John Colby Griggs, 1837-1914 [RG3942.AM]

NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID

RG3942.AM:  John Colby Griggs, 1837-1914

Papers:  1865-1866, n.d.
Hall and Cherry Counties, Neb.:  Soldier, farmer, blacksmith
Size:  1 envelope

BACKGROUND NOTE

John Colby Griggs was born in 1837 in Jackson County (later Bates County and finally Vernon County), Missouri. He married Lucyann Hill in 1854. With the outbreak of the Civil War, Griggs enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1861. He served until late in 1864 when he was wounded and taken prisoner. At the end of the war, he signed up with the U.S. Volunteers to go into Nebraska to build forts. In 1867 he settled his family in a sod house near the Platte River in Hall County, Nebraska, supporting his wife and seven children by farming, hunting, and trapping. In 1883 the Griggs family homesteaded in Cherry County. Mrs. Griggs died in 1884 from gangrene. In 1886 Griggs married Lora Bradish, with whom he had four children. In 1892 Griggs moved his family to Spearfish in the Black Hills of South Dakota, where he farmed and opened a blacksmith shop. He spent his last years in Rapid City, South Dakota, where he died in 1914.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection [formerly MS3942] consists of materials relating to John Colby Griggs, his military service in the Army of the Confederacy 1861-1864, and later as a member of the 5th Regiment of the U.S. Volunteers in Nebraska Territory, 1865. The collection includes reminiscences, a diary, and a biography of Griggs written by his great grandson.

The reminiscences were written January 15, 1866 by John Colby Griggs from Fort Reno, Dakota Territory, in which he traces his life in the Confederate Army during the years 1861-1864. The diary covers his service in the 5th Regiment of U.S. Volunteers. The diary entries trace the scouting his regiment did in Nebraska Territory in 1865. A short biography of John Colby Griggs is provided by his great-grandson, W. Clayton Whitney of Huron, South Dakota. Also included are two photographs of John Colby Griggs and Lucyann Hill Griggs.

INVENTORY

Envelope containing:

Reminiscences of John Colby Griggs as Confederate soldier, 1861-1864, written in 1866
Diary of John Colby Griggs while serving as a U.S. volunteer in Nebraska Territory, 1865
Photographs (2) of John Colby Griggs and Lucyann Hill Griggs
Biography of John Colby Griggs, written by his great-grandson, W. Clayton Whitney


Subject headings:

Diaries
Griggs, John Colby, 1837-1914
Griggs, Lucyann Hill
Nebraska — History, military
Reminiscences
Scouts and scouting
United States — History — Civil War, 1861-1865 — Personal narratives
Whitney, W. Clayton


AIF   12-12-1979
Rev. kfk   10-10-1996
11-09-2009   Revised TMM/tmm

Become a Member!

Our members make history happen.

Join Now

You May Also Enjoy

Stabilizing a Book of 19th Century Japanese Woodblock Prints

Stabilizing a Book of 19th Century Japanese Woodblock Prints

Marker Monday: Marion Lux Carnegie Medal

Marker Monday: Marion Lux Carnegie Medal

How Nebraska artist John Falter imagined the Battle of Concord

How Nebraska artist John Falter imagined the Battle of Concord

About NSHS

The Nebraska State Historical Society was founded in 1878 by citizens who recognized Nebraska was going through great changes and they sought to record the stories of both indigenous and immigrant peoples. It was designated a state institution and began receiving funds from the legislature in 1883. Legislation in 1994 changed NSHS from a state institution to a state agency. The division is headed by Director Daryl Bohac. They are assisted by an administrative staff responsible for financial and personnel functions, museum store services, security, and facilities maintenance for NSHS.

Explore Nebraska

Discover the real places and people of our past at these NSHS sites.

Upcoming Events

View our new and upcoming events to see how you can get involved.

Become a Member

The work we do to discover, preserve, and share Nebraska's history wouldn't be possible without the support of NSHS members.

NSHS Education

Learn more about the educational programs provided at our museums, sites, and online.

Education Digital Learning Resources

Find games, lists, and more to enhance your history education curriculum.

Latest Hall of Fame Inductee

The Nebraska Hall of Fame was established in 1961 to officially recognize prominent Nebraskans.

Listen to our Podcast

Listen to the articles and authors published in the Nebraska History Magazine with our new Nebraska History Podcast!

Nebraska Collections

NSHS's mission is to collect, preserve, and open our shared history to all Nebraskans.

Our YouTube Video Collection

Get a closer look at Nebraska's history through your own eyes, with our extensive video collections.

Additional Research Resources

NSHS's Research and Reference Services help connect you to the material we collect and preserve.

NSHS Services

Digital Resources

Find all of our digital resources, files, videos, and more, all in one easy-to-search page!

Support The Historical Society

Make a cash donation to help us acquire, preserve, and interpret Nebraska’s history. Gifts to the Nebraska State Historical Society help leave a legacy and may help your taxes, too! Support the work of NSHS.

Volunteers are the heroes of NSHS. So much history, so little time! Your work helps us share access to Nebraska’s stories at our museums and sites, the reference room, and online.