Henry Grinnell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry Grinnell
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| Born | February 18, 1799 |
| Died | June 30, 1874 (aged 75) |
| Resting place | Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn |
| Education | New Bedford Academy |
| Occupation | Merchant |
| Employer | Grinnell, Minturn & Co. |
| Known for | Sponsor of Arctic exploration |
| Spouse(s) |
Sarah Minturn
(m. 1822; |
| Children | 9, including Henry |
| Relatives | Joseph Grinnell (brother) Moses Hicks Grinnell (brother) Robert Bowne Minturn (brother-in-law) |
Henry Grinnell (February 18, 1799 – June 30, 1874) was an American merchant and philanthropist. He is best known for helping to fund expeditions to find the lost Franklin Polar Expedition in the Arctic.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Henry Grinnell was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, on February 18, 1799. His parents were Cornelius and Sylvia Grinnell. He had two brothers, Joseph and Moses Hicks Grinnell.
After finishing school at the New Bedford Academy, Henry moved to New York City in 1818. There, he started working as a clerk for a trading company.
A Career in Shipping
In 1825, Henry joined his older brother Joseph and a man named Preserved Fish in a company called Fish, Grinnell & Company. Joseph later became a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Massachusetts.
A few years later, Henry's brother-in-law, Robert Bowne Minturn, joined the company. The firm then became known as Grinnell, Minturn & Co. They expanded their business greatly by getting into general shipping. This company became one of the most powerful and well-known trading houses in New York City.
Helping Arctic Explorers
Henry Grinnell retired from his business in 1850. Around this time, he became very interested in the mystery of the Franklin Polar Expedition. This was a British expedition that had gone missing in the Arctic.
For the rest of his life, Henry wrote letters to Lady Jane Franklin, the wife of the expedition's leader, and others. He worked to solve the mystery and helped fund several search expeditions.
The first expedition he supported was in 1850. He bought two ships, the Rescue and the Advance. He then loaned them to the United States Navy for an Arctic search. Lieutenant Edwin De Haven led this mission.
After these ships returned without success, Henry funded a second expedition. This time, the Advance sailed under the command of Elisha Kent Kane. From 1853 to 1855, they explored a region now called Grinnell Land, off the coast of Greenland. The ship eventually got stuck in the ice and had to be left behind.
In 1856, Grinnell played a key role in getting the recently found HMS Resolute restored. The United States government paid for its repair. The ship was then returned to Great Britain as a sign of friendship. Henry hoped the ship would be used for another search for the Franklin expedition.
Henry Grinnell continued to show his strong interest in polar exploration. He contributed to the voyage of Isaac Israel Hayes in 1860. He also supported the three expeditions of Charles Francis Hall between 1860 and 1870.
Henry Grinnell also helped start the American Geographical and Statistical Society. He became its first president. In 1853, he was chosen as a member of the American Philosophical Society.
Family Life
On June 12, 1822, Henry Grinnell married Sarah Minturn. Her family was well-known in the merchant and shipping business. Henry and Sarah had nine children together:
- Cornelius Grinnell (1825–1869)
- Sarah Minturn Grinnell (1827–1905)
- Robert Minturn Grinnell (1829–1898)
- William Minturn Grinnell (1831–1870)
- Mary Minturn Grinnell (born 1834), who died young.
- Henry Howland Grinnell (born 1836), who also died young.
- Sylvia Howland Grinnell (born 1838)
- Mary Minturn Grinnell (1841–1847), who died young.
- Henry Walton Grinnell (1843–1920), who had a successful career in the navy.
Henry Grinnell passed away on June 30, 1874. He was buried at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. In 1880, the British Government gave his widow a special lady's desk. This desk was made from timbers from the recently taken apart HMS Resolute. It was a companion to the famous Resolute desk.
Notable Descendants
Through his daughter Sarah, Henry was the grandfather of Frances Sherborne Ridley "Fanny" Watts (born 1852). Fanny was a childhood friend of the famous artist John Singer Sargent. Sargent painted her portrait in 1877. This painting was the first one Sargent showed at the Paris Salon.
Through his daughter Sylvia, he was the grandfather of Sylvia Leith-Ross (1884–1980). She became an anthropologist and writer who worked in Nigeria.
