring when he reached his seventies.

In 1932, with the revival of the Revolutionary Order of the Purple Heart, originated by George
Washington, for wounded veterans, Col. Griffith received this award, the first Civil War veteran
to be so honored.

Col. Griffith’s wife died in 1925 and only two of his seven children survive him. Edwin Griffith
and Mable Griffith, both of Brooklyn.

Source:
New York Dept. Woman’s Relief Corps (Aux. to the GAR) 1936 Journal
Submitted by Lorraine Orton, PDP.