Harry Earl Griffith (July 13, 1887 – March 30, 1940) was a newspaper publisher who served as the Secretary of the State of Ohio from 1939 to 1940.[1]

Harry Earl Griffith
39th Ohio Secretary of State
In office
January 9, 1939 – March 30, 1940
GovernorJohn W. Bricker
Preceded byWilliam J. Kennedy
Succeeded byGeorge M. Neffiner
Personal details
Born(1887-07-13)July 13, 1887
Centerburg, Ohio, US
DiedMarch 30, 1940(1940-03-30) (aged 52)
Columbus, Ohio, US
Resting placeRiver Cliff Cemetery, Mount Gilead, Ohio, US
Political partyRepublican
SpouseMary Clara Terry
Alma materOhio Wesleyan University

Griffith was born in Centerburg, Ohio, in Knox county. He was the son of Nellie Myrtle (Gunsaulus) and Harry Saiger Griffith. He attended Mount Gilead public schools. He attended Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio.

He married Mary Clara Terry on April 17, 1912. He was the publisher of the newspaper the Morrow County Sentinel, which he took over after the death of his father, Harry Saiger Griffith. The paper was started by his grandfather John W. Griffith in 1858.[2] He served as the Post Master of Morrow County from 1928 to 1934. He was a prominent Republican in Morrow county and the state of Ohio. He served as an alternate delegate to Republican National Convention from Ohio in 1924.[3] In 1936, he ran an unsuccessful bid for the Secretary of the State of Ohio. He ran again for the same post in 1938 and won. He served as the Secretary of the State of Ohio from 1939 until his death in 1940. Governor John W. Bricker appointed George Neffner to complete the rest of Griffith's term as Secretary of State.

Griffith died in Columbus, Ohio on March 30, 1940. He is buried at River Cliff Cemetery, Mount Gilead, Ohio.

References edit

  1. ^ "Secretaries of State of the State of Ohio: 1788 - present". Archived from the original on 2011-06-27. Retrieved 2011-02-06.
  2. ^ Baughman, A J (1911). History of Morrow County, Ohio. Vol. 1. Chicago: Lewis Publishing. p. 223.
  3. ^ "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Griffing to Grime".
Political offices
Preceded by Secretary of State of Ohio
1939–1940
Succeeded by