Burrell G. Griggs (Paternal Side)

Burrell G. Griggs, was born May 14, 1872 in Chesterfield County, SC and died July 24, 1939. He is buried beside his wife, Jemima ‘Mima’ Ann in the Cedar Creek Church cemetery in Chesterfield County, SC.

His mother was Ann Eliza Griggs, born December 10, 1853, and died September 12, 1913 in Chesterfield Country SC. Ann Eliza’s father was Lemuel ‘Lam’ or ‘Lamb’ Griggs who was born in 1805 and died in 1890. Her mother was Mary Ann Lundy, born December 6, 1816 in Darlington County, SC, the daughter of James Lundy. The 1850 US Census lists her as Mary Ann Lundy, 34 years of age – wife of Lemuel Griggs, 46 years of age.

Ann Eliza had five sisters and four brothers:

• Sara Ann – born November 30, 1836; died unknown; married John Tyner, Jr.
• Frances ‘Frankie’ – born April 8, 1839; died February 18, 1906; married Ellison A. Lundy
• James Madison ‘Jim’ – born June 26, 1841; died August 21, 1917; married Eugenia Philyaw
• Elizabeth – born November 12, 1843; died unknown; married James P. Polk
• Robert N. ‘Bob’ – born April 15, 1847; died February 11, 1918; married Silla Gainey
• Lemuel – born January 16, 1849; died unknown
• Ann Eliza – born December 1853; died September 12, 1913; married Rubin ‘Rube’ Gainey and later married Thomas W. ‘Tom’ Kelly
• Clement Glen – born May 2, 1856; died unknown; married Ann Liza Teal
• Patrick – born January 10, 1856; died unknown
• Mary Ann – born February 22, 1859; died unknown

The circumstances surrounding the birth, childhood and development of Burrell is sketchy at best. However, the following is what was told to Lidge (Jenkins) Johnson by his mother, Grace Griggs Johnson and Aunt Pauline Griggs Chapman.

‘Burrell’s father was Rubin ‘Rube’ Gainey and his stepfather was Tom Kelly. Burrell never saw his father. However, his father came to see him one time when he was a baby. He was disguised as a ‘rag-man’ because he was wanted by the law for killing his sister’s husband who was said to be an extremely mean, cruel man who would ‘string’ her up and beat her. At the time Rube shot and killed Jones, Ann Eliza was about eight months pregnant. When the child was born, Burrell had a bullet hole mark below his heart. Also the son of this boy had a mark in the same place. The first boy or nephew of ‘Rube’ Gainey was named Jim Jones, also known as ‘Babe’ and married Ola Johnson, the sister of my father, Ollie E. Johnson and they had one daughter, Elouise Jones. ‘Babe’ had been married before and had children older than ‘Ola.’

Burrell Griggs was not raised by his mother, Ann Eliza and stepfather, Tom Kelly, but by Sara P. Johnson, wife of J. Warren Johnson. Research indicates that Sarah or ‘Sally,’ or ‘Aunt Sally,’ as she was known by Burrell’s children, was born September 18, 1862, the daughter of Elizabeth Griggs Polk (Burrell’s mother’s sister) and her husband James P. Polk (he died February 4, 1937).

Sarah P. ‘Sally’ and her husband J. Warren Johnson, lived a short distance from the current Cedar Creek Church where they are buried very close to Burrell and his wife ‘Mima’. They had lived nearby on Underground Branch Road. Uncle BG Griggs thinks that Aunt Sally was married before she married L. Warren Johnson, probably to a Teal. She and J. Warren had several sons – Ike, Cord and others.

Although little is known about his early childhood and his youth, Burrell matured into a solid man of high principles, strong religious and family values, and work ethics which were maintained through his entire adult life and were passed on to his family. He loved God, family and country which is evident in the things he did with his life. Never a man of great wealth, he provided for his family’s needs. He educated, clothed, sheltered and fed them well for the times. There were no stories of wants or needs being missed by this great man. He knew what he was about and what he had to do, and he did it.

On February 13, 1894, Burrell married Jemima Ann ‘Mima’ Teal, daughter of Mary Patience Ousley Clark Teal and John A. Teal. Jemima was born July 10, 1879 in Chesterfield County SC and had three sisters, one brother, four step brothers and one step sister. Her mother’s first husband was Alexander Clark, who was killed in the Civil War.