GENERATION 10

GENERATION 9

Biography

JOSEPH GRIGGS lived at Muddy River (Brookline, Suffolk, MA), and like others of that place belonged to the church at Roxbury, joining June 20, 1652. He was admitted a freeman May 18, 1653. His name appears often in the earliest Roxbury book of land evidences. There is mention of 4-1/2 acres bounded upon by Robert Prentice, also marshland at Muddy River Bridge bought from Prentice, 38-1/4 acres in the Sixth Range of Lots and 64 acres in the Second Division.

Sons, JOSEPH and John, sold 3 acres to Hugh Thomas on Feb. 16, 1652/53. JOSEPH then bought 18 acres at "Squirrel's Delight" on Apr. 27, 1675. And later JOSEPH and Nataniel Seaver bought 30 acres in Roxbury.

He was admitted to Rev. John Eliot's church, Jun. 20, 1652, and was one of forty signers of a memorial headed by Rev. Eliot and dated Oct. 25, 1664.

He was a deputy to the General Court in 1681; selectman, 1677-80-83-87-88, and was instrumental in getting for Roxbury, the grant of land at New Roxbury, now Woodstock, CT. He was on the Grand Jury in 1689. He deposed, Jan. 24, 1709/10, that he was aged 85 and that he came about sixty years ago to Muddy River to live. His will was dated Feb. 5, 1714/15.

He married, first, Mary Crafts (b. 1632) about 1652. in Roxbury. She died in 1653. He then married HANNAH DAVIS, Nov. 8, 1654. She died Jan. 9, 1683, in Roxbury.