Obituary for John Morrison Giffin

Graduate of Franklin College. Admitted to the practice of law in Ohio, November 10, 1856. Married March 13, 1862 to Catherine Parker Whitcomb. He migrated to Kansas in 1856. In 1858 located in Olathe, and began the practice of law. He had the opportunity of helping organize the county and state government of Kansas. He held the position of Secretary to the Governor, Prosecuting Attorney, Treasurer, City Engineer, Justice of Peace, Police Judge. He collected the first dollar of tax paid in Johnson county. He was the founder and editor of the first newspaper the Olathe Herald in 1859, the office of which was destroyed by a Quantrill raid September 6, 1862. He was the father of eight children, all dying in early childhood except two. Mr. Giffen suffered ill health, bleeding from the lungs for 31 years. At the age of fifty years a needle came out of his lungs and he lived until the age of 69, dying in 1899. He was master of five languages, teacher, Bible student and musician.