DAVID E. GRIFFITH. SEATTLE, KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON.
Death has taken David E. Griffith, 89, of Seattle, Alaska pioneer credited with originating the dog races at Fairbanks.Funeral service will be held here Wednesday for Griffith, a past president and historian of Alaska Pioneers. He died Sunday aftr a long illness.
Griffith went to the Klondike in 1897 and lived in Alaska for several years. He was past president of the International Sourdough Reunion.
Newspapers.com
DAVID E. GRIFFITH. SEATTLE, KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON.
David E. Griffith, 89, of 1514 Bellevue Avenue, an authority on Alaskan history, died Sunday in a nursing home after a long illness.Funeral services will be at 2 o'clock tomorrow in the Johnson and Hamilton chapel, followed by cremation.
Mr. Griffith was born in Wales and went to Vancouver, B. C., with his parents in 1887. He later settled in Black Diamond and in 1897 joined the Klondike gold rush.
Mr. Griffith operated a hotel in Dawson and worked various mining claims. He later lived in Nome and fairbanks. He was the originator of the Fairbanks dog sled races.
In 1913 Mr. Griffith settled in the Auburn area and operated a farm. He later came to Seattle and worked in the King County treasurer's office. He retired in 1955.
Mr. Griffith was historian and a past president if the International Sourdough Reunion Inc., and the Alaska Yukon Pioneers. He was a member of Theodore Roosevelt Lodge No. 229, F and A. M.
Surviving are a number of nieces and nephews. His wife Grace, died in 1954.