Clement Acton Griscom, Jr.

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Clement Acton Griscom, Jr. was married to Genevieve Ludlow Griscom. He was the editor of Theosophical Quarterly. The Griscoms became members of the Theosophical Society in America, (later renamed Theosophical Society) headed by Ernest Temple Hargrove.

Early life

Mr. Griscom was born on June 20, 1868 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the third of six children. His parents, Clement Acton Griscom (1841-1912) and Frances Canby Biddle Griscom (1840-1923), were descended from prominent lines of Quakers. They married on June 18, 1862.[1] Griscom, Sr., trained as a marine architect, was considered to be one of the "Captains of Industry" who worked with such men as J. Pierpont Morgan. He held controlling interests in 26 trans-Atlantic shipping lines, including the International Navigation Company, the American Line, and the Red Star Line. With Morgan, he formed the International Mercantile Marine Company.[2] He was also active in banking and mercantile activities such as ships' chandlery.[3] Griscom, Sr. was active in many clubs and civic organizations, and was frequently mentioned in newspapers nationwide in business pages and social columns. He served as a director of U. S. Steel, the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Long Island Railroad, and over 20 financial institutions.[4][5] The five children who survived childhood all achieved prominence in society.

According to a biographical sketch,

Clement, Jr. was educated in Geneva, Switzerland, Frankfort-am-Main, Germany, and the University of Pennsylvania, and graduated fourth in his class from the Wharton School of Political Economy. During his university career, he was prominent in athletics, being in both the university crew and football eleven, as well as representing his college in putting the shot and throwing the hammer.[6]

Career

Clement followed his father into the shipping industry, working his way up through all aspects of the business, beginning as an office boy at Peter Wright & Sons (general agents for the International Navigation Company).[7] He was President of the James Reilly Repair and Supply Company, a ship chandlery with offices in New York, Philadelphia, and Jersey City, living for a time in each of those cities. He became manager of the huge International Navigation Company. Like his father, he was active in numerous civic and professional organizations and clubs.[8] He served as a Director of the Maritime Association of the Port of New York. [9]

Editorial work and writing

Griscom wrote numerous articles for Theosophical journals. According to the Union Index of Theosophical Periodicals, he wrote 10 articles under the name Acton Griscom, 2 under the name Clement A. Griscom, 4 under the name CA Griscom, Jr, and 49 under the name CA Griscom.

Additional resources

  • "Clement Acton" in Wikipedia. About CAG Jr's father.
  • "Clement Acton Griscom, Jr.: Manager of the International Navigation Company, and of the International Mercantile Marine Company", The Successful American 6.6 (December, 1902), 733-735. Available in Google books.


Notes

  1. "Clement A. Griscom Dies", New York Tribune (November 11, 1912), 9. Available at a genealogical website.
  2. "The International Mercantile Marine Company". Available at the Atlantic Transort Line website.
  3. "Head of Ship Combine: C.A. Griscom, Who Has Long Been a Power in Maritime Affairs", The Fort Wayne Evening Sentinel" (November 6, 1902).
  4. "Griscom, Founder of Ship Trust, Dead", New York Times (November 11, 1912). Available at a genealogical website.
  5. "Clement A. Griscom Dies", New York Tribune (November 11, 1912), 9. Available at a genealogical website.
  6. "Clement Acton Griscom, Jr.: Manager of the International Navigation Company, and of the International Mercantile Marine Company", The Successful American 6.6 (December, 1902), 733-735. Available in Google books.
  7. "Clement Acton Griscom, Jr.: Manager of the International Navigation Company, and of the International Mercantile Marine Company", The Successful American 6.6 (December, 1902), 733-735. Available in Google books.
  8. "Clement Acton Griscom, Jr.: Manager of the International Navigation Company, and of the International Mercantile Marine Company", The Successful American 6.6 (December, 1902), 733-735. Available in Google books.
  9. "Maritime Association Meeting." New York Times (April 26, 1899), 7.