William Elliot Griffis (September 17, 1843 – February 5, 1928) was an American orientalist,

Congregational Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

minister, lecturer, and prolific author.Brown, John Howard. (1904).
"Griffis, William Elliot,"
''The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans.'' Boston: The Biographical Society.

Early life

Griffis was born in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, the son of a sea captain and later a coal trader. During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, he served two months as a corporal in Company H of the 44th Pennsylvania Militia after Robert E. Lee invaded Pennsylvania in 1863. After the war, he attended

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...

New Brunswick, New Jersey New Brunswick is a city (New Jersey), city in and the county seat, seat of government of Middlesex County, New Jersey, Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. At Rutgers, Griffis was an English and

Latin language Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...

tutor for , a young ''

samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...

'' from the province of Echizen (part of modern

Fukui is a Japanese name meaning "fortunate" or sometimes "one who is from the Fukui prefecture". It may refer to: Places * Fukui Domain, a part of the Japanese han system during the Edo period * Fukui Prefecture, a prefecture of Japan located in ...

). After a year of travel in Europe, he studied at the seminary of the

Reformed Church in America The Reformed Church in America (RCA) is a Mainline Protestant, mainline Reformed tradition, Reformed Protestant Christian denomination, denomination in Canada and the United States. It has about 152,317 members. From its beginning in 1628 unti ...

in New Brunswick (known today as the

New Brunswick Theological Seminary New Brunswick Theological Seminary is a Reformed Christian seminary with its main campus in New Brunswick, New Jersey. It was founded in 1784 and is one of the oldest seminaries in the United States. It is a seminary of the Reformed Church in Ame ...

). William Griffis died on February 5, 1928 in

Winter Park, Florida Winter Park is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 30,183 according to the 2022 census population estimate. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Winter Park was fo ...

which after his death, his body was sent to

Schenectady, New York Schenectady () is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2020 census, the city's population of 67,047 made it the state's ninth-largest city by population. The city is in eastern New Y ...

for burial. He is buried at

Vale Cemetery Vale Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery and the largest cemetery in Schenectady, New York. It opened on 21 October 1857 when the Rev. Julius Seely dedicated what was then termed "the Vale". It has tripled its size since opening and today it ...

along with his first wife, Katherine Lyra Stanton, his son

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

and his second wife, Sarah Francis King after the death of Katherine in 1898 along with several other family members.

Modernizer in Japan

In September 1870 Griffis was invited to

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

Matsudaira Shungaku , also known as Matsudaira Keiei,Beasley, William G. (1955). ''Select Documents on Japanese Foreign Policy, 1853–1868'', p. 335. or better known as Matsudaira Shungaku (春嶽) was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Edo period. He was head of the ...

, for the purpose of organizing schools along modern lines. In 1871, he was Superintendent of Education in the province of Echizen. "Dr. Griffis, Friend of Japan, Dies; Educator Who Helped Japanese Adapt Themselves to Western Civilization,"
''The New York Times.'' February 6, 1928. In recompense, he was provided with a salary of $2,400, a house in

and a horse. William Elliot Griffis and class

In 1872–74, Griffis taught chemistry and physics at ''Kaisei Gakkō'' (the forerunner of

Tokyo Imperial University , abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public research university located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1877, the university was the first Imperial University and is currently a Top Type university of the Top Global University Project by ...

). He prepared the ''New Japan Series of Reading and Spelling Books,'' 5 vols. (1872). He also published primers for Japanese students of the

English language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the is ...

; and he and contributed to the Japanese press and to newspapers and magazines in the United States numerous papers of importance on Japanese affairs. Griffis was joined by his sister, Margaret Clark Griffis, who became a teacher at the Tokyo Government Girls' School (later to become the Peeresses' School). By the time they left Japan in 1874, Griffis had befriended many of Japan's future leaders. Griffis was a member of the Asiatic Society of Japan, the Asiatic Society of Korea, the Historical Society of the Imperial University of Tokyo, and the ''

Meirokusha The was an intellectual society in Meiji period The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being ...

''.

Education and ministry

Returning to the United States, Griffis attended Union Theological Seminary; and after finishing his studies in 1877, he was called to the ministry in a series of churches—at the First Reformed Church,

Schenectady Schenectady () is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2020 census, the city's population of 67,047 made it the state's ninth-largest city by population. The city is in eastern New Y ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

(1877–1886); at the Shawmut Congregational Church,

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

(1886–1893); and at the First Congregational Church,

Ithaca Ithaca most commonly refers to: *Homer's Ithaca, an island featured in Homer's ''Odyssey'' *Ithaca (island), an island in Greece, possibly Homer's Ithaca *Ithaca, New York, a city, and home of Cornell University and Ithaca College Ithaca, Ithaka ...

, New York (1893–1903). Concurrently, at

Union College Union College is a private liberal arts college in Schenectady, New York. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, and second in the state of New York, after Columbia Co ...

in 1884, he earned a higher degree,

Doctor of Divinity A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity. In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ran ...

(

D.D. A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity. In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ra ...

). Rutgers awarded him an honorary degree,

Doctor of Humane Letters The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (; DHumLitt; DHL; or LHD) is an honorary degree awarded to those who have distinguished themselves through humanitarian and philanthropic contributions to society. The criteria for awarding the degree differ ...

(

L.H.D. The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (; DHumLitt; DHL; or LHD) is an honorary degree awarded to those who have distinguished themselves through humanitarian and philanthropic contributions to society. The criteria for awarding the degree differ ...

) in 1899.

Writing and lectures

In 1903 he resigned from the active ministry to devote himself exclusively to writing and lecturing. His books on Japan and Japanese culture were complemented with extensive college and university lecture circuit itineraries. In addition to his own books and articles during this period, he also joined Inazo Nitobe in crafting what became his most well-known book, ''Bushido: The Soul of Japan''. In 1907, the Japanese government conferred the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, which represents the fourth highest of eight classes associated with the award.Adam Mathew web.
The prolific writer was also a prolific traveller, making eleven trips to Europe—primarily to visit the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. In 1898, he was present at the enthronement of

Queen Wilhelmina Wilhelmina (; Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Maria; 31 August 1880 – 28 November 1962) was Queen of the Netherlands from 1890 until her abdication in 1948. She reigned for nearly 58 years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw World Wa ...

; and he attended the Congress of Diplomatic History. He was among the group of Bostonians who wanted to commemorate the

Pilgrim A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) who is on Pilgrimage, a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journey (often on foot) to some place of special significance to the a ...

s' roots in Holland; and the work was rewarded with the dedication of a memorial at

Delfshaven Delfshaven is a borough of Rotterdam, Netherlands, on the right bank of river Nieuwe Maas. It was a separate municipality until 1886. The town of Delfshaven grew around the port of the city of Delft. Delft itself was not located on a major river ...

and the placement of five other bronze historical tablets in 1909. He was one of four Americans elected to the Netherlands Society of Letters in

Leiden Leiden (; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 119,713, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration wit ...

. In 1923 Griffis published "The Story of the Walloons: At Home in Lands of Exile and in America". In this work he reveals the long history and contributions of these Belgians. The last half of the book relates the story of New Belgium (Nova Belgica) in America, the first settlers of Manhattan being a group of Protestant Walloons who petitioned the Dutch West India Company to be sent to establish a colony in the New World. These Walloons were sent to Manhattan as well as to other smaller locations on the Delaware, Hudson and Connecticut Rivers. They sailed out of Leiden, Netherlands in 1624. Griffis draws parallels to the thoughts of government and freedom of the Walloons and the US Constitution of 1787, and how their ideas made a lasting contribution to this country, though at the time (1923) the Walloons were generally unknown and overshadowed by the Dutch and later, English. This remains true to a great degree even today. In 1926, Griffis was invited to return to Japan; and on this trip, the Japanese government conferred a second decoration. He was presented with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, which represents the third highest of eight classes. A private rail car was provided by the Japanese government, and he visited several cities in the course of this return trip. Griffis was a founding member of the

National Institute of Arts and Letters The American Academy of Arts and Letters is a 300-member honor society whose goal is to "foster, assist, and sustain excellence" in American literature, music, and art. Its fixed number membership is elected for lifetime appointments. Its headqu ...

(later to become the

American Academy of Arts and Letters The American Academy of Arts and Letters is a 300-member honor society whose goal is to "foster, assist, and sustain excellence" in American literature, music, and art. Its fixed number membership is elected for lifetime appointments. Its headqu ...

), the

American Historical Association The American Historical Association (AHA) is the oldest professional association of historians in the United States and the largest such organization in the world. Founded in 1884, the AHA works to protect academic freedom, develop professional s ...

, and the

U.S. Naval Institute The United States Naval Institute (USNI) is a private Nonprofit organization, non-profit military association that offers independent, nonpartisan forums for debate of national security issues. In addition to publishing magazines and books, the ...

. He died at his winter home in Florida in 1928.

Family

One of Griffis' two sons, Stanton Griffis, would become U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Egypt, Spain and Argentina under

President Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...

. Stanton Griffis was ambassador to Argentina while

Juan ''Juan'' is a given name, the Spanish and Manx versions of ''John''. It is very common in Spain and in other Spanish-speaking communities around the world and in the Philippines, and also (pronounced differently) in the Isle of Man. In Spanish, t ...

and

Eva Peron Eva or EVA may refer to: * Eva (name), a feminine given name Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters * Eva (Dynamite Entertainment), a comic book character by Dynamite Entertainment * Eva (''Devil May Cry''), Dante's mother in ...

were in power and wrote of his experiences in a book titled ''Lying In State''. The other son,

, became a composer.

Honors

* Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, 1926. * Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, 1907.

Time-line chronology

Griffis' life and publications are here organized chronologically. * 1843 - Born September 17 in Philadelphia, the fourth child of seven and second son to John Limeburner Griffis and Anna Maria (Hess) Griffis. * 1850 - Observes the launching of the USS ''Susquehanna'' in Philadelphia. The ''Susquehanna'', the largest steamship yet commissioned by the US Navy, was to be Commodore

Matthew C. Perry Matthew Calbraith Perry (April 10, 1794 – March 4, 1858) was a commodore of the United States Navy who commanded ships in several wars, including the War of 1812 and the Mexican–American War (1846–1848). He played a leading role in the o ...

's flagship on the 1853-1854 Naval Expedition to Japan. * 1860 - Sees the Shogun's Mission, the first Japanese Embassy to the US, when it visits Philadelphia. * 1863 - Serves in Pennsylvania's 44th Regiment in the Civil War. * 1866 - Enters

Rutgers College Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...

. * 1869 - Graduates with AB (Bachelor of Arts degree) from Rutgers College. In the summer, tours Europe with his sister, Margaret Clark Griffis, and family friend, Edward Warren Clark. * 1870 - Sails for Japan to organize schools in Echizen. * 1871 - Named Superintendent of Education in Echizen. * 1872 - Awarded AM (Master of Arts degree) from Rutgers College. Publishes, in

Yokohama is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of To ...

, ''The New Japan Primer'' and ''The New Japan Pictorial Primer''. * 1872-74 - Serves as Professor of Physics at the Imperial University, Tokyo. In 1872, Griffis's sister Margaret Clark Griffis joins him in Tokyo, and is appointed teacher, and then principal, of the first government school for girls (to become the Tokyo Female Normal School). * 1873 - Publishes ''The Tokio Guide'' and ''The Yokohama Guide'' (Yokohama). * 1874 - Griffis and Margaret Clark Griffis return to America. * 1876 - Publishes '' The Mikado's Empire''. * 1877 - Graduates from Union Theological Seminary. * 1877-86 - Serves as Pastor of the First Reformed Church,

, NY * 1879 - Marries Katherine L. Stanton (1859–98) * 1880 - Publishes ''Japanese Fairy World: Thirty-five Stories from the Wonderlore of Japan'' * 1882 - Publishes '' Corea: the Hermit Nation'' * 1883 - Lillian Eyre Griffis (daughter) born in Schenectady * 1884 - Awarded DD (Doctorate of Divinity) from

* 1885 - Publishes ''Corea: Without and Within'' * 1886-93 - Serves as Pastor of the Shawmut Congregational Church in

, MA * 1887 - Stanton Griffis (first son) born in Boston. Publishes '' Matthew Calbraith Perry: A Typical American Naval Officer'' * 1889 - Publishes ''The Lily Among Thorns: A Study of the Biblical Drama Entitled "The Song of Songs"'' * 1890 - Publishes '' Honda the Samurai: A Story of Modern Japan'' * 1891 - Publishes ''Sir William Johnson and the Six Nations, and an edition of The Arabian Nights'' * 1892 - Publishes ''Japan: In History, Folklore and Art'' * 1893 - John Elliot Griffis (second son) born in Boston * 1893-1903 - Serves as Pastor of the First Congregational Church,

, NY * 1894 - Publishes ''Brave Little Holland and What She Taught Us'' * 1895 - Publishes ''The Religions of Japan From the Dawn of History to the Era of Meiji: Shinto, Buddhism and Confucianism,'' and '' Townsend Harris, First American Envoy in Japan'' n edition of Harris's journals* 1897 - Publishes ''The Romance of Discovery: A Thousand Years of Exploration and the Unveiling of Continents'' * 1898 - Publishes '' Charles Carlton Coffin: War Correspondent, Traveller, Author and Statesman;'' ''The Romance of American Colonization;'' ''The Pilgrims in Their Three Homes.'' Katherine Stanton Griffis dies in Ithaca on December 9 * 1899 - Publishes ''America in the East: A Glance at Our History, Prospects, Problems and Duties in the Pacific Ocean''; ''The Romance of Conquest: The Story of American Expansion Through Arms and Diplomacy'' * 1899 - Awarded LHD by Rutgers College * 1900 - Marries Sarah Frances King (1868–1959). Publishes ''The American in Holland: Sentimental Rambles in the Eleven Provinces of the Netherlands;'' ''The Pathfinders of the Revolution: A Story of the Great March into the Wilderness and Lake George Region of New York in 1779;'' and '' Verbeck of Japan: A Citizen of No Country.'' * 1901 - Publishes ''In the Mikado's Service: A Story of Two Battle Summers in China.'' * 1902 - Publishes ''A Maker of the New Orient: Samuel Robbins Brown, Pioneer Educator in China, America, and Japan, the Story of his Life and Work,'' and ''Mighty England - Our Old Home.'' * 1903 - Resigns pastorate to write and lecture full-time. Publishes ''John Chambers: Servant of Christ and Master of Hearts, and his Ministry in Philadelphia;'' ''Sunny Memories of Three Pastorates;'' and ''Young People's History of Holland.'' * 1904 - Publishes ''Dux Christus: An Outline Study of Japan.'' * 1907 - Decorated with the Order of the Rising Sun, Fourth Class, by the Emperor of Japan. Publishes ''The Japanese Nation in Evolution: Steps in the Progress of a Great People,'' and ''Christ, the Creator of the New Japan.'' * 1908 - Publishes ''The Firefly's Lovers and Other Fairy Tales of Old Japan.'' * 1909 - Publishes ''The Story of New Netherland: The Dutch in America.'' * 1911 - Publishes ''China's Story in Myth, Legend, Art and Annals'', and ''The Unmannerly Tiger and Other Korean Tales.'' * 1912 - Publishes ''A Modern Pioneer in Korea: The Life Story of Henry G Appenzeller''; ''Might England: the Story of the English People;'' ''The Call of Jesus to Joy;'' ''Belgium, the Land of Art.'' * 1913 - Publishes '' Hepburn of Japan and His Wife and Helpmates: A Life Story of Toil for Christ.'' Margaret Clark Griffis dies in Ithaca, December 15. * 1914 - Publishes'' The House We Live In, Architect and Tenant: Talks About the Body and the Right Use of It.'' * 1915 - Publishes '' Millard Fillmore: Constructive Statesman, Defender of the Constitution, President of the US''; '' The Mikado, Institution and Person: A Study of the Internal Political Forces of Japan''; ''The Story of Belgium''. * 1916 - Publishes ''Bonnie Scotland and What We Owe Her''. * 1918 - Publishes ''Dutch Fairy Tales''. * 1919 - Publishes ''Belgian Fairy Tales''. * 1920 - Publishes ''Swiss Fairy Tales''; ''Young People's History of the Pilgrims''. * 1921 - Publishes ''Welsh Fairy Tales''; ''The Dutch of the Netherlands in the Making of America''. * 1922 - Publishes ''Korean Fairy Tales''; ''Japanese Fairy Tales''. * 1923 - Publishes ''The Story of the Walloons, at Home, in the Lands of Exile and in America''. * 1924 - Publishes ''Proverbs of Japan: A Little Picture of the Japanese Philosophy of Life as Mirrored in Their Proverbs''. * 1926 - Publishes ''The American Flag of Stripes and Stars: Mirror of the Nation's History, Symbol of Brotherhood and World Unity''. * 1926-27 - With Frances King Griffis, journeys to Japan for the second time, stopping in

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

and

Manchuria Manchuria is an exonym (derived from the endo demonym " Manchu") for a historical and geographic region in Northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day Northeast China (Inner Manchuria) and parts of the Russian Far East (Outer Manc ...

. * 1926 - Decorated with the Order of the Rising Sun, Third Class. * 1928 - Dies in Winter Park, Florida, February 5.http://jrul.libraries.rutgers.edu/index.php/jrul/article/viewFile/1865/3298

Published works

* 1876 -- '' The Mikado's Empire'' * 1880 -- ''Japanese Fairy World'' * 1881 -- ''Asiatic History; China, Korea, and Japan'' * 1882 -- K''orea, the Hermit Nation'' * 1885 -- ''Korea, Without and Within'' * 1887 -- '' Matthew Calbraith Perry: A Typical American Naval Officer'' * 1889 -- ''The Lily among Thorns'' * 1890 -- '' Honda the Samurai: A Story of Modern Japan.'' * 1891 -- '' Sir William Johnson and the Six Nations'' * 1892 -- ''Japan in History, Folk-Lore, and Art'' * 1894 -- ''Brave Little Holland and What she Taught us'' * 1895 -- ''The Religions of Japan'' * 1895 -- '' Townsend Harris, First American Envoy in Japan'' * 1897 -- ''Romance of Discovery'' * 1898 -- '' Charles Carlton Coffin: War Correspondent, Traveller, Author and Statesman'' * 1898 -- ''Romance of American Colonization'' * 1898 -- ''The Pilgrims in their Three Homes'' * 1898 -- ''The Student's Motley'' * 1899 -- ''The Romance of Conquest'' * 1899 -- ''The American in Holland'' * 1899 -- ''America in the East'' * 1900 -- '' Verbeck of Japan'' * 1900 -- ''The Pathfinders of the Revolution'' * 1901 -- ''In the Mikado's Service'' * 1902 -- ''A Maker of the New Orient'' * 1903 -- ''Young People's History of Holland'' * 1903 -- ''John Chambers'' * 1903 -- ''Sunny Memories of Three Pastorales'' * 1904 -- ''Dux Christus: An Outline Study of Japan'' * 1907 -- '' Japanese Nation in Evolution: Steps in the Progress of a Great People'' * 1908 -- '' The Fire-fly's Lovers and Other Fairy Tales of Old Japan'' * 1909 -- ''The Story of New Netherland'' * 1910 -- ''China's Study in Myth, Legend, Art, and Annuals'' * 1911 -- ''The Unmannerly Tiger and Other Korean Tales'' * 1912 -- ''A Modern Pioneer in Korea: The Life Story Of Henry G. Appenzeller'' * 1913 -- '' Hepburn of Japan'' * 1914 -- ''The House We Live In Architect and Tenant'' * 1915 -- '' The Mikado Institution and Person'' * 1915 -- '' Millard Fillmore: Constructive Statesman, Defender of the Constitution'' * 1916 -- ''Bonnie Scotland and What We Owe Her'' * 1918 -- ''Dutch Fairy Tales for young folks'' * 1919 -- ''Belgian Fairy Tales'' * 1920 -- ''Young People's History of the Pilgrims'' * 1920 -- ''Swiss Fairy Tales'' * 1921 -- ''Welsh Fairy Tales'' * 1921 -- ''The Dutch of the Netherlands in the Making of America'' eprinted by Kessinger Publishing, Whitefish, Montana, 2007. (paper)* 1922 -- ''Korean Fairy Tales'' * 1922 -- ''Japanese Fairy Tales'' * 1923 -- ''The Story of the Walloons, at Home, in the Lands of Exile and in America'

* 1924 -- ''Proverbs of Japan: A Little Picture of the Japanese Philosophy of Life as Mirrored in Their Proverbs'' * 1926 -- ''The American Flag of Stripes and Stars: Mirror of the Nation's History, Symbol of Brotherhood and World Unity''

References

External links

* * * *
William Elliot Griffis
- Entry from the Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge
The William Elliot Griffis Collection
- Collection of print, manuscript, photographic and ephemeral materials relating to early Japan-U.S. relations
Putting Rutgers’ Name in Print
- Article on America's oldest student newspaper founded by W. E. Griffis at Rutgers University
Making of America
- Collection of articles written by William Elliot Griffis located at Cornell University Library {{DEFAULTSORT:Griffis, William Elliot 1843 births 1928 deaths American essayists American memoirists American Japanologists American social sciences writers Writers from Philadelphia Union College (New York) alumni Foreign advisors to the government in Meiji-period Japan Foreign educators in Japan American expatriates in Japan Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd class