Grinnell Willis (1848-1930) was a textile merchant and philanthropist, and the son of noted poet

Nathaniel Parker Willis Nathaniel Parker Willis (January 20, 1806 – January 20, 1867), also known as N. P. Willis,Baker, 3 was an American writer, poet and editor who worked with several notable American writers including Edgar Allan Poe and Henry Wadsworth Longfello ...

. Willis founded and ran Grinnell Willis & Company. He also funded several civic projects in the

Morristown, New Jersey Morristown () is a Town (New Jersey), town in and the county seat of Morris County, New Jersey, Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

area.

Early life and education

Willis was born to

and Cornellia Grinnell Willis in New York City on April 28, 1848. He grew up in Idlewild, his family's country estate near

Cornwall-on-Hudson Cornwall-on-Hudson is a riverfront village in the town of Cornwall, Orange County, New York, United States. It lies on the west bank of the Hudson River, approximately north of New York City. The population as of the 2020 census was 3,075. It ...

on the banks of the

Hudson River The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...

in New York state. His brother was

Bailey Willis Bailey Willis (March 31, 1857 in Idle Wild-on-Hudson, New York, United States – February 19, 1949 in Palo Alto, California) was a geological engineer who worked for the United States Geological Survey (USGS), and lectured at two prominent Ameri ...

. After preparing for college with William Atkinson, Willis entered

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston. The city's population as of the 2020 United States census, ...

in 1866. While at Harvard, he played on the varsity rowing team and served as captain of the Class of 1870 Boat Club. Willis graduated from Harvard in 1870.

Merchant career

After graduating from college, Willis joined the commission house of Almy & Co. He worked for the company and then its successor, Lewis Brothers & Co., until 1889. In 1879, Willis began overseeing their business relationship with

Wamsutta Mills Wamsutta Mills is a former textile manufacturing company and current brand offering sheets, towels, bedding and other household products. Founded by Thomas Bennett, Jr. on the banks of the Acushnet River in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1846 and ...

, a textile manufacturer (now a brand of

Springs Global Springs Global is a Brazil-based multinational corporation engaged in the manufacturing, marketing, and sale of packaged textile and non-textile home furnishings. It makes textile goods, such as sheets, pillows, bedspreads, towels and bath rugs, ...

). He founded Grinnell Willis & Co. in 1889.

Philanthropy

Willis served on the Board of Trustees of

Morristown School Morristown may refer to: Places Canada * Morristown, Kings County, Nova Scotia * Morristown, Antigonish County, Nova Scotia United States * Morristown, Arizona * Morristown, Indiana ** Morristown station (Indiana) *Morristown, Minnesota **Morristo ...

(now Morristown-Beard School) for 15 years (1905-1920) and as board president for 12 years (1908-1920). He donated funds to help construct a gymnasium for the school and its Headmaster House (now the school's Alumni House). Willis dedicated the gymnasium fund to his wife Mary Baker Hadock Willis. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, Willis served with the Morristown Infantry Battalion of the New Jersey Militia Reserve. After a fire severely damaged the Morristown Library and Lyceum, he and Samuel Gillespie funded the conversion of the structure into the Morristown Armory. In 1917, Willis donated $56,000 to fund the construction of a new library for Morristown. He also gave donations to create the building's children's room and a $200,000 fund to meet future needs.

Family

Willis married Mary Baker Haydock Willis on October 24, 1874. They had three children together: Hannah Haydock Willis (1875-1961), Cornelia Grinnell Willis (1877-1968), and Joseph Grinnell Willis (1879-1919).https://www.geni.com/people/Joseph-Willis/6000000013312200609 After Mary died in 1911, Willis married Katherine Tappert, the librarian at Morristown's public library.

References

American philanthropists Businesspeople from Morristown, New Jersey Harvard Crimson rowers 1848 births 1930 deaths 19th-century American merchants {{DEFAULTSORT:Willis, Grinnell