Local War of 1812 soldier recognized

TIFFIN — Steve Coffman recently discovered that his great-great-uncle, James Griffin, fought in the War of 1812, serving six months in the Ohio Spies unit, and led the effort to have his grave officially recognized. Griffin is buried in Egbert Cemetery, located northeast of Tiffin along Ohio 101. The grave was marked with a War of 1812 flag holder memorial during a ceremony Saturday afternoon. The event drew representatives from the Society of the War of 1812 in the State of Ohio, the John Hancock Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, American Legion Post 169 Honor Guard of Tiffin, Seneca County Commissioner Bill Frankart and Ken Egbert. Coffman said Private James Griffin served with the Ohio Spies from Sept. 4, 1813, to March 4, 1814, as a member of Capt. John Spencer's Company from Licking County. The Ohio Spies, he said, were specialized militia units that operated as frontier scouts, rangers and intelligence gatherers. They tracked British movements, monitored British-allied Native American tribes and protected settlements across Ohio. Griffin was the son of Hezekiah and Eleonora (Deakins) Griffin, who were among Seneca County's first settlers, arriving in the late 1820s or early 1830s. The family owned land in Seneca Township.