Lawrence Christopher Griffin (1900-1918)

On Feb. 23, 1900, Lawrence Christopher Griffin was born in Earlham, Iowa to Oliver Pendleton Griffin, a farmer, and Ida Mary Wilson Griffin. There were eventually at least nine children in total; they include Rachel Eliza Griffin Alther, Cecil Milton Griffin, Vivian Pierre Griffin, Lillian Griffin, Herman Lyle Griffin, Truman Maine Griffin, Dorothy Griffin, and Carolyn Griffin Connolly.
By 1910, the family had moved to Fredericksburg, Virginia, where father Oliver was employed as a lumberman in a sawmill.
By the time Griffin was issued his World War I Registration Card on Sept. 12, 1918, he was living at 211 S. Neville St. in Pittsburgh. According to the Registration Card, his “nearest relative” was his mother, Mrs. Ida M. Griffin, of the same address. It is likely the parents had separated, as his father, Oliver, died in Richmond, Virginia in 1942, while Ida died in 1971 in Pittsburgh. At the time, Lawrence Griffin was employed by Duquesne Light. He was described as being of medium height and build, with light hair and blue eyes.
On Oct. 1, 1918, Griffin was inducted as a private into the University of Pittsburgh Student Army Training Corps. A little over two weeks later, on Oct. 16, he was dead from pneumonia, probably brought on by influenza.
Lawrence Christopher Griffin is buried at Allegheny Cemetery.