The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 143 GEORGE E. GIFFIN. George E. Giffin, who since 1910 has been identified with the drug trade in Grandview and is now owner of a well appointed store, was born in Covington, Ohio, July 25, 1874, a son of John V. and Anna (Young) Giffin, the former a native of Hamilton county, Ohio, while the latter was born in Van Wert county, that state. The paternal grandfather, Samuel B. Giffin, was a native of Pennsylvania but became a pioneer settler of Ohio, where he followed the occupation of farming. His son, John V. Giffin, was a carriage manufacturer, and both he and his wife are now deceased. George E. Giffin, after acquiring a public school education, attended the Ohio Normal University at Ada, Ohio, from which he was graduated with the class of 1893. He started upon his business career by serving a two years' apprenticeship at the drug trade in Columbus, Ohio, after which he engaged in clerking until 1897, when he purchased a drug store in that city. The following year he entered the United States army, in the hospital service, and was on active duty in that connection for three years, spending two years of the time in the Philippines and witnessing the entire struggle that has become known as the Spanish-American war. He was made acting hospital steward. Following his return to his native land Mr. Giffin in 1901 opened a drug store in Columbus, Ohio, where he conducted business until 1907, when he came to Washington and for eight months was located at Chesaw. In February, 1908, he purchased a ranch near Grandview and resided thereon for a year. He afterward spent three months in Reno, Nevada. and subsequently six months in Columbus, Ohio. He then went to Pasco, Washington, where he lived for a few months, after which he purchased a drug store at Spirit Lake, Idaho, where he remained for nearly a year. He next resided at Medford, Oregon, for three months, after which he returned to Grandview in 1910 and engaged in clerking in a drug store until March, 1911, when he purchased the store of which he has since been proprietor. He has also retained the ownership of the ranch and has five acres planted to orchard, while the remainder is devoted to diversified farming. This place he rents and from it obtains a substantial income. On the 9th of June, 1903, Mr. Giffin was married to Miss Nellie Burris, who was born in Columbus, Ohio, a daughter of L. T. and Sadie (Shull) Burris, the former now a retired railway conductor formerly connected with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Fraternally Mr. Giffin is a blue lodge and chapter Mason and is a past master of Grandview Lodge No. 191. His religious faith is that of the Methodist church and in these associations are found the rules which govern his actions and control his attitude toward his fellowmen. In politics he is a republican and in 1916-17 he served as mayor of Grandview and for several terms has been on the board of aldermen. As a public official he has exercised his prerogatives in support of many plans and measures for the general good and at all times is actuated by a public-spirited devotion to the best interests of his community. He is highly esteemed as a merchant, as a citizen and as a man, having a wide circle of friends in this community. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.