Charnell Whitfield Middlecoff III
Male, #11617
Richard James Middlecoff
Male, #11618
Esther Marie Middlecoff
Female, #11619
Mary Claire Griffin
Female, #11620, (24 December 1905 - 3 June 2005)
| Birth* | 24 Dec 1905 | Mary was born at Goodwater, Coosa Co., Alabama, on 24 Dec 1905. |
| | She was the daughter of Robert Lewis Griffin and Mayona Willingham. |
| Census* | 1910 | She was listed as a daughterin the census report at Goodwater, Coosa Co., Alabama, in 1910. |
| Marriage* | 29 May 1931 | She married Leo Zola Jelin on 29 May 1931. |
| Married Name | 29 May 1931 | As of 29 May 1931, her married name was Jelin. |
| Residence* | 1994 | Mary resided at Glendale, Los Angeles Co., California, in 1994. |
| Biography* | | Mary Lewis wrote 2 Jan 1964 that "Claire is Chairman of their Symphony Foundation this year, active in the Garden Club & she plays tournament duplicate bridge, is a 'Life Master'...." H. Clay Griffin wrote 25 Jul 1994 that "Claire still plays tournament duplicate bridge in Glendale [CA]." Mrs. L. Z. (M. Claire Griffin) Jelin wrote Jul 1994: I'm a duplicate tournament bridge player and I still play a couple times a week. I am 88 1/2 yrs. old and in good health, have a drink of scotch every night before dinner and keep up with what's going on in this world (as if anyone knows) and some of the sports. Have been a Life Master at bridge since 1965. You know my love is costume designing, since 1930, when I had a studio on Madison Ave., in New York, and did designing for the '400' in N. Y. who were accustomed to going to Paris to have their clothes made. But this was during the depression. You know nothing about this! And they were using young American designers. I was in my early 20's at that point in time. And lived in N. Y. for ten years. It was fun in those days, seeing all the shows, opera and museums. Perfectly safe to be on the streets alone, 24 hrs. of the day & night.... My next door neighbor, when I first came to Calif. in 1943 was Wallace Rankin (an uncle of the Miss. Senator).... |
| Death* | 3 Jun 2005 | She died at Glendale, Los Angeles Co., California, on 3 Jun 2005.1 |
Leo Zola Jelin
Male, #11621, (15 March 1908 - 15 July 1988)
| Birth* | 15 Mar 1908 | Leo was born at Russia on 15 Mar 1908. |
| Marriage* | 29 May 1931 | He married Mary Claire Griffin on 29 May 1931. |
| Death* | 15 Jul 1988 | He died at Glendale, Los Angeles Co., California, on 15 Jul 1988. |
| Burial* | | His body was interred at Montevallo, Shelby Co., Alabama. |
| Biography* | | In a Jul 1994 letter Mrs. L. Z. (M. Claire Griffin) Jelin listed her husband's name as "Leo Zola Jelin." H. Clay Griffin wrote in a 25 Jul 1994 letter: I am certain that Leo Jelin was born in and escaped with his family from czarist Russia when he was about 12 years old. His ashes are buried in the Griffin family plot in Montevallo, AL.
Mary Lewis wrote in a 2 Jan 1964 letter: Leo Jelin owns 3 shopping centers (including ownership of the main stores in them)! They are called The Cracker Barrel Shopping Centers and the newest one in Pasadena [CA] is very modern, housing a grocery store and department store all in one building. The downstairs is the grocery store. Upstairs in the Dept. Store & and there are also a restaurant & drug store in the building which is enormous! |
Melba Griffin
Female, #11622, (2 April 1907 - 12 October 1996)
| Birth* | 2 Apr 1907 | Melba was born at Goodwater, Coosa Co., Alabama, on 2 Apr 1907.1 |
| | She was the daughter of Robert Lewis Griffin and Mayona Willingham. |
| Census* | 1910 | Melba was in the in 1910 census at Goodwater, Coosa Co., Alabama. |
| Residence* | | Melba resided at Pequot Lakes, Crow Wing Co., Minnesota. |
| World War II* | between 1942 and 1945 | She served in World War II between 1942 and 1945
(WAC). |
| Death* | 12 Oct 1996 | She died at Pequot Lakes, Crow Wing Co., Minnesota, on 12 Oct 1996.1 |
| Biography* | | Mrs. G. W. (Elaine DeVaughn) Mendenhall wrote in a 8 Feb 1979 letter: Melba was on the faculty there [Alabama College at Montevallo, AL?] in the foreign language department until WW II when she joined the military....
According to H. Clay Griffin in a 1 Jul 1994 phone conversation, Melba was one of the first Women's Army Corps (WAC) members and served on General Eisenhower's staff during World War II. In a 25 Jul 1994 letter, Clay added that "Melba became a Major on Gen. Eisenhower's staff." Mrs. L. Z. (M. Claire Griffin) Jelin wrote Jul 1994: About Melba Griffin First class of WACs at Ft. Des Moines, one of 6 from Ala. Head of Training Center at Ft. Oglethorpe. After attending Command & General Staff school at Leavenworth, Kan., sent to London & Paris. Served in Map room & Top Secret Dept. of the Chief Signal Office of the Communication Zone. And she bro't the first ship load of WAAC's home from the European Theatre on the New Queen Elizabeth.
The following is from p. 85 of The Bunyanland Weekly Shopper and The Brainerd Daily Dispatch for Monday, 25 Mar 1991: Women and war: then and now By STACIE MANS Special Sections Editor It was a new experience for the men in the U.S. Army in 1942. Women were admitted into the Auxiliary Army Corps, and eventually the Women's Army Corps. It was such a new experience, that one former WAC recalls an episode when a box marked "A, B, C and D cups" was sent to the mess hall. Today, women are very much a part of the U. S. armed services. They are not allowed to fight alongside the men on the front lines, but they perform support roles. The women who served in the Persian Gulf War were the focus of many feature stories: our first female POW, women on the battle front, effects of their service on the folks at home. But women also played a very large part in a much bigger war over 45 years ago.... Melba Griffin, Perquot Lakes, volunteered for the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps in 1942. She had been teaching in a small Alabama town and was among the first to sign up. "We were guinea pigs," said Griffin. "There had never been women in the Army Corps." She recalls that the men didn't adjust easily. "The instinct was to hold the door open (for women). It doesn't work like that in the Army. Everything was according to rank." Griffin received her training at Fort Des Moines, Iowa, served as training center director at Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., and was sent to Fort Leavenworth, Kan., for command and general staff school. After 1 1/2 years, she was among the first WACs sent to London. She was assigned to the headquarters of the communications zone, in the Plans and Training Department, where she was in charge of all top-secret documents that came into the office. "It was very exciting," recalled Griffin. "I knew when D-day was going to be." After 4 1/2 months in London, she was transferred with the headquarters of the communications zone to Paris. She finished her WAC career there as a major. Although Griffin was never in combat, she said bombings were daily occurrences. But she said women working as telephone operators were close to the front lines and suffered a great deal. Griffin said she agrees wholeheartedly with the idea of equal pay for equal work, but she's not so sure that women should be in combat. "I think there are few women who are physically able (to be effective in combat). There are other jobs, non-combat jobs, that are very important for women." |
Robert Lewis Griffin Jr.
Male, #11623, (28 July 1909 - 8 July 1982)
| Birth* | 28 Jul 1909 | Robert was born at Goodwater, Coosa Co., Alabama, on 28 Jul 1909. |
| | He was the son of Robert Lewis Griffin and Mayona Willingham. |
| Census* | 1910 | Robert was in the in 1910 census at Goodwater, Coosa Co., Alabama. |
| Marriage* | 14 Jan 1940 | He married Margaret Baumgarten on 14 Jan 1940. |
| Death* | 8 Jul 1982 | He died at Roanoke Rapids, Halifax Co., North Carolina, on 8 Jul 1982. |
| Burial* | | His body was interred at Montevallo, Shelby Co., Alabama. |
| Biography* | |
Robert L. Griffin, Jr. did business as "Cedar Shakes & Shingles, Inc." at 1544 Spring Hill Road, McLean, VA 22101. He retired to Henrico, NC. According to North Carolina Certificate of Death 26370 (Registration District No. 042-80, Local No. 276) Robert had "Carcenoma of Throat" and died of "Hypostatic Pneumonia." Ruth Griffin wrote in a 7 Aug 1982 letter that "His ashes were brought back to Montevallo for burial." |
Margaret Baumgarten
Female, #11624, (23 January 1914 - 18 August 1997)
Floyce May Griffin
Female, #11625, (21 September 1913 - 5 November 1982)
| Birth* | 21 Sep 1913 | Floyce was born at Fort Deposit, Lowndes Co., Alabama, on 21 Sep 1913. |
| | She was the daughter of Robert Lewis Griffin and Mayona Willingham. |
| Marriage* | Feb 1938 | She married Horace Stoughton Hunt in Feb 1938. |
| Married Name | Feb 1938 | As of Feb 1938, her married name was Hunt. |
| Death* | 5 Nov 1982 | She died at Madisonville, Hopkins Co., Kentucky, on 5 Nov 1982. |
| Burial* | | Her body was interred at Birmingham, Jefferson Co., Alabama. |
| Biography* | | According to Ruth Griffin in a 10 Dec 1982 letter, Floyce died "from gastric bleeding." |
Horace Stoughton Hunt
Male, #11626, (15 December 1906 - 28 August 1957)
Henry Clay Griffin
Male, #11627, (5 June 1920 - 12 July 2000)
| Birth* | 5 Jun 1920 | Henry was born at Eclectic, Elmore Co., Alabama, on 5 Jun 1920. |
| Employment* | | Henry's occupation: electrical engr. |
| | He was the son of Robert Lewis Griffin and Mayona Willingham. |
| Marriage* | 10 Oct 1941 | He married Phebe Anne Wills at Milwaukee, Milwaukee Co., Wisconsin, on 10 Oct 1941. |
| Residence* | 1994 | Henry resided at Atlanta, Fulton Co., Georgia, in 1994. |
| Death* | 12 Jul 2000 | He died at Atlanta, Fulton Co., Georgia, on 12 Jul 2000.1 |
| Biography* | | In a 12 Jul 1994 letter, H. Clay Griffin wrote that he had been born in Eclectic, AL June 5, 1920 and "moved to Montevallo at age one." Clay added: I was a graduate of GA Tech, Electrical Engineering, (1937-41); worked briefly in Milwaukee, Wisc. from July 1941 to Feb 42; worked for the U.S. Navy in New Orleans Feb 42-Jan 43; was an officer in Signal Corps, Army Jan 43-Feb 46, serving mainly in Aleutian Islands & Alaska; came back to Atlanta in 1946; taught Math at Ga. Tech 1946-50; ran a ranch in Senoia, GA 1951-56 for my sibling (Robert L., Jr.); took over ownership 1956-62. I went back to work in Engineering with then Southern Bell, in May 1956 (sold the Ranch - 942 acres - in 1962). I finished my career with Southern Bell in Feb 1982, after working myself up to District Manager, Radio & Microwave Engineering for the state of Georgia, I still own the house in East Point, where son John and his family live. It was bought in 1973 so John could get his last year of High School and Son Jim could get four years of High School at a good school. |
Phebe Anne Wills
Female, #11628, (23 September 1920 - 9 March 1983)
| Birth* | 23 Sep 1920 | Phebe was born at Waterloo, Seneca Co., New York, on 23 Sep 1920. |
| | She was the daughter of Edward Houston Wills and Phebe Clark Gibson. |
| Marriage* | 10 Oct 1941 | She married Henry Clay Griffin at Milwaukee, Milwaukee Co., Wisconsin, on 10 Oct 1941. |
| Married Name | 10 Oct 1941 | As of 10 Oct 1941, her married name was Griffin. |
| Death* | 9 Mar 1983 | She died at Atlanta, Fulton Co., Georgia, on 9 Mar 1983. |
| Burial* | | Her body was interred at Montevallo, Shelby Co., Alabama. |
| Biography* | | In a 12 Jul 1994 letter, H. Clay Griffin wrote that "Anne & I went thru grammar & H.S. together in Montevallo." He added that although his wife had been born in Waterloo, NY [her mother had come from Waterloo to Montevallo to teach Home Ec at Alabama College]: Actually Anne's mother just went to Waterloo to "birth" Anne. We were both raised in Montevallo, AL and were High School sweethearts. She graduated from (then) Alabama College in 1940 & did library work at Emory while I graduated from Georgia Tech in 1941. Anne later got a Master's from Emory in 1964, during her library career with Atlanta Public School System (resigned in Summer of 1975). |
Robert Lewis Griffin III
Male, #11629
Melba P. Griffin
Female, #11630
Dan Edward Martin
Male, #11631
Jane Caldwell
Female, #11632