Fourth Generation

62. Theressa "Anne" CLAY was born on 2 March 1884 in Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.^{26,46,54,55,99,118} Her obituary lists her birth year as 1884, but the FamilySearch.org website lists it as 1883. The 1900 Census also listed it as 1883, and the 1930 Census listed her age as 47, also indicating a birth year of 1883.

Her name is listed as "Theressa Anne" in the Clay Family Bible. Between 1900 and 1949 she was a school teacher in Wisconsin.^66,119 Between 1917 and 1919 she taught at the Warrens Grade School. In 1927 she was the Principal of the Warrens High School. She graduated in 1900 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹²⁰ from Tomah High School. Anne appeared in the census in 1900 in Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁶ She appeared in the census in 1910 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.³⁰ She was living by herself during the 1910 Census on Glendale Avenue. She had a "roomer" named Hazel Webster, age 18. She appeared in the census in 1920 in Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁰ at the home of her mother. (She is listed as "Anna T.") Anne appeared in the census in 1930 in Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.⁴⁶ She lived next door to her sister Mary and her two sons. Her occupation was listed as "Teacher, Public School." She appeared in the census in 1940 in Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.⁶⁷ She was living with her sister Mary and her husband. No occupation was listed for her, but her total wages in 1939 were $765 for 36 weeks of work (as a school teacher). She appeared in the census in April 1950 in Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.¹²¹ She was a "Partner" in the household of Mary (Clay) Vandervort and her occupation was "Elementary School Teacher, State Graded School." She was listed as "Anne T." and Mary was her youngest sister. Anne died on 26 July 1950 at the age of 66 in Kirby, Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.^99,118 Obituary Notes: "More than 200 relatives and friends attended the funeral services for Mrs. Anne Clay Griggs at the Baptist church at Warrens on Saturday afternoon. Many of those attending were former students of Mrs. Griggs and, as a tribute to their beloved teacher, each individual brought a flower and placed it in one of two large white baskets at the front of the church as they entered.

Theressa Anne Clay was born in the town of Lincoln on March 2, 1884. She was the second daughter of Francis and Francelia Clay. After attending the Kirby grade school, she went to Tomah high school, where she graduated in 1900.

Upon graduation from high school, Miss Clay became as teacher at the White school for one year when, realizing her need for further training if she was to make teaching her career, she entered the Stevens Point Normal school, from which she graduated two years later. The more than 42 years of teaching experience which followed took her to Milwaukee, Gladden, and Auburndale, WI, though most of her teaching was within an eleven mile radius of her home. Pine Grove, Pleasant Valley, Summit Valley, Union Valley, Kirby, and Warrens are among the district schools she taught.

While her teaching career was spread over 50 years, Anne Clay interrupted her teaching first to attend Normal school, and later when she married Sam Griggs in 1923. Mr. Griggs passed away in 1932.

Mrs. Griggs became ill during the Christmas vacation last year, following what was at first believed to be a rather minor operation. She spent some time in St. Mary's hospital at Sparta, and in a Milwaukee hospital (St. Joseph's in February 1950), in addition to several months at the homes of her sisters, Ellen and Mary, at Kirby, where she passed away (of cancer of the ureter) on Wednesday afternoon, July 26.

Services at the Warrens Baptist church on Saturday, with Rev. Lawrence Janssen in charge, brought to a close the earthly career of a teacher who was much loved, not only for the "book" education she was able to impart, but also for the fact that she was friend and counselor to all who had the privilege of attending her school.

She is survived by two brothers, John and Frank Clay, of Tomah; two sisters, Ellen Clay and Mary Vandervort, of Warrens, and three stepchildren, Blanche of Adams, and Glenn and LaVerne of Milwaukee, and many other relatives and friends."

(She may have died in Sparta.)
She was buried on 29 July 1950 in La Grange Township, Monroe County, WI.^37,99 in the LaGrange Township Cemetery.

Theressa "Anne" CLAY and Samuel Hiram "Sam" GRIGGS (*) (~) were married on 11 August 1923 in Rochester, Olmstead County, MN.^{99,118,122,123,124} After they married, they moved to the village of Tomah, and Ann taught at and was eventually the principal of the high school in Warrens. After a couple of years, the family moved to Anne's childhood home in Kirby.

She wrote the following letter to her step-son Vern and his wife Bernice, upon the birth of their daughter, LuAnn, in August, 1948:

"Dear Folks,

I was not surprised about the baby because I had heard about it indirectly. Am so glad it is a little girl, for I presume that is what you wanted since you had the two boys. Hope you will all enjoy her and especially the boys, since they are older now. I am so glad for you all.

The card was over at Warrens for two weeks as I wasn't there. Am sorry I didn't get it sooner and no one else told me so I just found it out. I am going back to school again. I feel alright--altho I limp some yet. I hope I won't always.

It is so dry and so much dust around here. Hope we don't get too much polio in Wisconsin. Lawrence had good crops but fruit and gardens were no good.

Well I'm happy for you as I know you are.

Sincerely, Anne

Didn't even have a card here, so I wrote this letter."

In a letter that Sam's son Vern wrote to his sister Blanche on 30 June 1936 while he was in the CCC's, Vern mentioned, "I am enjoying the quiet refrain of a La Palina cigar, my dad's favorite smoke." So, Sam must have enjoyed La Palina's. Samuel Hiram "Sam" GRIGGS (*) (~), son of Clarence Lucius GRIGGS and Carrie Permelia GRISWOLD, was born on 10 September 1881 in La Grange Township, Monroe County, WI.^99,125 (He was probably named after his mother's father, Samuel Hiram Griswold.) He appeared in the census in 1885 in La Grange Township, Monroe County, WI.¹²⁶ He appeared in the census in 1895 in La Grange Township, Monroe County, WI.¹²⁷ Sam appeared in the census in 1900 in La Grange Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁶ He was living with his parents and his occupation was "Farm Laborer." In September 1904 he was a worker in a chair factory in St. Paul, St. Charles County, MN.^125,128 Between April 1905 and 1906 he was a streetcar motorman in St. Paul, St. Charles County, MN.^{125,129,130,131} Gary Griggs has the pocket watch that Sam is wearing in a picture of him in his Streetcar Motorman's uniform. Sam appeared in the census in June 1905 in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, MN.¹³¹ He was a Boarder at 3137 Nicollet Avenue in the 8th Ward and his occupation was "St. R. Conductor." According to the Census, which was conducted on 5 June 1905, he had lived in the enumeration district for two months. In 1907 he was a driver in Huron, Beadle County, SD.^{123,132,133,134} The exact tenure of Sam's occupation(s) in Huron is not known. Gary Griggs has Sam's stamped, bronze "Hack License No.25, 1905 Huron" that was found in the home that Sam shared with Anne Clay after they married in 1924. With the date of 1905, it is possible that Sam lived in Huron at that time and was a "hack" (taxi cab) driver; it is also possible that all of the hack licenses had the same year stamped on them. He is believed to have been a streetcar motorman in St. Paul in 1905.

Gary has a postcard dated 4 April 1907 that was addressed to "Mr. S. H. Griggs, Huron, South Dakota" from an unknown sender in Cokato, Minn. The 1907 City Directory for Huron has a listing for Sam, showing that he was living at 1256 Third Street and his occupation was "Driver." The residence was a boarding house, because the directory indicates "RMS" (rooms) after his name and it lists several other single men who were living there. (That address cannot be located in the 1910 Census, but Gary found Third Street in a visit in October 2019. The building at 1256 was no longer there, and an open lot is in that location.)

Gary also has a postcard from Sam to "Miss Eva Root," dated 4 October 1907. He was living in Huron and she was in Tunnel City, WI. The postcard says: "Dear Eva, I will be home for sure a week from next Friday. I will tell you why I didn't come sooner when I get home Kid, and I will write to you tomorrow night. Yours, Sam."

On the front of the postcard is a picture of the "Episcopal & M.E. Churches, Huron, S.D." The "M. E. Church" is now the First United Methodist Church, and it is possible that Sam attended that church while living in Huron. Gary contacted the church in July 2008 and found that the church has no record of him having been a member, or of his son Glenn having been baptized there. ¹³⁵ Sam received a post card in Huron from his future wife, Eva Root, in which she writes: "Ethel and I left here last Sat eve on 58. Roy, she, Irvin and I were at Lulu's Sun. Are going to the fair together Thurs. Wish you were here. She sends her best. Write. Eva" He lived at his home in La Grange Township, Monroe County, WI between December 1907 and March 1909.^119,136 A letter from one of his aunts, Florence Griggs Bigelow, who lived in LaGrange Township, dated 22 December 1907, mentions that "Sam is home and will work the farm next year."

He was in Monroe County when he married Eva in June 1908, and they were living in the Village of Tomah when their daughter Blanche was born in February 1909.

Then, the family apparently moved back to Huron in the Spring of 1909 because he was listed on the city's tax lists for 1909 and 1910. (Gary Griggs has copies of the lists.) Sam lived at his home in Huron, Beadle County, SD between March 1909 and 1911.^{123,134,137,138} Gary Griggs has a picture postcard of Eva and her daughter Blanche that Eva sent to Clarence and Carrie Griggs in December 1909 that says: "Dear Grandpa and Grandma: Mamma and I had our picture taken Dec. day. Come over and see me. Heard from Sam today. Don't know yet when we will go west--soon, I guess. From Blanche and Eva."

Sam was living and working in Huron, South Dakota, and Eva and Blanche apparently joined him there in early-1910, before Glenn was born.

Gary has several penny postcards to "Mr. S. H. Griggs, 1460 Custer Street, Huron, S.D." from various people. One of them is believed to have been from Sam's parents because it is addressed "Dear Folks;" it mentions their daughter, Blanche, and concludes with a note saying, "Don't forget to write Ben" (one of Sam's brothers). The card is dated 16 December, but the year is not clear; it appears to be 1909, when Blanche would have been ten months old. It is not known who owned the home at the Custer Street address, and the address cannot be located in the 1910 Census.

Sam's family is not listed anywhere in Beadle County, SD, (where Huron is located) in the 1910 Census (which was conducted in April 1910, just prior to Glenn's birth in May). It is not known where they were living during the Census, but they were probably living in a boarding house. (The 1400 block of Custer Street was in Enumeration District 0017 in the Second Ward, between Montana and Colorado streets. Custer Street has since been re-named First Street. The family at 1480 Custer Street is listed on Page 7 of the census for ED 0017. The family at 1475 Custer Street is listed on Page 13.)

Gary also has a copy of the "Tax List for the Year 1909" for Beadle County, indicating that "Samuel Griggs" was charged a School Poll Tax of $1.00. He also has a copy of the "Tax List for the Year 1910," indicating that "S. H. Griggs" was charged a Valuation of $.25, a Consolidated Tax of $1.84, and a School Poll Tax of $1.00. The Tax List indicates that Sam has "Unpaid Taxes which are a lien on land" of $1.00 from 1909, and the list does not indicate whether or when the accumulated taxes were paid.

Gary also has a Christmas post card that Eva apparently intended to send to her mother, "Mrs. I. J. Root, Tomah, Wisconsin," which says, "Dear folks, Rec'd Pa's letter. Got Blanche a coat like Russels with money you sent and me a head scarf and will get her a little bed with the rest. We are well. Expect Mr. Harrises here to dinner Xmas. Has been cold here since Sun. Left Blanche with a neighbor this a.m. Wishing you all a Merry Xmas and Happy New Year. Eva." The card has no stamp or postmark, so apparently it was never mailed. It was probably written in December 1909, before Glenn was born in May 1910. ¹³⁹ A "Merry Christmas" post card to Sam Griggs and believed to have been sent by his father said: "Dear Folks, I haven't much time ... but will write a few lines to you. Ma promises to write yesterday and didn't, so I have to. We packed a small box for you. It will go out this morning. The fellow said that you would get it Sat. p.m. I didn't put your full address on it. It isn't much, but all we could do. Feed Blanche some meat."

At the bottom of the card is a note stating: "Don't forget to write to Ben." Ben was one of Sam's younger brothers. He lived at his home on a farm that he rented in La Grange Township, Monroe County, WI between 1911 and 1918.^125,140 According to the birth certificate of their son LaVerne, Sam and Eva were living in LaGrange Township when LaVerne was born in October 1917. ¹⁴¹ In a post card with no postmark date or location (it may have been mailed in an envelope), Eva writes: "Dear Sam, Think you can look for me home Sun(day) at N(orth) Tomah. Can you meet me there? If anything changes my mind, will let you know later. Eva."

It is possible that she wrote the post card when she was released from the Mendota State Hospital in Madison, where she was treated for an emotional illness (probably depression). He lived on a farm that he rented in Tunnel City, Greenfield Township, Monroe County, WI about 1918.¹¹⁹ Sam lived on a farm that he rented in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI between 1919 and 1921.^20,125 There, he and his wife Eva began to raise their children. They lived on that farm until Eva passed away in December 1920.

Marita Root, one of Sam's wife's nieces, remembered him as a very outgoing, friendly person with an Irish-looking complexion and a medium build with broad shoulders. He appeared in the census in 1920 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁰ His household consisted of Sam, age 39; his wife, Eva, age 36; their daughter Blanche, age 10; their son Glenn, age 9; and their son LaVerne, age 2. He was renting the farm and his occupation was "Farmer, Farm." He was working on his "Own Account," meaning that he was not a "wage or salary worker." He lived after the death of Eva with his three children in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI between 1921 and 1923.^125,142 at the home of his father, Clarence, and his mother, Carrie, at 1308 Stoughton Avenue. Sam lived on the farm owned by his second wife, Anne Clay in Kirby, Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI between 1924 and 1932.^63,75,125 The home was on a portion of the farm owned by Anne's father, Frank Clay, and was later the home of the Lawrence Vandervort family.

Sam's children did not get along with their step-mother, so they lived mostly with Sam's parents in Tomah or with his sister Mattie and her husband, Rollie Vandervort, on their farm in LaGrange Township. According to Vern Griggs, Anne had been an unmarried school teacher for many years and was not accustomed to having children living in her home. She had many fine knick-knacks and other pieces of furniture, and she was concerned that the children would damage or break them, so they were not allowed to touch or play with them. He appeared in the census in 1930 in Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.⁴⁶ His household on Town Road consisted of Sam and Anne. Sam's three children were not living with them. Nora A. Heaton, an aunt of Anne, was listed in the household as a "Servant" and Landel E. Richardson was a "Hired Hand." Sam and Anne were renting the farm, apparently from her mother, and Sam's occupation was listed as "Farmer, Dairy Farm." He died on 2 April 1932 at the age of 50 in Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.^99,143 His Death Certificate indicates that he died at 8 P.M. and it listed his primary cause of death as "exhaustion" with a contributing secondary cause as "encephalitis--not epidemic." The certificate indicates that he evidenced these causes for "1 year and 6 months."

Family members believe that he may also have had a brain tumor, but there is no indication of such on the death certificate. He is said to have acted like he was in a stupor at times, and not coherent.

Obituary Notes: "Samuel H. Griggs, eldest son of Clarence and Carrie Griggs, was born September 10, 1881, in the Town of LaGrange, on the old home farm.

He was married to Eva Root, June 24, 1908, and to this union were born three children, Blanche, Glenn and LaVerne. Mrs. Griggs passed away in December, 1920. Later he was marred to Anne Clay.

He leaves to mourn his loss his wife, three children, an aged mother, two sisters, one brother, and a host of other relatives and friends. His father and two brothers preceded him in death.

He was a member of the Knights of Pythias, Mystic Workers, and Pythian Sisters lodges.

He had been in poor health the past year, but passed unexpectedly to the great beyond April 2, 1932.

Peacefully sleeping, resting at last,
The world's weary troubles and trials are past,
In silence he suffered, in patience he bore,
Till God called him home to suffer no more.

Funeral services were conducted from the Scheible chapel on Tuesday afternoon, the Rev. D. W. Davis officiating. Interment was made in Oak Grove Cemetery." Sam was buried on 5 April 1932 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^35,99 in the Oak Grove Cemetery (Original Plot, Block 2, Lot 70).