Jerom Griffith is the earliest known ancestor that has been discovered for our branch of the Griffin family. It is not known if he is the immigrant ancestor; however, I have been unable to find references to him prior to 1660 in any other Virginia county or in Maryland. In 1660, he, along with Nicholas Phillips, is shown in the Records as being responsible for a debt owed to William Kendall in the amount of 100 pounds current money of England. Court Records indicate that he had been living in Northampton County since 1660. Court Records further indicate that he was a Cooper as early as 1666 and was literate. The later point is very interesting since none of his sons were literate. This fact, along with the 1660 debt owed to William Kendall would indicate that he may well have been the immigrant ancestor; however, this is speculation at this point and further research is needed.

Jerom Griffith is found in numerous land and court records of the era. He is first found acquiring 100 acres on the seaboard side from John Wilkins in 1666 On 24 Dec 1667 he sells property to John Waterman. Regrettably, the description does not give any indication if the land is the property he previously purchased from Wilkins or if it came from another source. In 1673 he purchased 200 acres from William James (Junis) Senr. On 23 Mar 1675/6 he received a 345 acre patent on Pimeno Branch. In 1707 he divided his property on Pimeno Branch among several of his children: Benjamin Griffith, Jonas Griffith, James Griffith and Jerom Griffith.

Whitelaw traces Jerom Griffith's land as being part of an original patent to Edmund Scarborough for 400 acres in 1638. The area, identified as N16 by Whitelaw, was described as being between two creeks, Purgatory to the south and Peminoe to the north. Both Peminoe Creek and Purgatory Creek have disappeared from modern maps. Through the gracious efforts of Mrs. Jean M. Mihalyka, it as been determined that Purgatory Creek is now known as Walls Landing Creek. Other old land records refer to a creek north of Peminoe Creek as Andrews Creek. That creek, by all probabilities, is now referred to on modern maps as Mill Creek. Peminoe Creek is shown as an unnamed creek between these two creeks. There are several old Griffith burial grounds in this area. This area is shown on page 2 of this Supplement.

In January 1678 Jerom Griffith is cited in a suit between John Joboul orphan who was indentured as a servant to him, to be trained as a Cooper. Perhaps the most valuable court reference occurred in 1689 when it was recorded that he was about 50 years of age and had lived in the area for about 29 years. The other most significant court record is his will in which he names his children as follows: sons - Jonah (Jonas), Luke, Thomas, Benjamin, Jerom; daughters - Francis Hall, Esther Freshwater, Dorothy Hayes, Elizabeth Freshwater, Margaret Griffeth.

Children: