Encyclopedia Dubuque
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
GRIFFITH, Jeffrey M.
GRIFFITH, Jeffrey M. (Montgomery County, MD, Feb. 25, 1830--Paris, France, Oct. 22, 1883). Griffith, one of Dubuque's most successful attorneys, with his wife Helen Packard GRIFFITH, gave their home and grounds to the founders of the MOUNT PLEASANT HOME for their use.
At the time of his death, Griffith's estate was valued at half a million dollars. Together with his law partner, William J. KNIGHT, Griffith handled many of the largest lawsuits in the history of Iowa.
Retained by the firm of Cobb, Blaisdell and Company in a suit against the ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD, Griffith and Knight won a verdict of $400,000 of which they kept half for their service. They obtained a judgment of half a million dollars in the case of Richmond and Jackson vs. the Illinois Central Railroad and again kept half for their efforts. So successful was the partnership that the Illinois Central put the two attorneys on a $10,000 per year retainer.
Griffith was a principal stockholder and director of the NORWEGIAN PLOW COMPANY and the Steam Supply Company. He was a stockholder of the SECOND NATIONAL BANK, Iowa and Minnesota Telephone Company, NOVELTY IRON WORKS, Linseed Oil Mill Company, and the Dubuque Brush Electric Company.
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Source:
"Jeffery Macgruder Griffith," Linwood Legacies. Online: http://www.linwoodlegacies.org/the-griffith-family.html