Died May 17, 1929
E.C. GRIFFIN, RETIRED NILES BUSINESS MAN, IS TAKEN BY DEATH
In the passing of Edwin Clarence Griffin, early this morning, Niles mourns the loss of a man whose whole life was been an expression of his love for his community. He was born in Niles, a member of a prominent pioneer family, his father having been Eli Griffin, a major in the Union army who gave his life during the Civil war, and his mother, Harriet Nichols Griffin, of an old Massachusetts family.
Mr. Griffin was in the drug business here for over forty years. He was actively concerned in the building up of a new Niles, being an officer in the Business Men's association which brought many of our present manufacturies here, and also an officer in several building and loan associations.
He was a member of Trinity Episcopal church, and long connected with Niles Commandery Council, chapter and Blue Lodge. He was secretary of the chapter for 38 years, very energetic in the Masonic Temple association and extremely interested in the organization of the De Molay chapter.
Mr. Griffin married Clara Jane Woodruff, the daughter of D.O. Woodruff, long a leader of civic enterprises in Niles, who was a member of the school board and of Trinity vestry for several decades. To her, the object of a life-times' devotion on the part of her husband and also to their two daughters is extended the sympathy of hundreds of loving friends. The daughters are Mrs. Harriet Haisley, wife of O.W. Haisley, superintendent of schools in Ann Arbor, and Miss Jeanne Griffin of the Kalamazoo public library. Miss Griffin is now traveling in Spain, and cannot be reached at this time.
Funeral services will be held at Trinity church on Sunday afternoon at 3:30. The ritual at Silverbrook cemetery will be conducted by the Blue Lodge, the members of the Niles commandery acting as escort.
(Source: Niles Daily Star, Friday, May 17, 1929, page 1, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library)