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246:"It must be made a place of rest and relaxation for the masses, a resort for the rank and file, for the plain people," Griffith told the Los Angeles City Council when he donated the land. "I consider it my obligation to make Los Angeles a happy, cleaner, and finer city. I wish to pay my debt of duty in this way to the community in which I have prospered."
243:. On December 16, 1896, Griffith and his wife Christina presented 3,015 acres (1,220 ha) of the Rancho Los Feliz to the city of Los Angeles for use as a public park. Griffith called it "a Christmas present." After accepting the donation, the city passed an ordinance to name the property Griffith Park, in honor of the donor.
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In
December 1912, Griffith offered a second "Christmas present" to Los Angeles, in the form of a Greek Theater and a Hall of Science to be built at his expense in Griffith Park. The offer was accepted by the City Council, but members of the Park Commission objected and instituted a court action to
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On
November 4, 1904, while he was in jail, Mrs. Griffith was granted a divorce on the grounds of cruelty, and she was awarded custody of their 16-year-old son Vandell. The court also stated that G. J. Griffith would pay for his son's education at
233:, a San Francisco newspaper. As a reporter, he gained extensive knowledge of the mining industry on the Pacific Coast and in Nevada, which led to his employment by various mining syndicates. As a mining expert, Griffith acquired a fortune.
269:, as she knelt on the floor before him. The shot did not kill her, but she was left disfigured and lost her right eye. Griffith was charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to commit murder. The prosecution was led by
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G. J. Griffith was released from prison
December 3, 1906, after serving nearly two years. His conduct at the penitentiary was called exemplary. Griffith returned to Los Angeles and began lecturing on prison reform.
333:
Griffith used the title of
Colonel, but official records of military service which support this rank have not been found. Evidence suggests the only military title he ever held was Major of rifle practice with the
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California State
Archives via Ancestry.com. California, U.S., Prison and Correctional Records, 1851-1950 Original data: Department of Corrections. San Quentin State Prison Records, 1850–1950. ID #R135
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block the donation. Griffith left the offer in his will. He died of liver disease on July 6, 1919. The bulk of his $ 1.5 million estate was bequeathed to the city for the building of the
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in Los
Angeles in the north end of Section 7, a.k.a. "The Griffith Lawn". While standing at the side of his obelisk and looking north, one can see the Griffith Observatory.
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297:, and a $ 5,000 fine, instructing that he be given "medical aid for his condition of alcoholic insanity". He served time from April 5, 1905 to December 6, 1906.
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187:. Griffith's legacy was marred by his notorious shooting of his wife in 1903, a crime for which he served a year and nine months in prison.
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628:. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1962, pp. 220–239. "That was where Earl Rogers began the first alcoholic
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delusions. Griffith was convicted of a lesser charge, assault with a deadly weapon. The judge sentenced him to two years in
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666:, December 3, 1906; "Griffith to Lecture: Gone to San Francisco to Advocate Prison Reform Along Elmira Institution Lines,"
216:. In 1873, he moved to San Francisco, California, and became manager of the Herald Publishing Company. In 1887, he married
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Tina Mesmer testified while heavily veiled; the shooting disfigured her face and destroyed her right eye
600:"Griffith Park To Be Considered For Monument Status"; Walton, Alice, City News Service, August 21, 2008
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In 1882, Griffith moved to Los
Angeles and purchased approximately 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) of the
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on
September 3, 1903, Griffith shot his wife Tina Mesmer Griffith in the presidential suite of the
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Russell, Ron (July 3, 1988). Splendor Fades at Final
Resting Place of Famous, Almost Famous.
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Millionaire Under Arrest; The Wife of Col. Griffith of Los
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Mary Agnes Christina Mesmer & Griffith Jenkins Griffith marriage record, 1887
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syndicate in the 1880s, Griffith donated 3,015 acres (1,220 ha) to the
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466:"Delusions of Grandeur: The Scandalous Crime of a Los Angeles Millionaire"
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305:. The decree was made in the record time of four and a half minutes.
220:(1864–1948), a daughter of early Los Angeles settler and businessman
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external links, and converting useful links where appropriate into
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249:
Griffith later donated another 1,000 acres (400 ha) along the
734:
Colonel Griffith J. Griffith one of L.A.'s more colorful figures.
492:"BBC – south east Wales historical figures – Griffith J Griffith"
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Reminiscing: Trial of Griffith J. Griffith Draws Wide Attention
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In 1878, G. J. Griffith became mining correspondent for the
159:(January 4, 1850 – July 6, 1919) was a Welsh-born American
591:, Department of Recreation and Parks, City of Los Angeles
499:
409:, photographed for the San Quentin State Prison register
179:, and he bequeathed the money to build the park's
771:may not follow Knowledge's policies or guidelines
903:
636:, not just a sin or a crime or an indulgence". (
685:, July 7, 1919; "City Gains by Griffith Will,"
381:Griffith J. Griffith shot his wife in the face
167:. After amassing a significant fortune from a
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982:People using the U.S. civilian title colonel
714:Adventures from the Technology Underground.
433:Griffith Jenkins Griffith death certificate
16:American philanthropist, attempted murderer
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29:
807:Learn how and when to remove this message
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421:LATimes obit: Death Claims G.J. Griffith
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536:"The Britons who made their mark on LA"
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881:. Pittsburg: Dorrance Publishing Co.,
992:Prisoners and detainees of California
942:Burials at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
927:19th-century American philanthropists
879:Historic Adobes of Los Angeles County
861:Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter
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1002:Welsh emigrants to the United States
932:American people convicted of assault
922:19th-century American businesspeople
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277:. Griffith was defended by attorney
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200:Griffith J. Griffith was born in
937:American prisoners and detainees
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987:Philanthropists from California
947:Businesspeople from Los Angeles
679:"Death Claims G. J. Griffith,"
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566:"Death Claims G. J. Griffith,"
464:Jobb, Dean (15 December 2023).
150:Vandell M. Griffith (1888–1974)
732:Bell, Alison (June 12, 2011).
649:"Mrs. Griffith Gets Divorce,"
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326:(1935). He is interred at the
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343:Colonel (U.S. honorary title)
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898:(Los Angeles), July 10, 2008
896:Metropolitan News-Enterprise
832:Griffith Observatory History
130:assault with a deadly weapon
102:Colonel Griffith J. Griffith
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712:Gurstelle, William (2006).
662:"Griffith is Freed Today,"
218:Mary Agnes Christina Mesmer
140:Mary Agnes Christina Mesmer
91:Hollywood Memorial Cemetery
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952:Criminals from Los Angeles
837:Glendale College biography
522:Los Angeles Daily Examiner
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328:Hollywood Forever Cemetery
336:California National Guard
157:Griffith Jenkins Griffith
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295:San Quentin State Prison
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826:Griffith Park Narrative
622:St. Johns, Adela Rogers
582:Griffith Park narrative
196:Career and philanthropy
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117:and real estate magnate
967:History of Los Angeles
285:—was in fact a secret
275:governor of California
957:Deaths from cirrhosis
877:— Kielbasa, John R.,
828:(City of Los Angeles)
405:Griffith J. Griffith
341:Further information:
261:While vacationing in
214:Ashland, Pennsylvania
142:(1887–1904; divorced)
977:People from Bridgend
866:Griffith J. Griffith
777:improve this article
354:Griffith J. Griffith
324:Griffith Observatory
185:Griffith Observatory
23:Griffith J. Griffith
894:; Grace, Roger M.,
857:, September 7, 1903
789:footnote references
540:The Daily Telegraph
303:Stanford University
289:who was subject to
173:City of Los Angeles
875:"Rancho Los Feliz"
854:The New York Times
842:2006-10-27 at the
670:, January 26, 1908
653:, November 5, 1904
587:2010-01-15 at the
525:, November 5, 1904
241:Mexican land grant
81:, California, U.S.
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738:Los Angeles Times
722:978-1-4000-5082-6
701:Los Angeles Times
687:Los Angeles Times
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569:Los Angeles Times
348:Additional images
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472:. CrimeReads
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263:Santa Monica
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222:Louis Mesmer
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175:that became
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126:Philanthropy
73:(1919-07-06)
71:July 6, 1919
917:1919 deaths
912:1850 births
496:BBC website
476:18 December
322:(1929) and
279:Earl Rogers
94:Los Angeles
79:Los Angeles
906:Categories
640:, p. 232.)
553:2018-07-05
470:CrimeReads
442:References
309:Later life
283:teetotaler
111:Journalist
48:1850-01-04
781:excessive
548:0307-1235
273:, former
840:Archived
585:Archived
407:mug shot
291:paranoid
147:Children
775:Please
767:use of
506:May 14,
62:, Wales
885:
720:
546:
202:Bettws
169:mining
136:Spouse
115:Mining
56:Bettws
287:drunk
257:Crime
210:Wales
883:ISBN
718:ISBN
544:ISSN
508:2010
478:2023
191:Life
183:and
163:and
68:Died
38:Born
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500:BBC
908::
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