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L. E. Griffith was born in Clarksburg, MD on 9 Jan 1813, son of Rev. Alfred & Catherine Shull Griffith. He was educated & graduated from Dixon College in PA, attending two years the same time as David S Kaufman was a student there.
Griffith studied to be a Physician at the University of Maryland Medical School, and became a doctor of medicine in 1833. However, L E Griffith did not pursue his chosen career in his home state, but sought adventure in the frontier of Texas. He left home early in 1836, arriving at San Augustine in late spring that year, just a few months after Texas won independence from Mexico.
L. E. Griffith signature, 1842
He began practicing medicine in San Augustine until 1842, then removed to the town of Paris (now in Fannin County), then to Clarksville. In 1846, during the Mexican War, he had charge of a field hospital in San Antonio. He returned to San Augustine late in 1846, and in 1847 married Sarah Jane Clark, daughter of William Clark, Jr. See Sarah Jane Clark Griffith's Page HERE.
Griffith was living in Sabine County by 1850.
1850 Sabine Co TX Census HH # 160 / 160
| GRIFFITH | | | | |
| Lycurges E | 37 | MD | Physician | $60,000.00 |
| Sarah Jane | 23 | GA | | |
| Katharine V | 2 | TX | | |
In 1857 he settled in Nacogdoches County, where he practiced medicine and operated a drugstore. Later he acquired the Simpson Hotel in Nacogdoches and managed it until he and his family moved to Terrell in 1883.
1860 Nacogdoches Co TX Census HH # 7 / 7
| GRIFFITH | | | | |
| L E | 47 | MD | Merchant | $15,000/$25,000 |
| Sarah | 32 | GA | Keeps House | |
| Kate V | 11 | TX | Dau | |
| Blanche | 8 | TX | Dau | |
| Martha T | 5 | TX | Dau | |
| Thomas B | 3 | TX | San | |
| Atta | 1 | TX | Dau | |
| LEWIS, Elizabeth | 18 | TX | Student | |
1870 Nacogdoches Co TX Census HH # 100 / 100
| GRIFFITH | | | | |
| Lycurgus | 57 | MD | Physician | $5,000./$10,000. |
| Jane | 43 | GA | | $10,000 / - |
| Blanche | 18 | TX | | |
| Martha | 15 | TX | | |
| Thomas B | 12 | TX | | |
| Atta | 10 | TX | | |
| William C | 7 | TX | | |
| Edward | 5 | TX | | |
| CLARK, William | 72 | GA | Farmer | (Sarah's father) |
1880 Nacogdoches Co TX Census - Prec 1
| GRIFFITH | | | | |
| L E | 67 | MD | Physician | |
| Sarah Jane | 59 | GA | Keeps House | |
| Martha | 24 | TX | Assist | dau |
| Atola | 18 | TX | | dau |
| W. Clark | 16 | TX | | son |
| Edward | 14 | TX | | son |
| Alfred | 54 | MD | Clerk in store | Brother |
| ACRY, Silas | 16 | TX | Laborer | Black male |
| WALKER, Toby | 11 | TX | Other | Black male |
| TAYLOR, E | 28 | Eng | Farmer | White male |
L E & Sarah Jane Griffith had eight children.
| NAME | BIRTH | DEATH | SPOUSE NAME |
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| Katherine Virginia "Kate" | 8 Nov 1847 Sabine Co | 8 Apr 1891 Terrell | ALEXANDER, Angus Edward |
| Margaret Blanche | 25 Jul 1850
Sabine Co | 27 Oct 1883 Terrell, TX | BAXTER, George L |
| Francis Augusta | 2 Feb 1853
Fannin Co | 5 Mar 1855 Fannin Co | -did not marry- |
| Martha Theodosia | 22 Jun 1855
Fannin Co | 7 Aug 1943 Terrell, TX | -did not marry- |
| Thomas Bond | 16 Apr 1857
Nacogdoches | 28 May 1955 | GIRAND, Ada Lee |
| Atella Almira | 4 Sep 1859
Nacogdoches | 30 Sep 1888 Terrell, TX | -did not marry- |
| William Clark | 15 Jul 1862
Nacogdoches | 16 Aug 1928 | WILSON, LuLu |
| Lycurgus Edward Jr | 14 Jun 1865
Nacogdoches | 26 Jun 1928 | #1 GRINNAN, Libby #2 MORRILL, Nettie W
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All of L E Griffith's children are buried at Oakland Cemetery in Terrell, Kaufman Co TX.
L. E. Griffith died at Terrell on December 21, 1897. He and Sarah Jane are buried at Oakland Cemetery near all their children.
"Texas Family Land Heritage Registry - 1974 First Edition"
by the U S Dept. of Agriculture
GRIFFITH LEAGUE RANCH
Founded 1832
Bastrop County, Texas
Located Between U.S. 290 and Texas 21 off FM2336
Founder: Lycurgus Edward Griffith of Maryland
In 1832, Dr. Griffith came to Texas and purchased the Headright of Jacob
Large, a Spanish Land Grant. Known locally as the "Lost League," these 5,000
acres produced timber as the major agricultural product until 1950. After the
death of the founder, the son took over the task of seeing that the land was not
stolen by squatters. In 1927 the ranch was fenced and continued to produce fine
stands of timber. For twenty-four years it has been a part of the American Tree
Farm System to further the development of the timber. Part of the land which
grew brush and post oak was cleared, and in that area good stand of Coastal
Bermuda, Alecia, and Bahia grasses were planted and cattle are grazed there.
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