Dick Griffin

Richard D. "Dick" Griffin (born January 5, 1896 in Henry County - died December 7, 1920 at Coolie Springs) was a United States Marshal killed in the line of duty.

Griffin was the son of State Representative John Thomas and Margaret Varina Hudspeth Griffin.

In 1917 he was a student at Howard College and worked as a watchman for the Tennessee Coal, Iron, and Railroad Company (TCI) in Docena. He joined the Home Guard of Alabama on May 17, 1917.

By January of 1920 he was working as a druggist in Newville (Henry County), but left soon later to become a United States Marshal. on December 7 of that year he was caught in an ambush and shot by moonshiner Allen Johnson Whitney near Coolie Springs outside of Birmingham. Whitney and his three sons were arrested a week later. Griffin's body was returned to Henry County and is buried at the Newville Baptist Church cemetery there.

References

• Childs, Roberta Whiddon (July 14, 2008) "Richard Griffin". Alabama Story Tombstones. Alabama Heritage - accessed July 16, 2008