Griffith, William Alexander, 1866-1940

William Alexander Griffith was born August 19, 1866 in Lawrence, Kansas, the son of James Monroe Griffith and Margaret Griffith. He studied art at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri and at the Academie Julian in Paris, France. He joined the faculty at the University of Kansas in 1899. In 1901, Griffith married Ida Greeley Smith. They had five children; two sons and three daughters. In addition to teaching drawing and painting at KU, Griffith designed residential and public buildings in Lawrence. After retiring from KU in 1920, Griffith relocated his family to Laguna Beach, California, where he became a noted plein air painter. Griffith died on May 25, 1940.

From the guide to the Personal Papers of William A. Griffith, 1920-1940, (University of Kansas Kenneth Spencer Research Library University Archives)

William Alexander Griffith was born August 19, 1866 in Lawrence, Kansas, the son of James Monroe Griffith and Margaret Alexander Griffith. He studied art at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, and at the Academie Julian in Paris, France. He joined the faculty at the University of Kansas in 1899. In 1901, Griffith married Ida Greeley Smith. They had five children; two sons and three daughters. In addition to teaching drawing and painting at KU, Griffith designed residential and public buildings in Lawrence. After retiring from KU in 1920, Griffith relocated his family to Laguna Beach, California, where he became a noted plein air painter. Griffith died on May 25, 1940.

William Chase Stevens was born February 21, 1861 in Princeton, Illinois, the son of James T. Stevens and Elizabeth A. Flint. He received a bachelor of science degree in 1885 and a master of science in 1893, both from the University of Kansas. In 1888, he married Ada E. Pugh. They had five children; four sons and a daughter. Stevens joined the KU Natural History department in 1889, where he taught botany until retiring to emeritus status in 1937. Stevens died in 1955.

From the guide to the William A. Griffith and Stevens family papers, 1761-1981, (University of Kansas Kenneth Spencer Research Library Kansas Collection)