Early Memories of Saugatuck, Michigan : 1830-1930
Author: Heath, May Francis
Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Grand Rapids, Mich: 1930

WALLACE B. GRIFFIN

In the lumbering days in this section W. B. Griffin played no small part and he is remembered as one of Saugatuck's successful. citizens.

His parents were Edward and Hannah Wallace Griffin of New York and Virginia, respectively and after their marriage they moved to Canada where Wallace was born in 1842. The father being a master mechanic, they moved about a good deal where building in new places called him and in 1850 came to the State of Michigan, at Niles.

At Buchanan Wallace was apprenticed to learn the machinist's trade and in 1861 he was married to Miss Mary A. Post of Buchanan and to this union came three children, Anna, (now Mrs. Clarence Wade), William, a bright and promising boy who died at the age of twelve years and the third child Virginia, died in infancy.

In 1866 Mr. Griffin came to Saugatuck and for ten years was in the employ of Stockbridge and Johnson, he was admitted as a partner and later the firm was known as Griffin and Williams, and after the demise of Mr. Williams, by the name of Griffin and Henry Lumber company. In 1900 he went to Washington in the interest of the building of Saugatuck's new harbor.

Mr. Griffin was a man who believed in industry and perseverance and his was a successful life. He not only had his milling and lumber interests but supervised his large 420 acre fruit farm just north of town, in which Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Wade lived and looked after his interests for twenty years. He was also manager of the Fruit Shipper's Packet Line between Saugatuck and Chicago in the peach area, and was part owner of the steamers Kalamazoo and Saugatuck.

He was Past Master of Saugatuck Lodge F.&A.M. He died in 1903.