Dr. L. E. Griffith Home Place
Location: 805 First Street - Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
This is the second oldest home remaining in Terrell. It was built in 1875 or possibly in early 1876 by James Brown, a carpenter who, in 1872, had built Kaufman County's 3rd courthouse. Building of homes and businesses in the new city of Terrell was booming. Lumber yards were appearing on the scene to furnish supplies Adler Bros. Brick Yard was in operation at the time. An article appeared in the Dallas Daily Herald on 14 June 1874:
"We were shown, on yesterday, a sample brick made by Messrs. Adler Bros., in the vicinity of Terrell, Kaufman County, which, for hardness and smoothness, we have never seen excelled, of ever equaled in Texas. Mr. A. informed us that the material from which the brick is made is found in great abundance near Terrell. He has a kiln of one hundred and fifty thousand brick already burned, some of which we learn will probably come to Dallas to help build up our city."
Mr. Brown had purchased the property from Jasper Johnson (for whom Johnson Street and Johnson Addition are named) in December 1874. In 1880, James Brown and his wife, Margaret A. sold their six (6) acres to C. M. Johnson for $2000. In October of 1882, there is a mention in the newspaper, the Terrell Times of the handsome residence of Mr. C. M. Johnson. In that same year, Mr. Johnson and wife sold their six (6) acres with improvements to Sarah Jane Griffith, wife of Dr. L. E. Griffith of Nacogdoches County for $3,000.00. Mr. Johnson held the note on the house to be paid out in installments. Sarah Jane Griffith was the daughter of William Clark, one of the signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence. She only got to live in her Terrell home for four years. Dr. Griffith had come to the San Augustine area soon after the Texas Revolution from Maryland.
John Henry Brown, author of Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas wrote of Dr. Griffith,"General Sam Houston was his first patient in Texas, the Doctor attending him after his return from New Orleans." The General was treated on the San Jacinto battlefield by Dr. Lemuel Gustine of Natchez and he returned from New Orleans to San Augustine on the 5th of July 1836 after receiving treatment on his leg from Dr. James Kerr, who had been his physician twenty years before when suffering from the wound received at the battle of To-ho-pe-ka. John S. "Rip" Ford, a well-known figure who played a prominent role in the Texas Revolution wrote in his book Rip Ford's Texas there was a thespian corp (or acting group) formed in San Augustine in 1838. He stated, "Dr. Lycurgus E. Griffith acted well. He is a gentleman of fine attainments."
More can be learned about the history of Dr. L.E. Griffith from Dr. Horace P. Flatt's book,"Cap'n Terrell's Town" and a researched article with footnotes by Jean Ann Ables-Flatt, titled "Family Lore, Fact or Fiction" located in the Riter C. Hulsey Public Library, Terrell, the Terrell Heritage Museum and the historical landmark files of the Texas Historical Commission.