John Griffin (son of George Griffin & Johanna McGrath)
John Griffin b. Mar 1853, Ballyguiltenane, Glin, Co Limerick, d. 21 Oct 1935, Invercargill, New Zealand. (Ballyguiltenane was often given for Glenagragra back then). John emigrated to New Zealand circa 1876 and lived on the South Island where he married Mary Dooley b. 11 May 1867, Fearagha, Tuam, Co. Galway, m. 28 May 1889, Invercargill, d. 27 Oct 1945. John Griffin & Mary Dooley had the following six children –
i.John George (Jack) GRIFFIN b. 4 Nov 1890, Wreys Bush, Southland, d. 15 Apr 1956, Te Tua who married Lilla Rose Hamilton b. Abt 1886, m. 27 Oct 1915, d. 13 Mar 1950, Te Tua.
ii.George Griffin b. 16 Jul 1891, Invercargill, d. 14 Dec 1918, Tuatapere, Southland.
iii.Gerald Griffin b. 23 Aug 1893, Orepuki, d. 12 Jun 1974, Te Wae Wae, Southland who married Edna Louisa Bone b. 9 Nov 1897, Riverton, Southland, m. 25 Apr 1926, Orepuki, d. 12 Feb 1985, Tuatapere, Southland.
iv.Margaret Cecelia (Cis) Griffin b. 9 Oct 1895, Orepuki, d. 23 May 1966, Invercargill who married Joseph Henry (Harry) Lobb b. Abt 1884, m. 14 Apr 1915, d. 27 Apr 1939, Tuatapere, Southland.
v.Winifred Bridget (Winnie) Griffin b. 23 Jan 1898, Orepuki, d. 20 May 1971, New Plymouth who married John Stephen (Jack) Kissick b. 16 Dec 1890, Manaia, m. Jun 1923, d. 16 Apr 1960, New Plymouth.
vi.Mary Teresa (Monica) Griffin b. 26 Jul 1901, Te Tua, d. 19 Nov 1927, Tuatapere, Southland.
John Griffin, along with his brother Michael were extremely friendly there with George Lynch of Glasha (my great granduncle) who had emigrated there a few years earlier. John Nolan, Ballyhahill, great grand nephew of the said John has in his possession a letter confirming same and was kind enough to forward me a copy as per below.. This letter which is dated 1910 was written by John Griffin and posted to his family in Glenagragra. John Griffin died in the year 1935 and is buried in New Zealand. Michael Griffin is also interred in his adopted country. In this letter to his kinfolk in Glenagragra John Griffin wrote the following –
Willow Farm,
Te Waewae,
February 26th 1910
‘My dear brother Patrick I have received your letter which gave me great pleasure to know you and brother George and sister Johanna is still living. Brother Michael is dead 14yrs next May. He was married to Mary Mullane, Denis Mullane’s daughter near Athea. They had one daughter, I have not heard from them this last ten years. She lives in the North island. Dear brother Pat my history would be long one and would take a long time to scrawl it down. I started farming in 1882. Brother Michael and myself took 500 acres of land but we sold out about twenty years since. Brother went to the North Island where he settled down in a farm and I remained in the south island. I took up 600 acres of first class land but I may state it was all bush and the railway is now through it. Te Waewae station is in my place and we have also built a Chapel in my place and also a Dairy Factory. I have six children, three boys and three girls. My oldest John is 20 past, George is 18 past, Gerald is 16 past, Margaret 14 past, Winnie 12 past and Mary 9. John is 6 feet three inches high. My wife’s name is Mary Dooley. She hailed from the County Galway. I meet George Lynch, Michael Connors and Mrs John Connors, that is Kate Connell, they are all well and very well off. They are making about £1,500 a year. Cousin Pat Culhane, wife and family are all well and doing well. I had a letter from cousin Michael Griffin the same time as yours. I never meet any persons newly out from home. The latest I met was Father Hunt from Athea he held a Mission in our Chapel. He was the best missioner I ever heard. I hope you will let me know how things are. How is sister Johanna situated I have not heard much for years. New Zealand is a good country for any study person. Farmers have to pay men 25 to 30 shillings a week. I found saw mills and flax mills as high as 12 shillings per day and girls get from 12 to 25 shillings per week and get half day off every Wednesday. This is nice climate we don’t get much frost or snow in this part we are living on the banks of the Pacific Ocean. I did not know brother William was dead. Dear brother I must conclude by wishing you and brother George and sister Johanna and all my friends a long and happy life. I would like a trip home but the journey is so long. Good Bye dear brother and sister.
Address J Griffin, Farmer,
Te Waewae,
Southisland, N.Z.
In another letter dated Sept 8th 1913 he went on to say how much the family appreciated the presents that they received by post from Glenagragra. ‘It was very thoughtful of you to send such nice keepsakes’. He was very bad with rheumatism and himself and the wife went to Dunedin 200 miles away for a change. The last twelve months was the wettest he had seen in New Zealand for the 37 yrs he had been there. He plants about 12 acres of potatoes a year. He has a digging machine that could dig about 3 acres a day if he had the hands to pick them. He hadn’t seen George Lynch for awhile but he’ll be going to see him soon. He knows where he lives as he was there about 30 yrs ago. He met George at Invercargill Cattle Show. ‘George lives 70 miles from me’. Pat Culhane and wife were doing well, they are farming 200 acres and they had a daughter in the convent. He went on to say ‘ tell cousin Kate Carroll that Jim Carroll never came to New Zealand, I heard he was in Victoria some years since I heard.’
There wasn’t many around him in NZ from the old place but amongst his neighbours there was a fair sprinkle of Irish. The parish priest had five chapels in his parish which was over 20 sq miles one of the chapels being in his place. There was a mission starting in the parish and the parish priest would be staying with him next week. He finished up by once again thanking them for the presents and thanked God for all the kind mercies to them all.
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