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JOSEPH LAMAR GRIFFITTS
Vol. 5, p. 1813

During the twenty years since his admission to the bar in Tennessee,
fifteen of which have been spent in Oklahoma, Joseph L. Griffitts has
employed his talent and abilities in such a way as to place him among
the front rank of Oklahoma lawyers, and he has the chief practice in
his home Town of Buffalo, Harper County.

His birth occurred at Friendsville, Tennessee, July 23, 1864 and he
represents old and prominent family stock of that state. His parents
were John W. and Mary Elizabeth (DONALDSON) Griffitts. His
grandfather, Manuel Griffiths, was a native of Virginia, and married
a Georgia girl.

John W. Griffitts, who was born in Kentucky, June 13, 1831, and died
December 18, 1909, spent his active lifetime as a farmer in
Tennessee. He was also prominent in local affairs, and for twenty
years was a member of the County Court of Loudon County, Tennessee,
having filled that office up to the time of his death. He served as
an elder in the Presbyterian Church forty years. He was married in
1856 to Mary Elizabeth DONALDSON, who was born February 3, 1839, in
Tennessee, and died January 16, 1897. She became the mother of eight
children, five sons and three daughters; James Henry, who was born
July 16, 1857; Nancy Elizabeth, born September 15, 1859, was married
in 1886 to Samuel S. HUTSELL, and is now a resident at Sweetwater,
Tennessee; Thomas Nelson, born September 26, 1861, is a farmer at
Lenoir City, Tennessee; Joseph L. was the fourth in age; Stephen
Alexander was born January 22 1866, and died August 18, 1913; Jacob
Lafayette, born May 20, 1868, is a minister of the Methodist
Episcopal Church South at Cedar Keys, Florida; Lucinda Jane, born
July 11, 1875, died November 28, 1903; Nora Blanche was born March
20, 1877, and is still single.

Joseph Lamar Griffitts completed his early education in Maryville
College at Maryville, Tennessee. His early life was taken up with
varied labors and employments, until he realized his ambition to
study law. He read his text books at Loudon, Tennessee, until 1895,
and was then admitted to practice in all the courts of the state.
From Tennessee he came to Oklahoma in 1900, and began practice at
Tonkawa. While there he served as police judge until 1905 and was
elected city attorney in 1907. However, in the same year, he resigned
that office and moved to Buffalo, and after statehood was elected the
first county judge of Harper County. That office he filled with
distinction and credit for three years and two months. Since then he
has applied all his time and energies to his large private practice
at Buffalo. He is a democrat, and is affiliated with the Masonic
Order.

At Alva, Oklahoma, February 5, 1909, Judge Griffitts married Miss
Grace PENNINGTON. She was born February 11, 1880, in Wabaunsee
County, Kansas, a daughter of J. W. and Catherine Pennington, who
were natives of Illinois. Mrs. Griffitts prior to her marriage was
for four years a teacher in the public schools of Dewey County,
Oklahoma. To their union have been born three daughters and one son;
Guendolen Grace, Josephine L., Cassius Lamar and Muriel Elaine.

Typed for OKGenWeb by Carole McAnally, August 6, 1999.

SOURCE: Thoburn, Joseph B., A Standard History of Oklahoma, An
Authentic Narrative of its Development, 5 v. (Chicago, New York: The
American Historical Society, 1916).

[NOTE: 03-21-2000 Rhodley Lewington Alden writes - Joseph Griffitts,
born July 23, 1864 left TN for OK in 1900 where he practiced law at
Tonkawa, served as police judge and city attorney. He later moved to
Buffalo, OK where he was elected the first county judge of Harper
County. In 1909 he married Grace Pennington. They had four children:
Guendolen, Josephine, Cassius and Muriel. (email addy for Rhodley was
bouncing and has been removed)