George W. Griffiths
George W. Griffiths, postmaster at Gomer, has lived in this, his native place, during his whole life, having been absent only during his college course at the Ohio Normal University at Ada. He was born November 3, 1868, and is a son of Robert W. and Martha (Evans) Griffiths, and a grandson of Robert Griffiths.
The Griffiths family belonged to North Wales, where the father of our subject was born in 1829. He was 12 years old when he accompanied his parents to America. They settled in Butler County and Robert W. Griffiths remained at home until about 1853, when, with wife and two children, he came to Allen County. In 1859 he bought a farm north of Gomer and in 1864 he moved to Gomer and founded the mercantile business which his son now conducts. He was a consistent, Christian man, one of the pillars of the Welsh Congregational Church. His influence in the community was a very beneficial one. It was known through the village that the neighbors would find a welcome in his place of business, as gatherings of a social and public character were usual in the local stores in his day, but that Mr. Griffiths would tolerate only orderly gatherings and great temperance in speech. He was a man who was consistent and his fellow-citizens held him in the highest esteem. He sold his business to his son and retired to private life some time before his decease, which occurred January 7, 1904, at the age of 74 years.
The mother of our subject, Martha (Evans) Griffiths, was born at Paddy's Run, Butler County, Ohio, and died in 1884, aged 51 years. She was a daughter of John Evans, who was a farmer and weaver and a native of Wales. John Evans had 13 children, 12 of whom lived to maturity. The parents of our subject had a family of 10 children, as follows: Ella J., wife of W. H. Clevenger, of Gomer; Anna Bell, who died aged seven years; Ida May, of Fort Wayne, Indiana; Sarah, deceased; Russell J., secretary of the Dayton, Ohio; Euphemia C., wife of Thomas Peats, of Lima; Nora E., who died in Philadelphia in 1886; Margaret A., connected with the State Hospital for the Insane at Toledo; George W., and Katherine B., wife of A. E. Seefert, of Los Angeles, California.
Since 1892 George W. Griffiths has been postmaster at Gomer during each Republican administration. In the same year, in partnership with his brother- in- law, Thomas Peats, he purchased his father's mercantile business and for two years it was conducted under the firm name of Griffiths & Peats, and then Mr. Griffiths became sole owner. He has always been a stanch supporter of the Republican party, and has served four years as township clerk and is serving his second term as township treasurer. He is a member of the Gomer Presbyterian Church, of which he is treasurer.
In 1889 Mr. Griffiths was married to Susan Davis, a native of Wales, who came here when six years old with her parents, John R. and Ann Davis. Mr. and Mrs. Griffiths have these children: Ray, Martha, Ruth, Nora, Gladys, Clayton, Gertrude and Mildred.
Mr. Griffiths is one of the enterprising and successful men of the community, one whose public spirit is shown in his hearty interest in movements designed for the general public welfare. His public as well as private life marks him as a man of honor, ability and fidelity to the interests placed in his charge.