Source: A History of
Texas and Texans by Frank W. Johnson, The American Historical Society, Chicago and
New York, 1914, ppg. 1208-9
ROBERT S. GRIGGS. When Robert S. Griggs came to
Ballinger,
Texas, in November, 1902, he was fresh from his studies in the
Texas State University, and had but recently received his LL. B. degree. His stay here has been continuous since that time, and his success has been one of the highest order. Numerous public offices have been given into his keeping, and he is now serving as representative from the One Hundred and Eleventh District. In the practice of his profession he has shown an exceptional ability, the same having won to him a clientele of representative order, and in his public service, most of which has been in line with his profession, he has coupled his professional ability with a high sense of citizenship and stewardship, so that his career in
Ballinger has been one that is most creditable to him and to the city and county.
A native son of the state, Mr. Griggs was born at
Chapel Hill,
Washington county,
Texas, on November 29, 1875, and he is a son of Dr. G.W. Griggs and his wife, who was Miss Eugenie C. Jackson prior to her marriage. The father was born in
Madison county,
Alabama, and in early life practiced medicine, though he later turned his attention to dentistry and continued in that profession until 1872, when he retired to the farm but was continually called on by neighbors to extract troublesome teeth. The mother, also a native of
Alabama, came to
Texas with her parents in about 1845, the father coming after the close of the Civil war, in which he fought as a soldier in the Confederate army. He served one year as a private in the ranks, after which he was appointed to the post of surgeon in the Hospital
Corps, in which capacity he continued until the close of the war. He was wounded at the battle of Shiloh, prior to his service on the hospital corps. When the war was over, Dr. Griggs came to
Texas and located at
Chapel Hill, taking up the practice of dentistry. In September, 1865, he married, and continued in practice in
Chapel Hill until 1870, when he went to
Waco and established himself in his profession there. Two years later he retired from the active practice of his profession, and removed to a farm near
Chapel Hill,
Washington county, and in 1876 moved to the line of Correll and
Hamilton counties near the little town of Evant. He located on that place in 1892, and there his death occurred in 1895. The mother survived until March, in 1902. It should be said that she was the daughter of
Terrell J. Jackson, a well known pioneer of
Washington county, in his day, and especially prominent as one of the promoters and builders of the old
Washington county Railroad, now a part of the H. & T. C. Railroad. Seven children were born to Dr. and Mrs. Griggs-three daughters and four sons. Judge
Griggs of this review is the fourth in order of birth.
Robert S. Griggs gained his preliminary education in the public schools of his native state, and when he had finished his high school course he applied himself to the work of teaching, in which he continued for a few seasons and then entered the state University, where he engaged in the study of law. In 1902 his graduation followed, when he was accorded his LL. B. degree, and in the following November he came to
Ballinger.
In the summer of 1904 the
Judge was appointed to the office of city attorney of
Ballinger, and at the close of the year was elected county attorney of
Runnels county, in which office he served with all efficiency for fars, and in 1908 was elected Coutny
Judge. He served two terms in that office, proving himself an able jurist, dispensing a justice well worthy of a higher court, and gaining reputation yearly in his profession. In the general election of 1912
Judge Griggs was elected to represent the One Hundred and Eleventh district in the state legislature, his district comprising the counties of Runnels and
Coke. He is now serving in his capacity as representative, and gives promise of a praiseworthy career as a legislator.
Judge
Griggs has always been a stanch Democrat, active and earnest in his endeavors for the forwarding of the best interests of the party, and a leader in local and county politics.
Socially, the
Judge and his wife are popular and prominent in these parts. He is fraternally identified by his membership in the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows and the Woodmen of the World. He is a member of the
Baptist church, while his wife affiliates with the Methodists. He is clerk of the church and a member of the board of deacons, and as superintendent of the Sunday-school, his influence in his city has been an excellent one, potent and far-reaching and invaluable to the rising generation.
On October 11, 1904,
Judge Griggs was married in Gatesville,
Texas to Miss Betie
Dickie, a daughter of J.R. and C.V. Dickie, of Gatesville. The mother of Mrs. Griggs died on January 10, 1908, and the father, a retired merchant of Gatesville, still survives. Three children have been born to
Judge and Mrs. Griggs. The first born, a boy, is deceased, and the two remaining are
Virginia Elizabeth, aged four, and Frances Eugenia, now two years of age.
Judge
Griggs, it should be said, springs from a sturdy Scotch-Irish ancestry, but he manifests a deal of pardonable pride in his American birth and citizenship, and is glad of his claim to being the native son of
Texas. No state in the Union surpasses his birth state in all the desirabilities, in his opinion, and he has proved his loyalty in no uncertain terms since he came to man's estate.