hmtl5 Milo B. Gritton b. 2 Apr 1842 Illinois d. 18 Sep 1878 Vermilion County, Illinois: Gritton Genealogy

Milo B. Gritton

Male 1842 - 1878  (36 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Milo B. Gritton 
    Born 2 Apr 1842  Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3
    Gender Male 
    Census 1870  Pilot Township, Vermilion County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Died 18 Sep 1878  Vermilion County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Buried Johnson Cemetery, Danville, Vermilion County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Person ID I427  Gritton
    Last Modified 14 Mar 2024 

    Father John R. Gritton,   b. 20 Jul 1808, Kentucky Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 30 May 1894, Vermilion County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 85 years) 
    Mother Nancy Atkinson,   b. 17 Oct 1808, Kentucky Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 17 Mar 1894, Blount Township, Vermilion County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 85 years) 
    Married 21 Mar 1831  Mercer County, Kentucky Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3, 4
    Family ID F135  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Ellen Gerrard,   b. 6 Mar 1846, Marion County, Ohio Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 17 Jul 1893, Vermilion County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 47 years) 
    Married 10 Mar 1869  Vermilion County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 5, 6, 7
    • Marriage License Abstracts Vermilion County, Illinois 1853-1874. Page 57. J. F. Gritton signed for Milo Gritton.
    Children 
     1. Alpheus J. Gritton,   b. 15 Dec 1869, Vermilion County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 4 Feb 1962, Vermilion County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 92 years)
     2. Elmer E. Gritton,   b. 21 Feb 1871, Vermilion County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 25 Nov 1948, Los Angeles County, California Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 77 years)
     3. Effie May Gritton,   b. 15 Aug 1877, Blount Township, Vermilion County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 12 Feb 1952  (Age 74 years)
     4. George Gritton,   b. 11 Dec 1878, Blount Township, Vermilion County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 4 Feb 1961, Kankakee County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 82 years)
    Last Modified 6 Jul 2019 
    Family ID F210  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 2 Apr 1842 - Illinois Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 10 Mar 1869 - Vermilion County, Illinois Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsCensus - 1870 - Pilot Township, Vermilion County, Illinois Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 18 Sep 1878 - Vermilion County, Illinois Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Johnson Cemetery, Danville, Vermilion County, Illinois Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 
    Pin Legend  : Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  • Notes 
    • Milo was killed by David Clem when Milo came to the aid of his nephew William Watson. See Danville Commercial [News], 26 September 1878.
    • In an altercation at Danville, between David Clem and Miles Gritton, the former cut Gritton's throat from ear to ear with a bowie knife, causing immediate death. During the struggle Clem was stabbed in the bowels and will surely die.
      The Illinois State Journal, Springfield, Illinois. Wednesday, 25 September 1878, page 4.
      [8]
    • An old feud, growing out of the renting of a farm in Vermillion County, terminated at Danville, on the 19th, between David Clem and Milo Gritton, by the former cutting the latter's throat, he dying instantly, Clem receiving a gash in his bowels which is liable to prove fatal. Clem has resided in that county for a great many years, and was at one time a candidate for Sheriff, though of late years his influence has been on the wane.
      The True Republican, Sycamore, Illinois. Wednesday, 25 September 1878, page 2.

      Same article also appears in:
      Oquawka Spectator, Oquawka, Illinois. Thursday, 26 September 1878, page 2.

      and in:
      The Clinton Public, Clinton, Illinois. Friday 27 September 1878, page 2.
      [8]
    • About 7 o'clock, on the morning of the 15th, a fight took place near Danville, in which David Clem cut Miles Gritton's throat from ear to ear, from which he died immediately. Clem was also stabbed in the bowels, whether by himself or Gritton is not known. He will probably die from the effects of his wounds. It seems Clem had rented a farm to Gritton and they had a difficulty in dividing the fruit, and the rencontre was occasioned by a lawsuit regarding this division.
      Nashville Journal, Nashville, Illinois. Friday, 27 September 1878, page 3.
      [8]
    • From Ear to Ear.
      Special Dispatch to the Globe-Democrat.
      Danville, Ill., September 19. - About 7 o'clock, on the morning of the 15th, a fight took place near Danville, in which David Clem cut Miles Gritton's throat from ear to ear, from which he died immediately. Clem was also stabbed in the bowels, whether by himself or Gritton is not known. He will probably die from the effects of his wounds. It seems Clem had rented a farm to Gritton and they had a difficulty in dividing the fruit. This morning Clem met William Watson, one of Gritton's witnesses in a suit which terminated unfavorably to Clem, and they engaged in a hand-to-hand fight, when Gritton, who was sowing wheat in a field near by, came over to help Watson. Clem at once made for him with the result as stated above.
      St. Louis Globe-Democrat, St. Louis, Missouri. Friday, 20 September 1878, page 3.
      [8]
    • Bail for a Murderer.
      Special Dispatch to the Globe-Democrat.
      Danville, Ill., October 15. - David Clem was to day brought before Judge Hanford, in the County Court, charged with the murder of Milo Gritton, an account of which was telegraphed the Globe-Democrat. His bail was fixed at $5,000, in default of which he was committed to jail.
      St. Louis Globe-Democrat, St. Louis, Missouri. Wednesday, 16 October 1878, page 1.

      Same news story also appears in:
      The Kansas Daily Tribune, Lawrence, Kansas. Thursday, 18 October 1878.

      also in:
      The Lawrence Tribune, Lawrence, Kansas. Thursday, 24 October 1876, page 3.
      [8]
    • Change of Venue.
      Special Dispatch to The Tribune.
      Danville, Ill, Feb. 25. - In the case of the State vs. David Clem, for the murder of Milo Gritton last September near here, as published in The Tribune, Judge Nelson to-day granted him a change of venue to Iroquois County.
      Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Illinois. Wednesday, 26 February 1879, page 5.
      [8]
    • Clem.
      Special Dispatch to The Tribune
      Danville, Ill., March 20. - David Clem, who is charged with the murder of Milo Gritton, left here his morning, in charge of officers, for Watseka for trial. The people are represented by County-Attorney Jones, assisted by the Hon. J.B. Mann; the defense by Gen. J.C. Black and H.P. Blackburn, all of this place. Some sixty witnesses are summoned.
      Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Illinois. Friday, 21 March 1879, page 2.
      [8]
    • David Clem, for the murder of Milo Gritton, in Vermilion county, has been sentence to the penitentiary for one year. The case was tried in Iroquois county.
      Mattoon Gazette, Mattoon, Illinois. Friday, 4 April 1879, page 4.
      [8]
    • The Commercial says that the bail bone for the release of David Clem from jail went up to Watseka, Friday, and that gentleman now rejoices in personal liberty.
      Champaign County Gazette, Champaign, Illinois. Wednesday, 23 July 1879, page 5.
      [8]
    • David Clem, of Watseka, Ill., who has been tried for the second time for manslaughter, was found "not guilty" of the charge on the 26th. The verdict on the first trial was imprisonment for one year. The State was represented by State's Attorney Jones and J.B. Mann, of Danville, and the Hon. R.C. Wright, of Homer, Ill.; and the defendant by Gen. J.C. Black, of Danville, and M.B. Wright and T.P. Morris, of Watseka. The case was hotly contested, and the arguments masterly efforts.
      The Pantagraph, Bloomington, Illinois. Saturday, 29 November 1879, page 1.
      [8]
    • David Clem, who was tried lately in Watseka for the murder of one Gritton, near Danville a year ago, was acquitted.
      Mattoon Gazette, Mattoon, Illinois. Friday 5 December 1879.
      [8]

  • Sources 
    1. [S36] Violet Farrel.

    2. [S2] Find a Grave.

    3. [S75] The Family of Gritton, Don Claypool, (Don Claypool, 1997).

    4. [S53] Kentucky, County Marriage Records.

    5. [S12] Illinois Marriages.

    6. [S17] Obituary.

    7. [S48] Marriage Abstracts, Vermilion County, Illinois: 1853-1874, (Illiana Genealogical and Historical Society).

    8. [S102] Newspaper article.