By Lisa Hawk
The firm of Griffis Brothers started about the year ~1870. It was owned by AJ and CC Griffis. AJ had also been involved with a dry goods business prior to this.
This store was stocked with a line of hardware, bar and strap steel and iron, English and American cutlery, horse shoes and nails, as well as all kinds of mechanical tools, farm and garden supplies, construction hardware, pumps, churns, and tinware.
The company also carried the Garland and Early breakfast stoves and a gasoline stove.
The tinware department was at first managed by a Issac Groves, who was considered to have high quality tinner skills. All types of tinner supplies were carried.
The store was heated and lighted gas, once it was discovered in Middletown. The timber’s fire pot was also heated by gas found in Middletown.
This store competed successfully with hardware stores in Delaware and Madison counties.
Later in time this building became the Middletown Town Hall and included the fire and police departments.
Although my photos are not perfect, they do show what this building looked like in ~1870 and what it looked like in 2020 when I took this photo.
Note: there are conflicting dates of Griffis’ ownership. Reference 1 shows 1870 and Reference 2 shows 1884-85.
References
Memories, Dreams and Reflections of Middletown, 1975.
Photo from files of Lisa Hawk
Photo from files of Middletown Fall Creek Township Historical Society.
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