Michael Griffin (Wisconsin politician)

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Michael Griffin
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Wisconsin's 7th district
In office
November 5, 1894 – March 3, 1899
Preceded byGeorge B. Shaw
Succeeded byJohn J. Esch
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 30th district
In office
January 1, 1880 – January 1, 1882
Preceded byAbraham D. Andrews
Succeeded byRockwell J. Flint
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the Columbia 1st district
In office
January 1, 1876 – January 1, 1877
Preceded byMarcus Barden
Succeeded byDavid Owen
Personal details
Born(1842-09-09)September 9, 1842
County Clare, Ireland, U.K.
DiedDecember 29, 1899(1899-12-29) (aged 57)
Eau Claire, Wisconsin, U.S.
Cause of deathStroke
Resting placeForest Hill Cemetery
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Political partyRepublican
Spouses
  • Emma Irene Daniels
  • (m. 1871)
Parents
  • John Griffin (father)
  • Hannah Griffin (mother)
Signature
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Volunteers
Union Army
Years of service1861–1865
Rank1st Lieutenant, USV
Unit12th Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

Michael Griffin (September 9, 1842 – December 29, 1899) was an Irish American immigrant, lawyer, and politician. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin, and served in the Wisconsin Legislature. As a young man, he served as a Union Army officer in the American Civil War.

Early life[edit]

Born in County Clare on the island of Ireland (the entirety of which was then part of the U.K.),[1] Griffin immigrated with his parents, John and Hannah Griffin,[2] to the British Canadian colonies in 1847, and then to Ohio in 1851.[1] He moved to Wisconsin in 1856[1] and settled in Newport, Sauk County. He attended the common schools of Ohio and Wisconsin.

On September 11, 1861, he enlisted as a private in the Union Army for service in the American Civil War. He was enrolled in Company E, 12th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, and served until the close of the war, attaining the rank of first lieutenant.[1]

He moved to Kilbourn City, Wisconsin, after the war, in 1865. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1868,[1] commencing practice in Kilbourn City. He married Emma Irene Daniels on September 6, 1871.[1][2] He was cashier of the Bank of Kilbourn from 1871 until 1876.

Political career[edit]

Portrait from Proceedings of the State Bar Association of Wisconsin Vol. 3

He served as member of the County Board of Columbia County, Wisconsin, in 1874 and 1875. He served as member of the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1876. He moved to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, in 1876, and was City attorney of Eau Claire in 1878 and 1879. He served in the Wisconsin State Senate in 1880 and 1881.[1]

He was the Department commander of the Grand Army of the Republic in 1887 and 1888. In 1894, he was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-third Congress to fill the vacancy in Wisconsin's 7th congressional district caused by the death of George B. Shaw.[1] He was reelected to the following two congresses as well, serving from November 5, 1894, to March 3, 1899. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1898.

He was appointed chairman of the State tax commission by Governor Edward Scofield on May 28, 1899.

Later life[edit]

He died of a stroke in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, on December 29, 1899.[1] He was interred in Eau Claire's Forest Hill Cemetery. In 1972, he posthumously received a single protest vote for Vice President by a disgruntled delegate in that year's Democratic National Convention.[3]

Electoral history[edit]

Wisconsin Assembly (1875)[edit]

Wisconsin Assembly, Columbia 1st District Election, 1875[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 2, 1875
Republican Michael Griffin 911 58.36% +7.83%
Democratic O. D. Coleman 650 41.64%
Plurality 261 16.72% +15.65%
Total votes 1,561 100.0% -7.30%
Republican hold

Wisconsin Senate (1879)[edit]

Wisconsin Senate, 30th District Election, 1879[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 4, 1879
Republican Michael Griffin 4,374 68.06% +11.38%
Democratic W. H. Smith 1,726 26.86% -16.47%
Greenback Joel Foster 327 5.09%
Plurality 2,648 41.20% +27.85%
Total votes 6,427 100.0% -8.43%
Republican hold

U.S. House of Representatives (1894, 1896)[edit]

Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District Special Election, 1894[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Special Election, November 6, 1894
Republican Michael Griffin 17,766 57.77% +9.25%
Democratic George W. Levis 9,992 32.49% -8.85%
Populist Clement H. Van Wormer 1,619 5.26% +0.29%
Prohibition Edward Berg 1,249 4.06% -1.11%
Independent William F. Button 125 0.41%
Scattering 1 0.00%
Plurality 7,774 25.28% +27.85%
Total votes 30,752 100.0% -2.76%
Republican hold
Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District Election, 1894[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 6, 1894
Republican Michael Griffin 17,489 57.36% -0.41%
Democratic George W. Levis 9,996 32.78% +0.29%
Populist Clement H. Van Wormer 1,626 5.33% +0.07%
Prohibition Edward Berg 1,250 4.10% +0.04%
Independent William F. Button 128 0.42% +0.01%
Scattering 1 0.00%
Plurality 7,493 24.58% -0.70%
Total votes 30,490 100.0% -0.85%
Republican hold
Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District Election, 1896[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 3, 1896
Republican Michael Griffin (incumbent) 24,073 65.80% +8.44%
Democratic Caleb M. Hilliard 11,718 32.03% -0.75%
Prohibition James H. Moseley 791 2.16% +0.07%
Scattering 1 0.00%
Plurality 12,355 33.77% +9.20%
Total votes 36,583 100.0% +19.98%
Republican hold

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Death of Gen. Griffin". Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. December 30, 1899. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ a b "Wisconsin, Marriages, 1836-1930," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRL3-3Z7 Archived May 31, 2020, at the Wayback Machine : accessed September 20, 2015), Michael Griffin and Emma I. Daniels, September 6, 1871; citing reference 02131; FHL microfilm 1,275,882.
  3. ^ "Our Campaigns - US Vice President - D Convention Race - Jul 10, 1972". www.ourcampaigns.com. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  4. ^ Bashford, R. M., ed. (1876). "Official Directory" (PDF). The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 462. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  5. ^ Warner, Hans B., ed. (1880). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 506. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  6. ^ "Wisconsin U.S. House Elections, 1848–2008" (PDF). Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 5, 2012. Retrieved January 23, 2022 – via Wayback Machine.
  7. ^ Casson, Henry, ed. (1895). "Biographical" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 659. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  8. ^ Casson, Henry, ed. (1897). "Biographical" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 654. Retrieved January 23, 2022.

External links[edit]

Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by
Marcus Barden
 Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Columbia 1st district
January 1, 1876 – January 1, 1877 		Succeeded by
Wisconsin Senate
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 30th district
1880 – 1882 		Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Wisconsin's 7th congressional district
November 5, 1894 – March 3, 1899 		Succeeded by
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