Dates

• Majority of material found within 1904 - 1994

Extent

17 boxes Linear Feet (John Neal Griffith (April 10, 1904-October 5, 1994) was born in Jeannette, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. His parents were William Cannon Griffith (August 3, 1871-March 11, 1951) and Lida A. Neal Griffith (1874-1906) who were married on June 6, 1900. The Griffith family lived in Marion Center before moving to Indiana, Pennsylvania. J. Neal Griffith later lived on Philadelphia Street in Indiana, where he was an active member of Grace United Methodist Church, and several civic organizations including the American Red Cross and the Boy Scouts of America. In 1969, he retired after working for the National Bank of the Commonwealth for 40 years. J. Neal Griffith wrote two books for the Historical and Genealogical Society of Indiana County including Linton Park: American primitive (1982) Call Number: ND 237 .P245 G74 and Poems and Verses (1984) Call Number: PS 3557 .R495 V47, which are available for research at the IUP Libraries. J. Neal Griffith passed away in Johnstown, and he and his parents are interred at the Marion Center Memorial Cemetery. The J. Neal Griffith Collection contains 17 boxes consisting of postcard-sized decorated card stock signed by mostly North American and European celebrities from all walks of life, primarily postmarked from 1938 to 1978. Most of these autographs were solicited by J. Neal Griffith, but several autographs of more historical individuals (prior to the 1930s) were obtained by J. Neal Griffith for inclusion into his autograph collection. The card stock autographs were often decorated by Griffith with information about the celebrities, and the cards were mailed to specific place names. The collection is organized into categories and includes many famous individuals from the mid-20th century ranging from actors, athletes, authors, and astronauts to government officials, singers, and scientists. The collection also contains 35mm slides of Indiana University of Pennsylvania events, and signed programs, photographs, and government documents from around the world. The collection was donated by J. Neal Griffith with the express proviso that it be used for research. Note: this collection is restricted to research and display purposes only. )

Language of Materials

English