The Griswold family () is an American political family from

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

and

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

of English descent. The family's fortune originates from the 19th Century industrial and merchant pursuits. They tend to be Republican, but a few of them support the Democratic Party.

Family origins

The Griswold family originates from

Solihull Solihull ( ) is a market town and the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Solihull is situated on the River Blythe in the Arden, Warwickshire, Forest of Arden ar ...

, England, where they lived for centuries as

greyhound The English Greyhound, or simply the Greyhound, is a dog breed, breed of dog, a sighthound which has been bred for coursing, greyhound racing and hunting. Some are kept as show dogs or pets. Greyhounds are defined as a tall, muscular, smooth-c ...

breeders, which were a favorite of King

Edward I of England Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he was Lord of Ireland, and from 1254 ...

. The first members of the family to arrive in America were the

Puritan The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to rid the Church of England of what they considered to be Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should b ...

half-brothers Edward and Matthew Griswold, landing initially at Dorchester,

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

in 1639 and continuing on as part of the group of colonists settling

Windsor, Connecticut Windsor is a New England town, town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, and was the first English settlement in the state. It lies on the northern border of Connecticut's capital, Hartford, Connecticut, Hartford. The town is part of ...

. In 1646, Matthew married Anna Wolcott and moved to

Old Saybrook, Connecticut Old Saybrook is a New England town, town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, Connecticut, Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region. The population was 10, ...

. He was later Deputy and Commissioner of

Lyme, Connecticut Lyme is a New England town, town in New London County, Connecticut, New London County, Connecticut, United States, situated on the eastern side of the Connecticut River. The town is part of the Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, Conn ...

, quickly amassing thousands of acres of land and become one of the richest men in the colony. Edward Griswold remained in Windsor and played pivotal roles in the early politics of the colony. Many of his descendants moved west to

following the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

and founded the New York branch of the family, from whom Congressman John Augustus Griswold is descended.

Legacy and accumulation of wealth

Politics

Many members of the family were influential in state and national politics. During the colonial era, the Griswolds were one of a roughly half-dozen families which governed Connecticut state politics. In 1801, the Hartford Courant called "Griswold" one of the most "revered and ancient families" of Connecticut.

Industry

John Augustus Griswold of the New York branch of the family made a considerable fortune in the iron and steel industry, forming the Albany and Rensselaer Iron and Steel Works of

Troy, New York Troy is a city in and the county seat of Rensselaer County, New York, United States. It is located on the western edge of the county, on the eastern bank of the Hudson River just northeast of the capital city of Albany, New York, Albany. At the ...

. During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, Griswold financed at his personal expense the

USS Monitor USS ''Monitor'' was an ironclad warship built for the United States Navy during the American Civil War and completed in early 1862, the first such ship commissioned by the Navy. ''Monitor'' played a central role in the Battle of Hampton Roads ...

and later engaged his iron business in the production of other Monitor class ironclad ships. Griswold later become president of the Troy and Lansingburgh Railroad, of the Troy and Cohoes Railroad and of the New Orleans, Mobile and Texas Railroad. Matthew Griswold VII, grandson of governor

Roger Griswold Roger Griswold (; May 21, 1762 – October 25, 1812) was a lawyer, politician and judge from Connecticut. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, judge of the Connecticut Supreme Court and the List of Governors of C ...

, founded the Griswold Manufacturing Company of

Erie, Pennsylvania Erie is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, fifth-most populous city in Pennsylvania and the most populous in Northwestern Pen ...

, manufacturers of the Griswold cast-iron products.

Samuel Griswold Samuel Griswold (December 27, 1790 in Burlington, Connecticut – September 14, 1867 in Clinton, Georgia) was an American industrial pioneer in the 1820s based in central Georgia. He was the founder of Griswoldville village, an industrial site. H ...

, a descendant of settler Edward Griswold, moved to Georgia and was notable for producing weapons for the

Confederate Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fi ...

China trade and shipping

Members of the Connecticut branch of the family moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

in 1796 and engaged in trade. Brothers Nathaniel Lynde Griswold and George Griswold founded the N.L & G. Griswold Company to import sugar and rum from the

Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...

on clipper ships. They expanded to the China Trade, capturing a large share of the 19th century tea market. It was noted that "I do not suppose that there is a country store, however insignificant, in the entire United States that has not seen a large or small package of tea marked 'N.L & G.G.' George Griswold Jr operated clipper ships to China and amassed a great fortune; setting up residence on Fifth Avenue. John Griswold, brother of George Jr., was responsible for building the John N. A. Griswold House in

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island, United States. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and nort ...

. Another member of the family, John Griswold, founded the Black X Line of packet clippers that shipped supplies between the United States and Great Britain. Robert Harper Griswold, a man whom

Herman Melville Herman Melville (Name change, born Melvill; August 1, 1819 – September 28, 1891) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance (literature), American Renaissance period. Among his best-known works ar ...

called "a man of much reading .. elegant manner and great personal beauty," greatly expanded the line and amassed his own wealth. His wealth enabled him to buy what is now the home that now houses the Florence Griswold Museum, named after his daughter.

Notable family members

Noted as business-people

(1790–1867): American industrialist. * John Augustus Griswold (1818–1873): U.S. Representative from New York, Industrialist, and builder of the ironclad

. * John N. A. Griswold (1822–1909): China trade merchant and industrialist. Commissioned the John N. A. Griswold House in

. * William E. S. Griswold (1877–1964): CEO of W. & J. Sloane * John Sloane Griswold Sr. (1914–2005): Noted industrial design executive * Anita Griswold (1903–1976); real estate broker, wife of John C. Griswold

Noted as politicians and activists

Many Griswold family members were influential in politics in the states of

and

. *Edward Griswold: (1607–1690): Founding father of

, early colonial politician. * Matthew Griswold (1714–1799): 17th Governor of

. *

(1762–1812): 22nd Governor of Connecticut, 6th Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut, and U.S. Representative. * Gaylord Griswold (1767–1809): U.S. Representative from New York and drafter of the 12th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. * John Augustus Griswold (1818–1873): U.S. Representative from New York, Industrialist, and builder of the ironclad

. * John Ashley Griswold (1822–1902): U.S. Representative from New York. * George Griswold (1794–1857): Lieutenant Governor of Michigan. * Simeon Griswold (1752–1843): Five time member of the Massachusetts State Legislature. * Chester Griswold: Member of the New York State Assembly, Supervisor of Nassau, New York. * William M. Griswold (1823–1889): Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and Wisconsin State Senate. * William A. Griswold (1775–1846): Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives. *William N. Griswold (1834–1921): Supervisor of Welfare for New York. * Matthew Griswold (1833–1919): U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania.

Art and culture

* Florence Griswold (1850–1937): American artist and founder of the Old Lyme art colony. * Frank Gray Griswold (1854–1937): American sportsman and society leader of the

Gilded Age In History of the United States, United States history, the Gilded Age is the period from about the late 1870s to the late 1890s, which occurred between the Reconstruction era and the Progressive Era. It was named by 1920s historians after Mar ...

. * Mariana Griswold Van Rensselaer (1851–1934): American author and leader in the

aesthetic movement Aestheticism (also known as the aesthetic movement) was an art movement in the late 19th century that valued the appearance of literature, music, fonts and the arts over their functions. According to Aestheticism, art should be produced to b ...

. * William M. Griswold: American art historian and noted director of the

Cleveland Museum of Art The Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) is an art museum in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Located in the Wade Park District of University Circle, the museum is internationally renowned for its substantial holdings of Asian art, Asian and Art of anc ...

Science and Academia

*John Augustus Griswold, Jr. (1912–1991): American ornithologist, Curator of Birds, Philadelphia Zoological Gardens. * Alfred Whitney Griswold (1906–1963): American historian and President of

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

Erwin Griswold Erwin Nathaniel Griswold (; July 14, 1904 – November 19, 1994) was an American appellate attorney and legal scholar who argued many cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Griswold served as Solicitor General of the United States (1967–1973) unde ...

(1904–1994):

Solicitor General of the United States The solicitor general of the United States (USSG or SG), is the fourth-highest-ranking official within the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), and represents the federal government in cases before the Supreme Court of the United States. ...

and Dean of

Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, Harvard Law School is the oldest law school in continuous operation in the United ...

Griswold family tree

* Matthew Griswold jr (1652-1716) * Daniel Griswold (1656–1728) m. Mindwell Bissell (1663–1728) ** Daniel Griswold (1684–1772) m. Sarah White (1694–1738) *** Seth Griswold (1723–1810) m. Susanna Shurtleff (1732–1757) **** Simeon Griswold (1752–1843) m. Ann Hutchinson (1755–1836) ***** Justin Griswold (1779–1841) ***** Chester Griswold (1781–1860) m. Abby Moulton ****** John Augustus Griswold (1818–1872) m. Elizabeth Hart * Matthew Griswold (1652–) m. (1) 1683: Phebe Hyde (1663–1704); m. (2) 1705: Mary DeWolf (–1724) ** John Griswold (1690–1764) m. 1713: Hannah Lee (1694–1773) *** Matthew Griswold (1714–1799) m. 1743: Ursula Wolcott (1724–1788) **** Marian Griswold (1750–1829) m. (1) 1769: Charles Church Chandler (1747–1787); m. (2) 1793: Ebenezer Lane (1747–1808); m. (3) 1809: Justin Ely (1739–1817) ***** Dorothy Church Chandler (1770–1847) m. James Backus (1764–1816) ****** William Wolcott Backus (1803–1892) ****** Henry Titus Backus (1809–1877) m. Juliana Trumball Woodbridge ***** Marian Griswold Chandler (1774–1817) m.

James Lanman James Lanman (June 14, 1767August 7, 1841) was an American lawyer and politician from Connecticut who served in the United States Senate from 1819 to 1825. He was a cousin of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams. Early life James Lanman ...

(1769–1841) ****** Charles James Lanman (1819–1895) m. Adeline Dodge ******* Charles Lanman (1819–1895) m. Adeline Dodge ***** Ebenezer Lane (1793–1866) ****

(1762–1812) m. 1798: Fanny Rogers ***** Frances Ann Griswold m. 1818: Ebenezer Lane (1793–1866) *** Phebe Griswold (1716–1770) m. 1731: Jonathan Parsons (1705–1776) ****

Samuel Holden Parsons Samuel Holden Parsons (May 14, 1737 – November 17, 1789) was an American lawyer, jurist, generalHeitman, ''Officers of the Continental Army'', 428. in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and a pioneer to the Ohio Countr ...

(1737–1789) m. 1761: Mehitabel Mather (1743–1802) *** Thomas Griswold (1718–1770) m. 1741: Susannah Lynde (1721–1768) *** Hannah Griswold (1723–1772) m. Benajah Bushnell *** Lucy Griswold (1726–1795) m. 1753: Elijah Backus (1726–1798) *** Sarah Griswold (1729–1777) m. William Hillhouse (1728–1816) **** John Griswold Hillhouse (1751–1806) m. Elizabeth Mason ***** Harriet Hillhouse (1792–1866) m. David Buel (1784–1860) ****** Samuel Buel (1815–1892) m. Jane Eliza Wilmer (1820–1908) ******* David Hillhouse Buel (1839–1870) m. Josephine Maria McDougall ******** David Hillhouse Buel (1862–1923) m. 1912: Katherine Frances Powers ****** Oliver Prince Buel (1838–1899) m. Josephine Maria (née McDougall) Buel **** James Hillhouse (1754–1832) **** Thomas Griswold Hillhouse (1766–1835) ***** Thomas Hillhouse (1817–1897) m. Harriet Prouty (1823–1903) ****** Thomas Griswold Hillhouse (1848–1910) *** Clarissa Griswold (1735–1811) m. Nathan Elliott (1725–1798) *** Deborah Griswold (1735–1811) m. 1756 Nathan Jewett Jr. (1734–1802) ** George Griswold (1692–1761) m. Hannah Lynde (1698–1734) *** George Griswold (1726–1816) m. Elizabeth Lee (1735–1797) **** George Griswold (1777–1859) m. (1) Eliza Woodhull (1784–1810); m. (2) Maria Matilda Cumming (1792–1880) ***** Maria Griswold (1804–1866) m. George Winthrop Gray (1799–1863) ****** George Griswold Gray (1830–1875) m. Susan Irvin (1842–1924) ****** Henry Winthrop Gray (1839–1906) m. Mary Mackall Travers (1847–1900) (daughter of William R. Travers) ******* Maria Griswold Gray (1868–1947) m. William Bay Coster (1868–1918) ***** Cornelia Woodhull Griswold (1807–1888) m. Joseph Woodward Haven (1803–1872) ****** George Griswold Haven Sr. (1837–1908) m. Emma Walton Martin (1840–1873) ******* George Griswold Haven Jr. (1866–1925) m. (1) Elizabeth Shaw Ingersoll (1860–1923); m. (2) Dorothy James ******** Leila Ingersoll Haven (1890–1974) m. Gilbert Edward Jones Jr. (1888–1925) ******** George Griswold Haven III (1892–1944) m. Elizabeth George (1896–1990) ******** Alice Haven (1895–1946) m. (1) George Schieffelin Trevor (1892–1951); (2) William Otis Waters (1889–1940) ******* Cornelia Haven (1860–1926) m. Stephen Peabody ******* Alice Griswold Haven (1863–1959) m. John Nelson Borland (1859–1929) ******** Alice "Ella" Borland (1887–1987) m. Orme Wilson Jr. (1885–1966) ********* Orme Wilson III (1920–1991) m. Julie Brown Colt ******* Joseph Woodward Haven (1864–1945) m. Henrietta Katherine Cram (1863–1934) ******** Katherine Sergeant Haven (1898–1974) m. (1) Johnston Livingston Redmond (1888–1933) (brother of Roland L. Redmond); m. (2) William Henry Osborn II (1895–1971) (grandson of William H. Osborn) ***** Sarah Helen Griswold (1815–1893) m. John Cleve Green (1800–1875) ***** Matilda Elizabeth Griswold (1817–1889) m.

Frederick Theodore Frelinghuysen Frederick Theodore Frelinghuysen (August 4, 1817May 20, 1885) was an American lawyer and politician from New Jersey who served as a U.S. Senator and later as United States Secretary of State under President Chester A. Arthur. Frelinghuysen was ...

(1817–1885) ****** Matilda Griswold Frelinghuysen (1846–1926) m. Henry Winthrop Gray (1839–1906) ****** Charlotte Louisa "Lucy" Frelinghuysen (1847–1930) ****** Frederick Frelinghuysen (1848–1924), m. Estelle Burnet Kinney (1868–1931) ******* Frederick Frelinghuysen (1903–1966) ******* Thomas Frelinghuysen (b. 1905) m. Roselyne de Viry (1920–2014) (daughter of Baron Humbert and Baroness Delphine Marie de Viry) ******* Theodore Frelinghuysen (b. 1907) ******* George Griswold Frelinghuysen II (1908–2002) m. Anne de Smolianinof ******* Estelle Condit Frelinghuysen (1911–1988) m. George Lovett Kingsland Morris (1905–1975) ****** George Griswold Frelinghuysen (1851–1936), m. Sara Linen Ballantine (granddaughter of Peter Ballantine) ****** Sarah Helen Frelinghuysen (1856–1939) m. (1) John J. Davis (1851–1902); m. (2) Charles Laurie McCawley (1865–1935) ******* Mathilda Elizabeth Frelinghuysen Davis (1876–1960), m. George Cabot Lodge (1873–1909) ********

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. (July 5, 1902 – February 27, 1985) was an American diplomat and politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate and served as United States Ambassador to the United Nations in the administration of Pre ...

(1902–1985) m. Emily Esther Sears ********* George Cabot Lodge II (b. 1927) m. (1) Nancy Kunhardt (daughter of

Dorothy Kunhardt Dorothy Kunhardt (née Meserve; September 29, 1901 – December 23, 1979) was an American children's-book author, best known for the baby book ''Pat the Bunny.'' She was also a historian and writer about the life of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln ...

); m. (2) Susan Alexander Powers ********* Henry Sears Lodge (1930–2017) ********

John Davis Lodge John Davis Lodge (October 20, 1903 – October 29, 1985) was an American film actor, lawyer, politician, and diplomat. He was the 79th governor of Connecticut from 1951 to 1955, and later served as U.S. ambassador to Spain, Argentina, and Swit ...

(1903–1985) m. Francesca Braggiotti (1902–1998) ********* Lily Lodge (b. 1930) ********* Beatrice Anna Cabot Lodge m. Antonio de Oyarzabal (b. 1935) ******* Helena Constance Lodge (1905–1998) m. Baron Edouard de Streel (1896–1981) ******

Theodore Frelinghuysen Theodore Frelinghuysen (March 28, 1787April 12, 1862) was an American politician who represented New Jersey in the United States Senate. He was the Whig vice presidential nominee in the election of 1844, running on a ticket with Henry Clay. ...

(1860–1928) m. Alice Dudley Coats (1861–1889) (daughter of Sir James Coats, 1st Baronet) ***** George Griswold Jr. (1820–1884) m. Lydia Alley (1826–1908) ****** Mariana Griswold (1851–1934) m. Schuyler Van Rensselaer (1845–1884) ******* George Griswold Van Rensselaer (1875–1894) ****** Frank Gray Griswold (1854–1937) m. Josephine Houghteling Canfield (1864–1937) (mother of Cass Canfield) ****** George Griswold III (1857–1917) m. Emily Oliver Post (1860–1905) ******* George Griswold IV (1896–1964) m. Isabelle Batelle Bridgman (1896–1977) ***** John Noble Alsop Griswold (1822–1909) m. Jane Louisa Emmet (1832–1909) ****** Minnie Griswold (1861–1954) m. John Murray Forbes Jr. (1844–1921) ****** Richard Alsop Griswold (1863–1864) ****** John Noble "Jack" Griswold (1865–1895) ****** Florence Temple Griswold (1867–1937) m. Horatio Robert Odo Cross (1846–1915) ******* Graham Griswold Odo Cross (1898–1963) ****** George Griswold II (1870–1902)

Places

* Griswold, Connecticut: named for Governor

. *

Fort Griswold Fort Griswold is a former American defensive fortification in Groton, Connecticut named after Deputy Governor Matthew Griswold (governor), Matthew Griswold. The fort played a key role in the early stages of the American Revolutionary War, in corr ...

, Groton,

: Named for Governor Matthew Griswold. * Griswoldville, Georgia * The Griswold Inn, one of the oldest continuously run taverns in the United States. * The Griswold House, one of the Houses at The Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Griswold Family History of Connecticut American families of English ancestry Families from New York (state) English-American culture in Connecticut