Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/451

 GRINXELL

GRIXNELL

the highest latitude ever reached by a sailing vessel. The expedition returned in the fall of 1855, having been forced to abandon the A<h-iiiice. He then contributed liberally to the Haj'es expedition in 1860 and to the Polaris expedition in 1871. He was a charter member and the first president of the American geographical society organized in 1833, and its vice-president, 1854-73. Tliis society owns a crayon portrait of him framed in wood taken from the Resolute and pre- sented in 1886 by his daughter, Sylvia, widow of Admiral Ruxton of the British na^y. Mr. Grinnell died in New York city, June 30, 1874.

QRINNELL, Joseph, repi-esentative, was born in Xew Bedford, Mass., Nov. 17, 1788; son of Cornelius and Sylvia (Howland) Grinnell. He attended the public schools and became a clerk in his father's business. In 1808 he was appointed deputy collector and surveyor of the port of New Bedford, and in 1810 went into business in New York city with his uncle, under tlie firm name of Howland & Grinnell. The firm met with disas- trous losses during the war of 1813, and in 1815 Mr. Grinnell associated himself with his cousin, Capt. Preserved Fish, under the style of Fish & Grinnell, and in 1836 with his brothers, Moses H. and Henry Grinnell. In 1839 he retired from the firm and visited Europe and on his return devoted himself to the whale fishery in New Bed- ford, Mass. He was a member of the governor's council, 1839-41. In 1843 BIr. Grinnell was elected as a Whig a representative from Slassachusetts in the 37th congress to fill the unexpired term of B.irker Burnell, deceased, and was re-elected to the 38th, 39th, 30th and 31st congresses. He was president of the Marine bank, the Wamsutta mills company, and other concerns in New Bedford. He died in New Bedford, Mass., Feb. 7, 1885.

GRINNELL, Josiah Bushnell, representative, vras born in New Haven, Vt., Dec. 33, 1831; son of Myron and Catlierine, and grandson of Reuben Grinnell. He was graduated at the Oneida insti- tute in 1843 and at the Auburn tlieological semi- nary in 1847, was ordained in 1848, and preached at Greenwich and Union village, N.Y., 1848-52, New York city, 1853, and Washington, D.C., 1853- 54. He was married, Feb. 5. 1852. to Julia Ann Chapin of Springfield, Mass. In 1854 his voice failed and he removed to Iowa, where he jiur- chased 6000 acres of land and laid out t lie town of Grinnell. He founded the Congregational church there and was its pastor without pay for several years. He also engaged in wool growing. He was a founder of the Republican party in Iowa and sup- ported John C. Fremont for President in 1856 and 1864. He was a state senator, 1856-60; special agent of the post-office department. 1861-03 ; a rep- resentative in the 38th and 39th congresses, 1863- 67, where he served on important committees;

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author of the Iowa free school law ; special agent of the U.S. treasury department, 1868, and com- missioner of the U.S. bureau of animal indus- tries, 1884. He supported Grant for President in 1868 and Horace Greeley in 1873. He was a friend and confidant of John Brown, the abolitionist, and an active conductor on the underground rail- road during th^ Kan- sas troubles. He helped to build in Iowa six railroad lines and laid out two to^vns in Iowa and three in Kansas. He gave to Grinnell university, which he founded and which in 1859 merged in Iowa college, the land on which it was located and the proceeds of the sale of building lots in its neighborhood. He was a trustee of Iowa college, 1859-90, and president of the executive committee, 1861-63, 1864-84 and 1885-90. He is the author of Homes of the Bad- rjers (1845) ; Cattle Industries of the United States (1884) and various pamphlets and addresses. He died in Grinnell, Iowa, JIarch 31, 1891.

QRINNELL, Moses Hicks, merchant, was born in New Bedford, Mass., March 3, 1803; son of Capt. Cornelius and Sylvia (Howland) Grin- nell. His father was an officer in the service of the patriots in the Revolution and served in both the army and navy. He was a commander in the merchant service and conducted an extensive whaling business at New Bedford, where he died in 1850 in the 93d year of his age. Mcses was educated at the New Bedford academy and in 1818 went to New York as a clerk in the liouse of Fish & Grinnell. He was sent abi-oad repeat- edly as supercargo on the ships of the firm and in 1835 was admitted to the firm, which was changed to Fish, Grinnell & Co. He was a rep- resentative from New York in the 36th congress, 1839-41 ; was an elector on the presidential ticket of 1856, supporting Fr6mont and Dayton, and was collector of the port of New York, 1869-70, under appointment by President Grant. He was president of the New York chamber of com- merce, 1843-53; president of the Union club, 1867-73; commissioner of charities and correc- tions, 1860-65; president of the New England society in New York, and a member of the first Central Park commission. He seconded his brother Henry in fitting out the various Arctic exploring expeditions and during the civil war was a liberal suppoi-ter of the U.S. Christian and