Griffin, Cyrus, 1748-1810

Hide Profile

Cyrus Griffin (July 16, 1748 – December 14, 1810), a Virginia lawyer and politician, was the final President of the Congress of the Confederation and first United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Virginia.

Born in Farnham Parish (now Farnham), then in Lancaster County (which became part of Richmond County in his lifetime), Colony of Virginia, Griffin received a private education appropriate to his class in Virginia, then sailed to England to complete his education. He studied law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and at the Middle Temple in London. Admitted to the Virginia bar, Griffin had a private legal practice in Lancaster County and surrounding areas in the Colony of Virginia from 1774 to 1777. Lancaster County voters elected him as one of their two part-time representatives in the Virginia House of Delegates, and he served from 1777 to 1778 and from 1786 to 1787; his fellow legislators elected him among Virginia's delegates to the Second Continental Congress, where he served from 1778 to 1780. Griffin was a Judge of the Court of Appeals in Cases of Capture from 1780 to 1787.

Griffin became a delegate to the Ninth Congress of the Confederation from 1787 to 1788, serving as the final President of the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation in 1788. He aligned with the Federalist party and served as United States Commissioner to the Creek Nation in 1789. Griffin received a recess appointment from President George Washington on November 28, 1789, to the United States District Court for the District of Virginia, to a new seat authorized by 1 Stat. 73. He was nominated to the same position by President Washington on February 8, 1790. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 10, 1790, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on December 14, 1810, due to his death in Yorktown, Virginia. He was interred in Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Benjamin Franklin Papers Part 4 -- Letters to Franklin, 1779 January-November American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Henry A. Willard II Collection, 1743-1888, (bulk 1770-1840) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf United States. District Court (Virginia). Warrant, 1794 December 25, for the arrest of John Shermadine. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
creatorOf Griffin, Cyrus, 1748-1810. Cyrus Griffin estate papers, 1821-1828. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Griffin, Cyrus, 1748-1810. Letter and will of Cyrus Griffin [manuscript], 1780-1811. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Griffen, Cyrus, 1748-1810. Letters, 1788-1810. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Warrant for the arrest of John Shermadine, 1794 December 25 Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866. Jared Sparks collection of American manuscripts, 1582-1843 Houghton Library
creatorOf Griffin, Cyrus, 1748-1810. Letters of Cyrus Griffin, 1792. Library of Congress
creatorOf Griffin, Cyrus, 1748-1810. Draft, 1810. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn Klos, Stanley L. Forgotten Founders collection, 2008-2009. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
referencedIn Thomas Addis Emmet collection, 1483-1876 (bulk:1700-1800) New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Griffin, Thomas, 1773-1837. Thomas Griffin letter : 1825. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810. Letter : Augusta, [Georgia], to the governor of the state of Georgia [George Walton], 1789 Oct. 2. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Griffin, Cyrus, 1748-1810. DS, 1788 July 12, New York, as President of the Continental Congress. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
creatorOf Tazewell family. Papers, 1756-1931. Library of Virginia
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
referencedIn Adams family. Papers, 1672-1792. Section 6. Virginia Historical Society Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Adams family. family
associatedWith Adams, John, 1735-1826. person
associatedWith Bidwell, Barnabas, 1763-1833. person
associatedWith Brown, James, 1766-1835. person
associatedWith Carrington, Edward, 1749-1810. person
associatedWith Clinton, George, 1739-1812. person
associatedWith Collins, John, 1717-1795. person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Emmet, Thomas Addis person
associatedWith FitzSimons, Thomas, 1741-1811. person
associatedWith Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790 person
associatedWith Griffen, Christina Stuart, 1751-1807. person
associatedWith Griffin, Thomas, 1773-1837. person
associatedWith Hartshorn, Asa. person
associatedWith Henry, Patrick, 1736-1799. person
associatedWith Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. person
associatedWith Klos, Stanley L. person
associatedWith Lee, Richard Henry, 1732-1794. person
associatedWith Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810. person
associatedWith Madison, James, 1751-1836. person
associatedWith Mason, George, 1725-1792. person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Middle Temple (London, England) corporateBody
associatedWith Page, John, 1744-1808. person
associatedWith Randolph, Edmund, 1753-1813. person
associatedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
associatedWith Tazewell family. family
associatedWith United States. Army corporateBody
memberOf United States. Continental Congress corporateBody
associatedWith United States. District Court (Virginia) corporateBody
almaMaterOf University of Edinburgh. corporateBody
memberOf Virginia. General Assembly. House of Delegates corporateBody
associatedWith Willard, Henry A. (Henry Augustus), 1902- person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Yorktown VA US
Lancaster County VA US
Edinburgh SCT GB
United States
Richmond County VA US
Virginia
London ENG GB
Subject
Actions and defenses
Courts
Interstate controversies
Judges
Judges
Land grants
Leases
Legislators
Theological seminaries
Wills
Occupation
Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress
Federal District Court Judge
Jurists
Lawyers
Public officials
State Representative
Activity

Person

Birth 1748-07-16

Death 1810-12-14

Male

Britons,

Americans

English

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6jv0gsh

Ark ID: w6jv0gsh

SNAC ID: 87532444