ERNEST C GRIFFIN

One of the younger members of the Atchison bar is Ernest C. Griffin, who is numbered among the native sons of Atchison county, his birth having occurred upon a farm in Walnut township July 9, 1873. His father, Charles T. Griffin, a prominent lawyer of Atchison, was born in Kentucky, December 18, 1848, and came to Kansas with his parents, Samuel P. and Eliza (Saunders) Griffin, who now reside in Center township, Atchison county, upon a farm, and are numbered among the prosperous agriculturists of the community. Charles T. Griffin was reared to manhood on the family homestead in that township, and, having acquired his preliminary education in the public schools, entered Alfred University, in New York, Where he completed his literary course. Determining to engage in the practice of law as a life work he began preparation for the bar, and after a thorough and comprehensive study was admitted, in 1872. Opening an office in Atchison, he soon secured a large and distinctly representative clientage and in 1875 he was elected county attorney. In 1878 he formed a partnership with John C. Tomlinson anl the firm took rank among the leading lawyers of this section of the state. In 1884 Mr. Griffin was elected city attorney and has ably conducted all the litigated interests that come to him through his office, winning the commendation of the general public as well as of the bar. His knowledge of law is accurate and profound and embraces an intimate acquaintance with almost every department of jurisprudence. This enables him to base his arguments upon sound judicial principles and before court and jury he is both logical and convincing in his presentation of the cause. In 1872 he was nominated by the Democrats as a candidate for state senator and the same fall his father was elected on the Republican ticket to the house, so that they served in the same sessions. In 1870 Charles Griffin was united in marriage to Miss Addie Eliler. a daughter of Daniel Eliler, a farmer of Virginia, and to them were born the following children: Edward C., Grace and Ernest C.

The last named obtained his education in the city schools of Atchison and in Nortonville, Kansas. Determining to follow in the professional footsteps of his father, he read law with John C. Tomlinson and W. T. Bland. the latter since district judge. In 1895 he was admitted to the bar and began practice in Atchison. He served as police judge of the city and is one of the rising young attorneys of this section of the state, deserving of high recognition as an able member of the profession which he has chosen. He is a young man of strong mentality, of marked force of character and of laudable ambition, whose friends predict for hini a successful future.