Household #194: Griffin, George
Back to the 1900 Census & Household Index
In the 1900 Barney census, George Griffin headed a 3-person household. The table below preserves the exact names, relationships, ages, birthplaces, and occupations recorded for the household.
Household Snapshot
George Griffin headed a 3-person household in the 1900 Barney census with 1 spouse or marital partner and 1 boarder, employee, servant, or other non-kin resident.
George Griffin's listed occupation was Teamster.
All listed household members were reported as born in Georgia.
Newspaper and Public-Record Trail
This section flags public-record leads separate from the census table. The detailed discussion stays in the family narrative, research status, and source citations below.
1900 Census Household
| Name | Relation | Age | Birthplace | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Griffin | Head | 22 | Georgia | Teamster |
| Rollie Griffin | Wife | 16 | Georgia | — |
| Arthur Chambers | Boarder | 22 | Georgia | Laborer Saw Mill |
Children and Later Trails
No children are listed in this household in the 1900 census table.
- Census Page: 19 | Lines: 46-48
- District: 1571 (Barney), ED 9, Brooks County
- Race: White
- Research Status: Source-Exhausted
Head of Household
George Washington Griffin - Born October 7, 1877, Georgia (per WWI draft card; FindAGrave lists February 18, 1877, a discrepancy) - Died December 11, 1961, Colquitt County, Georgia (age 84) - Buried Westview Cemetery, Moultrie, Colquitt County, Georgia (FindAGrave memorial 15964318) - Race: White - Occupation: Saw mill laborer, sawyer, farmer, stock clerk (varied across decades) - Parents: John Griffin (born ~1847, Georgia) and Matilda Griffin (born ~1850, Georgia)
Parents and Siblings (1880 Census)
George was one of five children in the John Griffin household at House 162, Quitman, Brooks County: - Samuel Griffin (age 10, born ~1870) - Mary Griffin (age 8, born ~1872) - George Griffin (age 7, born ~1873) - Francis Griffin (age 6, born ~1874) - John Griffin (age 4, born ~1876)
The 1880 census lists George at age 7 (implying birth ~1873), which conflicts with the October 1877 birth date confirmed by the WWI draft and subsequent censuses. The parents and household location match across sources, so this is likely a census recording error rather than a different individual.
Marriage
George married Polly Hewit on October 22, 1899, in Colquitt County, Georgia (Ancestry marriage records, collection 4766, record 290397). The 1900 census lists his wife as "Rollie," which is an indexer misreading of "Pollie" in the original handwriting. Across later records her name appears as Pollie (1910), Kallie (1920, another enumerator variant), and Polly (1930) — all the same person.
Three Wives
First Wife: Polly Hewit (married 1899 - died 1932) - Born approximately 1884, Georgia (age 16 in 1900 census) - Married October 22, 1899, Colquitt County, Georgia - Died 1932, Putnam County, Florida (Florida Death Index, collection 7338, record 5105139) - The family lived in Orange Springs, Marion County, Florida in 1930. Putnam County adjoins Marion County to the north, consistent with the family's location.
Second Wife: Annie B. Manson (married ~1935 - died 1945) - Born approximately 1867 (age 73 in 1940 census) - Died 1945 (per FindAGrave) - George returned to Moultrie, Colquitt County, Georgia by 1935 (per 1940 census residence inference), and appears with Annie as his wife in the 1940 census. - Child with Annie: Myrtle Bell Griffin (1913-1989), who married first Schmidt then Winter. Confirmed by FindAGrave and Social Security Applications and Claims Index.
Third Wife: Martha Griffin (married ~1945 - survived George) - Born approximately 1880 (age 70 in 1950 census) - Appears as George's wife in the 1950 census in Moultrie, Colquitt County. - George's death in 1961 means Martha likely survived him.
Children
With Polly Hewit: - Willie Griffin (born ~1902, Georgia) — appears in 1910 and 1920 censuses - Johnie Griffin (born ~1904, Georgia) — listed as Johmie in 1920; appears in 1910 and 1920 - Earnest Griffin (born ~1906, Georgia) — appears only in 1910 census - Milla Griffin (daughter, born ~1911, Florida) — appears in 1920 census - Mount Jewel Griffin (daughter, born ~1916, Florida) — appears in 1920 census - Mamie Griffin (born ~1916, Florida) — appears in 1930 census
With Annie B. Manson: - Myrtle Bell Griffin (1913-1989) — married Schmidt, then Winter; per FindAGrave and SS Applications
Unknown parentage: - Alonzo Griffin (age 39 in 1940 census, born ~1901) — listed as George's son, but not present in any earlier census under that name. May be from a prior marriage, adoption, or a name variation not yet identified.
Census Trail
| Year | Location | George | Wife | Occupation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | Quitman, Brooks Co GA | age 7 | — | — | With parents John and Matilda |
| 1900 | Barney, Brooks Co GA | age 22 | "Rollie" (Pollie), age 16 | Laborer, saw mill | 8 months married; boarder Arthur Chambers (age 22) |
| 1910 | Brooks Co GA | age 33 | Pollie, age 26 | Farmer, own account, rents | 11 years married; 3 children |
| 1920 | Madison, Madison Co FL | age 43 | "Kallie" (Pollie), age 36 | Laborer, saw mill | 5 children; family migrated to Florida |
| 1930 | Orange Springs, Marion Co FL | age 52 | Polly, age 45 | Sawyer, saw mill | Age at first marriage 22; daughter Mamie (14) |
| 1940 | Moultrie, Colquitt Co GA | age 61 | Annie B., age 73 | — | Returned to Georgia by 1935; wife is Annie B. Manson |
| 1950 | Moultrie, Colquitt Co GA | age 71 | Martha, age 70 | Stock clerk, grocery | Third wife; family settled in Moultrie |
Migration Pattern
George spent his early years in Brooks County, Georgia. The family moved to Madison County, Florida by 1920, then north to Marion County (Orange Springs) by 1930. After Polly's death in 1932, George returned to south Georgia, settling in Moultrie, Colquitt County, where he remained for the rest of his life.
Primary Sources (13)
- 1880 United States Federal Census — Quitman, Brooks County, Georgia (Ancestry collection 6742, record 7465435)
- 1900 United States Federal Census — Barney, Brooks County, Georgia (Ancestry collection 7602, record 52873682)
- 1910 United States Federal Census — Brooks County, Georgia (Ancestry collection 7884, record 3199270)
- 1920 United States Federal Census — Madison, Madison County, Florida (Ancestry collection 6061, record 7106409)
- 1930 United States Federal Census — Orange Springs, Marion County, Florida (Ancestry collection 6224, record 114212438)
- 1940 United States Federal Census — Moultrie, Colquitt County, Georgia (Ancestry collection 2442, record 48453887)
- 1950 United States Federal Census — Moultrie, Colquitt County, Georgia (Ancestry collection 62308, record 123950172)
- Marriage Certificate — George Griffen to Polly Hewit, October 22, 1899, Colquitt County, Georgia (Ancestry collection 4766, record 290397)
- U.S. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 — George Washington Griffin, born October 7, 1877 (Ancestry collection 6482, record 11232455)
- U.S. Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current — George Washington Griffin, memorial 15964318, Westview Cemetery, Moultrie, Colquitt County, Georgia (Ancestry collection 60525, record 104979422)
- Georgia, U.S., Death Index, 1919-1998 — George W Griffin, died December 11, 1961, Colquitt County, certificate 29209 (Ancestry collection 5426, record 1369581)
- Florida, U.S., Death Index, 1877-1998 — Polly Griffin, died 1932, Putnam County, Florida (Ancestry collection 7338, record 5105139)
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index — spouse Annie B. Manson; child Myrtle Bell Winter (Ancestry collection 60901, record 637702799)
Notes
- The 1900 census lists Arthur Chambers (age 22) as a boarder in the household. He does not appear to be related.
- "Rollie" in 1900 and "Kallie" in 1920 are both indexer misreadings of "Pollie" (Polly Hewit). This has been confirmed by the marriage certificate and the consistent appearance of "Polly" in 1930.
- The 1880 census age discrepancy (7 vs. the expected 2-3 given an 1877 birth) is notable but the parents and household location match, so this record is included as the same George Griffin.
- George married three times across a 46-year span. Polly died in Florida; Annie died in Georgia; Martha survived George.
- George's death at age 84 in Colquitt County closes a life that began in Brooks County, with the marriage to Polly in Colquitt forming a geographic bookend.
Sources still needed
- Primary marriage records for George Griffin's later marriages to Annie B. Manson and Martha Griffin.
- A direct record for Polly Hewit Griffin's death or burial in Florida beyond the death-index entry.
- Primary proof of Alonzo Griffin's parentage. He appears as George's son in 1940 but is not clearly present in the earlier household trail.
- Direct records for Earnest, Milla, Mount Jewel, Mamie, Willie, and Johnie Griffin after their childhood census appearances.
- A parent-naming death certificate or obituary for George Washington Griffin, if available, to supplement the census-based identification of John and Matilda Griffin as his parents.
June 14, 2026 continuation check: FamilySearch returned a Florida Births and Christenings entry naming George Washington Griffin as father and Annie Bell Manson as spouse/mother of Eunice Lee Griffin. That supports George's later family with Annie but is not a marriage certificate. FamilySearch also returned a NUMIDENT entry for George Washington Griffin giving birth as 18 February 1878 in Unadilla, Dooly County, Georgia, and the Find a Grave index entry for burial at Moultrie. No marriage record to Annie B. Manson or Martha Griffin, no Polly death image or burial record, no parent-naming death certificate, and no clean Alonzo parentage proof appeared in this pass.
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