Griswold family facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Griswold Family |
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| Current region | United States, England |
| Place of origin | Solihull, England, United Kingdom |
| Members | Matthew Griswold, Roger Griswold, John Augustus Griswold |
| Connected families | Wolcott, Forbes, Bradford, Gardiner |
| Estate(s) | Malvern Hall, Griswold Point, John N. A. Griswold House |
The Griswold family is an important American family with roots in Connecticut and New York. They came from England. This family became wealthy in the 1800s through businesses like industry and trade.
Contents
Family's Beginning
The Griswold family first came from Solihull, England. For many centuries, they were known for breeding greyhound dogs. Even King Edward I of England liked their greyhounds!
The first Griswold family members to come to America were two half-brothers, Edward and Matthew Griswold. They arrived in 1639 in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Later, they joined other settlers in Windsor, Connecticut.
In 1646, Matthew Griswold married Anna Wolcott. They moved to Old Saybrook, Connecticut. Matthew became a leader in Lyme, Connecticut. He quickly gained a lot of land and became one of the richest people in the colony. Edward Griswold stayed in Windsor. He also played important roles in the early government of the colony. Many of Edward's family members later moved west to New York after the American Revolution. They started the New York branch of the family. Congressman John Augustus Griswold came from this New York branch.
How the Family Grew Rich and Famous
Important People in Politics
Many Griswold family members became very important in state and national politics. During the early days of America, the Griswolds were one of a few families who led the government in Connecticut. In 1801, a newspaper called "Griswold" one of Connecticut's most "respected and old families."
Leaders in Industry
John Augustus Griswold from the New York branch of the family earned a lot of money in the iron and steel business. He started the Albany and Rensselaer Iron and Steel Works in Troy, New York. During the American Civil War, Griswold even paid for the USS Monitor warship himself. His company then built more ships like it. Griswold also became the president of several railroad companies.
Matthew Griswold VII, who was the grandson of Governor Roger Griswold, started the Griswold Manufacturing Company. This company in Erie, Pennsylvania, made famous cast-iron products.
Samuel Griswold, another family member, moved to Georgia. He was known for making weapons for the Confederate Army during the Civil War.
Shipping and Trade with China
Some Griswold family members from Connecticut moved to New York City in 1796. They started a trading business. Brothers Nathaniel Lynde Griswold and George Griswold created the N.L & G. Griswold Company. They imported sugar and rum from the Caribbean using fast ships called clipper ships.
They also expanded into the China Trade. They became very successful in the tea market in the 1800s. People said that almost every store in the United States sold tea marked "N.L & G.G." George Griswold Jr. used clipper ships to trade with China and became very rich. He lived in a grand house on Fifth Avenue. John Griswold, George Jr.'s brother, built the famous John N. A. Griswold House in Newport, Rhode Island.
Another family member, John Griswold, started the Black X Line. This company used clipper ships to carry goods between the United States and Great Britain. Robert Harper Griswold made this shipping line even bigger. He became very wealthy. His money allowed him to buy the home that is now the Florence Griswold Museum. The museum is named after his daughter, Florence.
Well-Known Griswold Family Members
Business Leaders
- Samuel Griswold (1790–1867): An American business owner.
- John Augustus Griswold (1818–1873): A U.S. Representative from New York. He was also an industrialist and helped build the ironclad ship USS Monitor.
- John N. A. Griswold (1822–1909): A merchant who traded with China and an industrialist. He ordered the building of the John N. A. Griswold House in Newport, Rhode Island.
- William E. S. Griswold (1877-1964): The CEO of a company called W. & J. Sloane.
- John Sloane Griswold Sr. (1914-2005): A famous executive in industrial design.
- Anita Griswold (1903-1976): A real estate broker and wife of John C. Griswold.
Politicians and Activists
Many Griswold family members were important in politics in Connecticut and New York.
- Edward Griswold (1607-1690): One of the founding fathers of Connecticut and an early politician in the colony.
- Matthew Griswold (1714–1799): The 17th Governor of Connecticut.
- Roger Griswold (1762–1812): The 22nd Governor of Connecticut. He was also the 6th Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut and a U.S. Representative.
- Gaylord Griswold: A U.S. Representative from New York. He helped write the 12th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
- John Augustus Griswold (1818–1873): A U.S. Representative from New York, an industrialist, and builder of the ironclad USS Monitor.
- John Ashley Griswold (1822–1902): A U.S. Representative from New York.
- George Griswold (1794–1857): The Lieutenant Governor of Michigan.
- Simeon Griswold (1752–1843): A member of the Massachusetts State Legislature five times.
- Chester Griswold: A member of the New York State Assembly.
- William M. Griswold (1823–1889): A member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and Wisconsin State Senate.
- William A. Griswold (1775–1846): The Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives.
- William N. Griswold (1834–1921): The Supervisor of Welfare for New York.
- Matthew Griswold (1833–1919): A U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania.
Artists and Cultural Figures
- Florence Griswold (1850–1937): An American artist. She founded the Old Lyme art colony.
- Frank Gray Griswold (1854–1937): An American sportsman and a leader in society during the Gilded Age.
- Mariana Griswold Van Rensselaer (1851–1934): An American author and a leader in the aesthetic movement.
- William M. Griswold: An American art historian and a well-known director of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Scientists and Academics
- John Augustus Griswold, Jr. (1912–1991): An American ornithologist (someone who studies birds). He was the Curator of Birds at the Philadelphia Zoological Gardens.
- Alfred Whitney Griswold (1906-1963): An American historian and President of Yale University.
- Erwin Griswold (1904-1994): The Solicitor General of the United States and Dean of Harvard Law School.
Places Named After the Griswolds
- Griswold, Connecticut: This town is named after Governor Roger Griswold.
- Fort Griswold, Groton, Connecticut: This fort is named after Governor Matthew Griswold.
- Griswoldville, Georgia
- The Griswold Inn: One of the oldest taverns in the United States that has been open continuously.
Images for kids
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Griswold Family Crest
