1920 Obit. (Contributed by Jim Petrimoulx. April 2008)
Bay City Tribune - Tuesday, December 16, 1920 (Page 1)
Griff Lewis Is
Called By Death
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A Prominent Figure of Bay City for Nearly Half a Century.
Griffin Lewis, one of the best known men in Bay City, died in Battle Creek this morning. The remains will be brought to Bay City and the funeral will take place from the Masonic temple Thursday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock.
Mr. Lewis attended a Knights Templar meeting at Battle Creek last night and was taken with apoplexy, death following at 1:30 o’clock this morning.
Griff Lewis was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan March 22, 1842. He was educated in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo until he reached the age of fifteen years when he was apprenticed to the printers trade in a newspaper office. In August 1862 he enlisted in the 16th U.S. Infantry band in Chicago and later took part in encounters at Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain and Mission Ridge. He came near starving during the time of peril at Chattanooga when the soldiers were reduced to three hardtack crackers a day. He once said he was so hungry all of the time and only slept to dream of being home and eating of everything that a home table supplied. At the siege of Atlanta and the march to the sea all of the bands were sent back and Mr. Lewis remained at Oswego and Sackett’s Harbor, New York until the close of the war when he was mustered out after three years service.
Returning to Battle Creek Mr. Lewis resumed his business there and in the spring of 1866 joined Haverly’s minstrels and traveled with them for a year. From a boy up he played a trombone and he afterward joined the band of Dan Costello’s circus. After his return to Battle Creek, he started the Constitution and Union, but the following year sold out his interest there and came to Bay City, where he worked at his trade as printer. He was one of the organizers of the Knights Templar band which remained in existence about fifteen years and he played for many years in the opera house orchestras.
In 1876 with Thomas K. Harding, Edward Kroeneke and John Culbert, now deceased he started the Bay City Daily Tribune, taking the position as foreman of the composing room which he held until 1882 when he sold out his interest and opened a job printing office. He was a member of the Bay City Commandery, Knights Templar, the Scottish Rite Mystic Shrine and Bay City lodge No. 129 F.A.& M.
He was also one of the charter members of the U.S. Grant post No. 67 G.A.R. In his recent years he was county agent and probation officer.
Several weeks ago he was taken with a apoplectic stroke. When he had partially recovered he went to Battle Creek to reside with a relative. Only a few days ago he wrote to the Times Tribune saying he was all knocked out, having lost the use of his right arm.
Mr. Lewis was married at Muir, Ionia county in 1868 to Miss Lucinda Beach. Surviving him are his daughter in Battle Creek and his son Fred in Bay City.
