author
Martin I. J. (Martin Ignatius Joseph) Griffin
1842–1911
A lively chronicler of Catholic life in the United States, this Philadelphia journalist and historian helped preserve stories that might otherwise have been lost. His work ranged from newspaper editing to detailed books and essays on early American Catholic history.
1 Audiobook
The Story of Commodore John Barry
by Martin I. J. (Martin Ignatius Joseph) Griffin
About the author
Born in Philadelphia in 1842, Martin Ignatius Joseph Griffin built his career as a journalist, editor, and historian with a strong interest in the history of Catholicism in the United States. Reliable reference sources describe him as a contributor to Catholic newspapers in his early years and note that he was educated in parochial and public schools.
He is especially remembered for his work with the Irish Catholic Benevolent Union, whose journal he founded and edited, and for his role in the American Catholic Historical Society, where he became an important force in preserving historical records. His writing appeared widely in scholarly and religious publications, and he produced books and monographs on figures and events in American Catholic history.
Griffin died in Philadelphia in 1911. Although he is not widely known today, his research and editorial work helped lay groundwork for later historians of the Catholic experience in America.