Griffen, Horace, 1894-

World War I veteran and newspaper administrator of the Arizona Republican and Arizona Republic.

Horace Bigelow Griffen, World War I veteran and newspaper administrator, was born in Hillsboro, Kansas on December 28, 1894. He moved with his family to a homestead outside of Tempe, Arizona in 1895. In 1903, they moved inside the city limits to be nearer to educational facilities.

Griffen graduated from Tempe Normal School in 1914 and began his career in the circulation department of the Arizona Republican shortly afterwards. Griffen served in the Quartermaster Corps for twenty-four months during World War I. Upon his return he became south side circulation manager for the newspaper and in 1934 he transferred to the advertising department and started working as a travelling salesman. Griffen worked in the circulation and advertising departments of the Arizona Republic for fifty years until his retirement.

Griffen was also at various times a semi-professional baseball player, a district governor of Rotary International, president of Mesa Rotary, post commander of the American Legion at Tempe, and three-time president of the ASU Alumni Association. He was also a member of the Tempe Masonic Lodge and the Order of Eastern Star.

Griffen married Jessie Agnes Dickinson and the couple had two children, Horace Bigelow and Eunice Claire (Griffen) Horlbeck (1922-1988). Horace Griffen died in Arizona in 1972.

SOURCE: Horace Griffen Ends Career on Republic, unidentified newspaper clipping, Griffen Papers, Box 1, Folder 2.