Levi T. Griffin | |
|---|---|
.jpg) From 1894'sTo Wit: Department of Law, University of Michigan | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's1st district | |
| In office December 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895 | |
| Preceded by | John L. Chipman |
| Succeeded by | John B. Corliss |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1837-05-23)May 23, 1837 |
| Died | March 17, 1906(1906-03-17) (aged 68) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Mary Cabot Wickware (after 1867) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Michigan Law School |
Levi Thomas Griffin (May 23, 1837 – March 17, 1906) was a politician from theU.S. state ofMichigan.
Griffin, born inClinton, Oneida County, New York, was named for his maternal grandfather, Levi Thomas ofUtica, New York. He moved with his parents toRochester, Michigan, in the fall of 1847. He graduated from theUniversity of Michigan Law School atAnn Arbor in 1857. While studying for thebar inDetroit, he was employed as a court deputy in theFederal District Court through the assistance of a fellow University of Michigan alumnus, William A. Moore, who was then AssistantUnited States District Attorney. Griffin was admitted to thebar in May 1858 and in November moved toGrand Rapids, where he begin to practice in the office of prominent Western Michigan lawyer Lucius Patterson. After a fire destroyed the offices in April 1860, along with most of the records ofKent County, Griffin returned to Detroit where he was employed in the law offices of Moore until January 1862, when they formed a partnership named "Moore and Griffin".
Griffin was commissioned by GovernorAustin Blair, asSupernumerarySecond Lieutenant in Company C of theFourth Michigan Cavalry, and was mustered into service on August 13, 1862. He was promoted to full Second Lieutenant on December 18 and assigned to duty as Brigade Inspector. On February 1, 1863, he was promoted toFirst Lieutenant, and then on April 15 as regimentalAdjutant. On February 24, 1864, he was commissioned asCaptain, and on September 15 was assigned as Acting AssistantAdjutant General of theSecond Cavalry Division. On December 25, he became Acting AssistantAdjutant General of the Cavalry Corps of theMilitary Division of the Mississippi, with Major GeneralJames H. Wilson commanding. He was mustered out of service on July 1, 1865, and was subsequentlybrevettedmajor ofUnited States Volunteers by PresidentAndrew Johnson on March 13, 1866, for gallant and meritorious service during theAmerican Civil War.
After the war, Griffin returned to practice law in Detroit in his partnership with William A. Moore. On September 1, 1875, he formed a new partnership withDonald M. Dickinson under the name "Griffin and Dickinson". In 1883, he formed a new partnership, "Griffin & Warner", with Carlos E. Warner, who had become a partner with Moore after Griffin left. In 1888, the firm became "Griffin, Warner, Hunt & Berry". In 1890, when Berry retired and Hunt was elected assistant prosecuting attorney for Detroit, the firm's name returned to "Griffin & Warner". The firm was dissolved January 1, 1896.
Griffin was the Fletcher professor of law in theUniversity of Michigan Law School 1886–1897. He was an unsuccessful candidate for theMichigan Supreme Court in 1887.
In November 1893, Griffin was elected aDemocrat fromMichigan's 1st congressional district to the53rd Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death ofJohn Logan Chipman, serving from December 4, 1893, to March 3, 1895. He was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election in 1894, losing toRepublicanJohn Blaisdell Corliss.
Levi Griffin resumed the practice of his profession and became pension agent in 1896 and 1897. He died in Detroit and was interred inWoodmere Cemetery.
In 1873, he converted fromPresbyterian toEpiscopalian, being confirmed inSt. John's Episcopal Church. He was married October 8, 1867, to Mary Cabot Wickware of Detroit. They raised three children: William, Laura Moore, and Mary McClaren Griffin.
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | United States Representative for the 1st Congressional District of Michigan 1893–1895 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
