Simon Goodell Griffin

Simon Goodell Griffin (August 9, 1824 – January 14, 1902) was a Union Army brigadier general during the American Civil War, farmer, teacher, lawyer and New Hampshire state legislator.

Pre-War Simon G. Griffin was born at Nelson, New Hampshire on August 9, 1824. Both of his grandfathers were American Revolutionary War veterans. Griffin was a farmer and a teacher. He represented his town in the State legislature and was admitted to the bar in 1860.

Civil War Service During the American Civil War, Griffin served first as a captain in the 2nd New Hampshire Infantry from June 1, 1861, to October 31 of that year. He served as lieutenant colonel of the 6th New Hampshire Infantry from November 28, 1861, until he became colonel on April 22, 1862. Griffin led his regiment in First Brigade, Second Division, Ninth Army Corps. He led the regiment in the Second Battle of Bull Run, the Battle of Antietam and the Battle of Fredericksburg. Griffin led first brigade second division briefly during the winter of 1862–1863. Next Colonel Griffin participated in Sherman's Meridian and Yazoo River Expeditions in Mississippi in February 1864, which culminated in the Battle of Meridian.

When Major General Robert B. Potter, the division commander, was wounded in an attack on Fort Mahone during the Third Battle of Petersburg on April 2, 1865, Griffin became acting division commander during the Appomattox Campaign. He also commanded the division in the Department of Washington after the Confederate surrender.

After the war, Griffin returned to New Hampshire and was a manufacturer at Harrisville, New Hampshire. He was elected five times to a seat in the New Hampshire Legislature, serving in the last two terms as Speaker. He spent several years in Texas where he speculated in land and railroads. He returned to Keene, New Hampshire where he wrote and participated in the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. Griffin died in Keene, New Hampshire on January 14, 1902. He was buried in Keene at the Woodland Cemetery.

General Griffin also was a local historian, co-author of:

Simon Goodell Griffin, Frank H Whitcomb and Octavius Applegate Jr., A history of the town of Keene from 1732, when the township was granted by Massachusetts, to 1874, when it became a city, Keene, N.H., Sentinel Print. Co., 1904. Reprint: Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, 1980. ,

Simon Goodell Griffin and Ebenezer Tolman, Celebration by the town of Nelson, New Hampshire (originally called "Monadnick no. 6" and incorporated as "Packersfield") of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of its first settlement, 1767-1917, New York: Evening post job Print. Office, Inc., 1917. Reprint: Salem, Mass.: Higginson Book Company, 1998.