William Elliot Griffis (September 17, 1843 - February 5, 1928) was an American orientalist, Congregational minister, lecturer, and prolific author.

[1] At Rutgers, Griffis was an English and Latin language tutor for Tarō Kusakabe [ja], a young samurai from the province of Echizen (part of modern Fukui).

[1] William Griffis died on February 5, 1928, in Winter Park, Florida; after his death, his body was sent to Schenectady, New York, for burial.

In September 1870 Griffis was invited to Japan by Matsudaira Shungaku, for the purpose of organizing schools along modern lines.

His books on Japan and Japanese culture were complemented with extensive college and university lecture circuit itineraries.

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.

He was among the group of Bostonians who wanted to commemorate the Pilgrims' roots in Holland; and the work was rewarded with the dedication of a memorial at Delfshaven and the placement of five other bronze historical tablets in 1909.

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.

Stanton Griffis was ambassador to Argentina while Juan and Eva Peron were in power and wrote of his experiences in a book titled Lying In State.