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Kinyon Digital Library

History of Madison
County, Iowa, 1915.

Biographical.  Volume 2.

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D. M. Griswold.

D. M. Griswold is a thoroughly up-to-date agriculturist residing on section 23, Madison township, and has one of the finest farm homes in the county.  He was born in Marion county, Ohio, on the 5th of September, 1863, a son of Martin and Mary J. (Withrow) Griswold, also natives of the Buckeye state.  The father, who was a farmer, cultivated land in his native state until 1866, when he removed with his family to this county, purchasing land in Grand River township and operating his place until 1871, when he sold it and bought land in Penn township, to the cultivation of which he devoted the remainder of his life.  He passed away on the 14th of December, 1880, when sixty-two years of age, but his widow is still living at the age of seventy-five.

D. M. Griswold entered the district schools as a child and passed from grade to grade until he had completed the course therein.  He then became a student in the Dexter Normal School at Dexter, Iowa, where he supplemented his earlier education.  He remained with his parents until he was twenty-seven years of age and then rented land, which he operated for five years.  At the end of that time he removed to Earlham and turned his attention to teaching school, a profession which he had previously followed while living under the parental roof.  Altogether he taught for twenty-seven terms and proved a capable and popular teacher.

Upon turning to other pursuits Mr. Griswold engaged in the telephone business and on the 1st of January, 1899, was elected secretary of the Hawkeye Telephone Company.  He remained with that concern for thirteen years and for the last five years of that time was general manager, having oversight of the company's interests in fourteen counties.  Although he proved a thoroughly efficient executive, he desired to return to the land that he owned on section 23, Madison township.  He has since concentrated his energies largely upon the development of his farm and has proved very successful as an agriculturist, his early training in that line standing him in good stead.  Everything about the place is in the best of condition, the equipment for the work of the farm is complete and up-to-date and the residence itself is one of the best country homes of the county.

Mr. Griswold was married on the 11th of March, 1891, to Miss Lula E. Piatt, a daughter of Jacob H. and Emeline (Nelson) Piatt, natives of Ohio and Edgar county, Illinois, respectively.  Mr. Piatt became a resident of Illinois at an early day and engaged in farming in Henry county, that state, until 1879, when, accompanied by his family, he removed to this county, buying land in Penn township, which he operated during the remainder of his life.  He passed away in March, 1889, when but forty-nine years of age, but his widow reached the age of seventy-five.  Mr. and Mrs. Griswold have had three children:  Glenn H., at home;  Alice, who is studying music at the conservatory of Drake University at Des Moines, Iowa; and one who died in infancy.

Mr. Griswold is a republican and was a candidate for state representative upon that ticket but was defeated at the primaries.  He has served as trustee of his township and at the last election was elected assessor of the same.  For some time he served as clerk of Penn township, to which office he was elected by popular suffrage.  He attends the Presbyterian church and his life is proof of the sincerity of his faith.  He is a business man of ability and sound judgment who is finding in farming an opportunity for the application of those principles that underlie all business and his land is yielding him a large return annually.  He does not confine his interest, however, to his own affairs but finds time to cooperate heartily in many movements that seek the public welfare and is a valued citizen of his township and county.

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