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Dennis Griffin

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Dennis Griffin

Birth	:	1820 Ireland
Death	:	27 Aug 1888 Jefferson County, Iowa, USA
Burial	:	Evergreen Cemetery, Fairfield, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate	:	41.0138600, -91.9562100
Plot	:	Old.P.352
Description	:	Husband of Catharine Hogan Griffin. ----------------------- Fairfield Ledger Aug. 29, 1888 Pg. 4 Col. 6 & 7 COLLIDING CARS. A Terrible Wreck on the Q. and a Loss of Three Lives. Monday evening about 5 o'clock a special engine and one car arrived at the C., B., & Q. depot in this city bearing the bodies of Dennis Griffin and Patrick Ready, two well known railroad men who had been killed in a collision on the road about an hour and a half earlier. - This was the first intimation of a... Read More	Husband of Catharine Hogan Griffin. ----------------------- Fairfield Ledger Aug. 29, 1888 Pg. 4 Col. 6 & 7 COLLIDING CARS. A Terrible Wreck on the Q. and a Loss of Three Lives. Monday evening about 5 o'clock a special engine and one car arrived at the C., B., & Q. depot in this city bearing the bodies of Dennis Griffin and Patrick Ready, two well known railroad men who had been killed in a collision on the road about an hour and a half earlier. - This was the first intimation of a wreck that reached the general public and it occasioned no little surprise and excitement. A half hour later a Ledger reporter boarded a wrecking train from Burlington, in charge of Trainmaster Working, for the scene of the disaster, and is under obligations to that gentleman for kindly treatment, and his readiness to furnish particulars. The collision occurred on a curve about 3 1/2 miles west of Krum, just east of Rock creek, between a construction train employed in distributing new steel rails and an extra west bound freight. - Both trains were headed west, but the work train was backing down to Krum in order to let an express pass. Conductor Boling of the steel train had his flagman out at Krum, and Conductor Thompson of the extra and Engineer Gillespie had orders to run to Batavia for express No. 14, with instructions to look out for the work train. In some unaccountable manner they passed the flagman without seeing him. Although they say they were running slowly and whistling all the way, they came upon the other train so suddenly that they could not avert the collision. Where they two trains met it is difficult to see more than 50 yards, and men on both trains agree that they would not have been more than that distance apart when each sighted the other. There were 30 or 40 men on the work train in addition to the crew. An alarm was made to save themselves and their companions by those who saw the danger. But a second elapsed, however,, until the two powerful and rapidly moving bodies came together with a deafening crash,, the air was filled with flying irons and timbers, and all was the utmost confusion. The conductor and fireman of the extra saved themselves by jumping, while Engineer Gillespie hurled himself through a cab window. All were more or less bruised and shocked and the latter is suffering from a sprained ankle, but all the men on this train escaped serious injury. A sad fate awaited those on the construction train, however. With the train backing, the rattle and banging of the steel and tools, a caboose at one end of their train and cox cars at the other, the workmen had but a brief warning of the impending danger. Some jumped and saved themselves, others reached the earth only to be crushed into it by the masses of wreckage which surrounded them, while still others were hurled into the air frightful distances and were more or less injured in the descent. A hurried examination showed the three men had met death, Gust. A. Rost of Burlington, roadmaster of the eastern division, and Dennis Griffin and Patrick Ready, both residents of this city and veterans in the employ of the company. The bodies of all three lay to the south side of the track, facing the high banks of the cut,and life was extinct when they were found. Rose was fairly buried in the debris, his body crushed and mangled, and it was not taken out until nearly three hours later. Those of the other men lay perhaps six feet from that of Rose and were reached without much difficulty. The were more or less bruised and some bones broken, but the fatal wound to each was a great hole in the rear of the head, evidently made by some flying missile. Tim Murphy, an other Fairfield man, had been hurled high in the air,and his jaw frightfully bruised and torn,but it is thought now that it is not broken. Harry Hendricks of Krum, John Kennedy and others are somewhat cut and bruised, as indeed, is nearly every man on the cars near the caboose, but there were no other serious injuries. The wreck, even two hours after the collision, was a frightful sight. Both trains must have been making good time, for slow running trains could scarcely have made such a frightful mass of wreckage. The collision occurred in a deep and narrow cut, and the number of cars ditched was variously estimated at from 10 to 13 - five to seven of each train. They were crushed and broken and piled upon one another to a height of 30 feet, while the length of the entire mass was little more than that of a car. The caboose and rear flat cars of the work train were smashed into kindling wood, and the engine could barely be seen at the bottom of the ruin, most of its wheels still on the rails. Without its loss of life the sight was a terrible one, and even in railroad horrors is seldom equalled. Wrecking trains from Ottumwa and Burlington were soon on the ground, and the track was cleared for the passage of trains by midnight. (Note: the next published text/paragraph omitted due to graphic content) Mr. Rose was a married man living at Burlington, and leaves a wife and several children. He had been in the employ of the company for a number of years,and had the confidence of his superiors and the esteem of his men. Dennis Griffin was a native of Ireland, and had been a resident of Fairfield since 1860, nearly all of that time in the employ of the road on which he met his death. He was 68 years of age, and leaves a wife and six grown children - two son and four daughters. Mr. Griffin had lived in this country about 40 years and was a most excellent citizen. Honest, industrious and frugal, he was a kind husband and father and an estimable, kind hearted man. Patrick Ready was also an Irishman by birth, and had lived in this city 22 years, an employe of the railroad company during nearly all that time. He was about 65 years of age, and a wife and two sons, lads of 15 and 17, survive him. Like the comrade who died with him Mr. Ready had many warm friends here. He was a soldier in the Union army, and member of Company C, 12th New York infantry, and was disabled in the service. Both men had acquired nice homes and leave their families in comfortable circumstances. The funerals of Messrs. Griffin and Ready occurred from St. Mary's Catholic church this morning, Father Kelley conducting the services. Hundreds of people were in attendance to pay a last tribute of respect to the victims of this sad affair. Coroner Evans empanelled a jury yesterday, Messr. Samuel Cockley, James Eckert and Harvey J. Graham, and is making an investigation into the collision and its causes. We will give the verdict next week.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Dennis Griffin's memorial?
Dennis Griffin's memorial is located at: Evergreen Cemetery, Fairfield, Jefferson County, USA.
When did Dennis Griffin death?
Dennis Griffin death on 27 Aug 1888 in Jefferson County, Iowa, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Dennis Griffin's memorial?
Latitude: 41.0138600
Longitude: -91.9562100

Family Members:

Spouse

Catharine Hogan Griffin

(1830 - 1894)

Children

Margaret Cecilia Griffin Russell

(1870 - 1949)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Evergreen Cemetery
Fairfield, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0138600, -91.9562100

2. Old Fairfield Cemetery
Fairfield, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0148000, -91.9598000

3. Memorial Lawn Cemetery
Fairfield, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0068000, -91.9805000

4. Switzer Cemetery
Fairfield, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0368996, -91.9096985

5. Bradshaw Cemetery
Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9766998, -91.9032974

6. Roth Cemetery
Fairfield, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9589005, -91.9574966

7. Bethesda Cemetery
Fairfield, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0019000, -91.8796000

8. Smith Family Cemetery
Libertyville, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9972416, -92.0362857

9. Wheeler Cemetery
Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0797000, -91.9185500

10. Galliher Cemetery
Glasgow, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9666892, -91.8835038

11. Upper Richwoods Cemetery
Salina, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0602989, -91.8807983

12. Jefferson County Poor Farm Cemetery
Libertyville, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9416900, -91.9996200

13. Perlee Cemetery
Perlee, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0805750, -91.8993380

14. Pattison Cemetery
Fairfield, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9444008, -91.9049988

15. Moorman Cemetery
Fairfield, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0452995, -92.0622025

16. Wright Cemetery
Fairfield, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9524000, -91.8728000

17. Antioch Cemetery
Fairfield, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1002998, -91.9147034

18. Moyer Cemetery
Fairfield, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1046982, -91.9330978

19. Cumberland Cemetery
Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9248000, -91.9903000

20. Gregg Cemetery
Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0078011, -92.0811005

21. Salina Cemetery
Salina, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0419006, -91.8330994

22. McCleary Cemetery
Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9892006, -92.0805969

23. Brooks Cemetery
Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0635986, -92.0693970

24. Thompson Cemetery
Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9155998, -91.9772034