From the archives: New Hampshire Chronicle visits Ruth Griffin's Portsmouth farm (2024)

Billy Gardner, the Secretary of State. If, if I'm in his office and the kids come in, he'll say I want you to meet this lady. He said she w she served in the house, she served in the Senate and she's on the Governor's Council. She's the only woman that ever did that. And he said she's never lost an election. He loves to tell that story. The state of New Hampshire functions uh best without *** broad based tax. Griffin has long been *** force of nature in New Hampshire politics. She's danced with presidents and worked on all levels of Republican campaigns for over 60 years. Hello? But she's always been most at home in Portsmouth on the family farm downtown called Griffin's half acre. So here's the baby. This is this generation, this is the mother and there's the two babies. Johnny K found them. He came out in the morning and he said, I think you better go look in the barn. One of them was up and running around. The other one had she just dropped it. But here's the father. He, this is the father. You have to be careful to him. He likes to *** people raising babies has been going on here since the family home was built in the 18 hundreds by Michael Griffin who came over from Ireland. Ruth Lewin was *** Portsmouth High school cheerleader class of 43. *** child of civic minded parents, *** nurse who married MJ Griffin's grandson, John Griffin. We didn't move in here until 1963 when uh, John's mother died. And uh, and you took over the farmhouse. Yeah, we moved over here with my five kids. John Griffin had been running the family business, maintaining the sprawling 60 acre cemetery across the street. About three quarters of it owned by the Griffin family. When her husband John passed away several years ago, youngest son, Tim took over the cemetery business. Son John helps, especially with the care of the animals. You got him. I think you said ma yeah, not my hair for that. All right. Go ahead. You gotta put them in the, gotta put them in the auction on this day. The new lambs are just over three weeks old and it's the first time they've been out in the past year. I've heard stories that you raised some of the babies in your house. Oh, I did right in my kitchen. And as recent as 10 days ago, I had *** baby lamb in the kitchen because the mother wouldn't nurse it. She's seen generations of babies come and go all the while active in politics. When the youngest of my five kids became *** teenager and I hadn't been to court with all any and all of my kids. I said to John, I think I'll run for the legislature. I said the kids are all right. I guess I can do that. And you don't really do much in the legislature. Little do they know? So I did, that was Timmy was 13. And, uh, so I put my name on the ballot. 1970 Ruth Griffin spent 10 years as *** state representative served *** term in the local school board and then won as state senator until *** seat on the executive council opened up. So I went in and I said to John Sununu, I'm run for the Governor's Council. You don't wanna do that? He said we just got you in the State Senate. Stay there. I said no, I hate the State Senate. So I ran for the Governor's Council and I stayed there for 20 years. This change is controversial and sometimes it is painful hearing. Then the next governor in council physician, I think Nick understands what I'm saying. One favor signify by saying I, I oppose in the political world of name dropping. Ruth Griffin has kept things very down to earth. The toulouse goose. Her name is Isabel and the straight white one which is an E Don. That's George. There's also two rare seba pol geese. One's patrolling the property while the other sits on her eggs. The animals get lots of attention, especially considering the farm is *** short walk from Market Square. What do people do this all day too? They just stand there, they just stand right here and they'll lean over and, oh, look at that. They either to bring in their own Children or their grandchildren and in some instances around here, the great grandchildren and they all come to see the animals and it's *** big treat. Living in the city. You can go up to, let's go up to Griffins and see the sheep and the geese. She loves having Children around. I have five kids and five grandkids and two great grandsons. And your three sons live locally. Wonderful. Both daughters work in New York City, but all stay in touch while their mother holds down the fort and stays active in politics. And so my phone rings all the time. Governor Lynch has me on what I think, three or four commissions in the state. And so I'm, I'm retired but there's no such word as retirement and keep going all the time. She's having the sheep's wool turned into yarn because she knits every night. She says she stays busy to stay out of trouble. Ruth Griffin is considered *** stalwart of the Republican party, but ruling the Roost in Portsmouth is where she is most at home. You know, I'm over to the farmer's market and some will say there's Ruth Griffin, you know her. Oh. Where does she live? Well, she lives where the sheep and the geese are? Oh, I know her. Yeah. But it, it's great that, that's, that is the bonus of the whole thing.