The Griffin Family
Griffin Family: L to R - John ‘Jack’ Pelan, Sydney Herbert, father John Gilmore, Frederick Gilmore, Gerald Walter, mother Eleanor S. (Pelan), Victor Ernest and Philip ‘Pat’ George. Taken about 1907 in Ireland.
Frederick Gilmore Griffin, 30 years a top-ranking newspaper writer was overseas for five years, covering nearly every phase of Canada's fighting forces in the second world war.
Frederick, was the first born of six children born to John Gilmore Griffin and Eleanor Sarah Pelan.
John Gilmore Griffin
Born 23 October 1858 in Corrinary, Co. Monaghan, Ireland.
Died 16 July 1912 in Co. Monaghan, Ireland.
Occupation: Commercial Traveller
Father: Philip George Griffin
Mother: Margaret Gilmore
Married Eleanor Sarah Pelan on 16 April 1888 in Londonderry, Ireland.
Eleanor Sarah Pelan
Born in December 1863 in Lurgen, Co Armagh, Ireland.
Died 16 February 1955 in Toronto, ON.
Father: John Pelan
Mother: Eleanor Hazelton
Married John Gilmore Griffin on 16 April 1888 in Londonderry, Ireland
Note from son Fredrick Griffin
His father may have been born at Liscalgot, near Crossmaglen. His grandmother had come home to Liscalgot to bear the twins, father and Uncle Richard, having walked miles of country road to reach there in an exhausted state.
Children
John Gilmore Griffin and Eleanor Sarah Pelan had the following children, all born in Ireland:
Frederick Gilmore, born 5 March 1889, married Luella Flood, had 1 daughter, 3 grandchildren; died January 1945, of a heart attack.
John ‘Jack” Pelan, born 1891, married Ethel Govier 1927 died 1970; had two children, 7 grandchildren.
Philip ‘Pat’ George, born 1893, married Olive Lomas 1915, had 3 sons, 5 grandchildren, remarried Florence Atkinson 1936, had one son, 1 grandchild; died 17 November 1945.
Sydney Herbert, born 1895, married S.H., had 3 sons 2 daughters, 13 grandchildren; died 15 April 1941.
Victor Ernest, born 1897, died 15 September 1916 in a mine explosion at Courcelette, France during WWI.
Gerald Walter, born 1900, married Marguerite Davidson, 2 children, 2 grandchildren; died 1976.
Of the six boys Gerald, Philip, Sydney and Victor soldiered in the War and Frederick covered the fighting as an overseas journalist.
