From "History of Wheeling City and Ohio County, West Virginia and 
Representative Citizens," by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902. 

Typed by Laurie Birks Dean

pp. 465-467

James Edurick GIFFIN.  Photography, as the union of art and science, 
of chiar-oscuroand its fascinating possibilities, augmented by the 
innumerable aids to effect which emanate only from the imagination of 
sincere appreciators of the fine and beautiful, has no more 
intelligent exponent in the United States than J. E. Giffin, of 
Wheeling.  To say that a success extending far beyond the borders of 
West Virginia was in anyway foretold by fortunate early circumstances 
or particularly inspiring opportunities, is to eliminate that element 
of self-accomplishment and ability to surmount obstacles which, more 
than aught else, has been the dominant feature in Mr. Giffin's 
career.  He was born in Frederick county, Virginia, December 27, 
1862, and is a son of Bartholomew and Elizabeth (Fletcher) Giffin.
	Throughout Virginia Bartholomew Giffin was known during his 
active life as a model farmer.  He was also a constable who for many 
years conscientiously fulfilled his duties as a public servant.  As a 
moral agency in the community he was without peer, for his unceasing 
piety and good works were worthy of all emulation.  As a member of, 
and officer in, the Methodist Episcopal church, South, he was 
untiring in promoting the interests of that denomination, and his 
death, which occurred in 1866, removed from his accustomed haunts a 
man of great zeal and unusual largeness of heart.  His wife, no less 
ardent in her advocacy of the interests of truth and humanity, 
associated herself early in life with the Baptist church, and in this 
field continued to exert a kindly influence up to the time of her 
death, in February, 1901, at the age of seventy-six years.  As the 
youngest in his father's family of seven children, six of whom are 
still living in the Old Dominion state, J. E. Giffin became familiar 
while very young with the limited resources of his parents and with 
the serious and responsible side of life.  When only seventeen years 
old he knew no rest between the rising and setting of the sun, and, 
though fragile, performed such manly tasks as cradling in the wheat 
fields under the hot southern sun.  It is not surprising that, as the 
years waned, the horizon seemed shut in, and remote from the joy and 
expectancy of life, and that education played a very inconsequential 
part, except during the temporary leisure of the winter months.  To 
the healthy, normal lad the limitations became intolerable, and with 
the advice of Horace Greeley ringing in his ears, he departed from 
the home associations and eventually brought up at Springfield, Ohio.  
For five months he engaged as a farm hand near the city, and with the 
money thus earned took a course at the Springfield Commercial 
College, after which he was employed for two months as bookkeeper by 
the Singer Sewing Machine Company.  Having thoroughly canvassed the 
situation, he began to study photography, and so thoroughly congenial 
and successful has been this occupation that no desirable substitute 
has ever presented itself.  Twenty-three years of experience in any 
given direction permits of little or much, according to the metal of 
the man, and it is no exaggeration to say that to Mr. Giffin that 
period has furnished opportunity befitting the trained perception of 
the enthusiast, whose every desire was to probe the avenues leading 
to even greater accomplishment.
	A by no mean unimportant factor in the success of Mr. Giffin 
has been a delightful and harmonious home life.  Mrs. Giffin was 
formerly Dora Shultz, daughter of Jacob Shultz, of Mainz, Germany, 
and her parents still live in their native land.  Two of the 
daughters also live in Germany, and two are residents of Chicago, 
Illinois.  The marriage of Mrs. Giffin occurred October 5, 1887, and 
her four children, Austyne, Juanita, Corinne and James Edurick, Jr., 
are in fair way to realize the expectations founded upon their 
common-sense training and sympathetic surroundings.
	Of Mr. Giffin it may be said that he has attained the highest 
pinnacle of his chosen calling, - a really remarkable showing 
considering that he arrived in Wheeling with naught save good health 
and spirits and boundless ambition.  His work is sought throughout 
the entire South, and as a member of the National Photographers' 
Association he has, on two auspicious occasions, carried off the 
highest honors within the gift of his associates.  At other state and 
national conventions he has been equally fortunate in winning medals 
which attested merited appreciation, - his work in miniatures and 
ivory and porcelain, in connection with Tiffany and Cohen designs, 
being particularly worthy of mention.  He is a member of the American 
Mechanics and is actively interested in the undertakings of the 
Republican party.  His portrait accompanies this sketch.