Elihu B. Frost
Encyclopedia
Elihu Brintnal Frost was an American lawyer
with an early involvement in the submarine
industry.
Born in Peekskill, New York
, Frost was the son of lawyer Calvin Frost and Mary Antoinette Oppie (Hait) Frost. He attended Peekskill Military Academy
and graduated from Yale University
in 1883, where he was a member of Skull and Bones
. He studied at Columbia Law School
and initially worked for Lord Day & Lord
.
In 1893 the United States Congress
funded a $200,000 prize for submarine construction, and Frost lent John Philip Holland
the funds he needed to participate in this prize contest; Frost and Holland were finally awarded the prize money in 1895. Frost became secretary-treasurer and later president of Holland's firm, which was first named the John P. Holland Torpedo Boat Company and later the Holland Submarine Company. When Isaac Rice
formed the Electric Boat Company
(the predecessor of General Dynamics
) to build Holland's submarine designs, Frost became the company's vice-president, secretary, and chief financial officer.
Frost married and divorced twice, as was prominently reported in the newspapers of the time.
When he died of paresis
in Beach Bluff, Massachusetts, he left his estate to a female friend (later determined to be his fiancée), cutting off his relatives.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
with an early involvement in the submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
industry.
Born in Peekskill, New York
Peekskill, New York
Peekskill is a city in Westchester County, New York. It is situated on a bay along the east side of the Hudson River, across from Jones Point.This community was known to be an early American industrial center, primarily for its iron plow and stove products...
, Frost was the son of lawyer Calvin Frost and Mary Antoinette Oppie (Hait) Frost. He attended Peekskill Military Academy
Peekskill Military Academy
Peekskill Military Academy was founded as 'Peekskill Academy'. It was a military academy for young men and women, founded in 1833, located in Peekskill, New York, United States. The academy was built by a hanging tree and when a building was built near the great tree , one of the British who was...
and graduated from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1883, where he was a member of Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale....
. He studied at Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
and initially worked for Lord Day & Lord
Lord Day & Lord
Lord Day & Lord was a large, blue-chip New York City law firm. It was established in 1845 by Daniel Lord, his son Daniel De Forest Lord, and his son-in-law Henry Day. The firm had retained the same name until 1988 when it merged with smaller firm Barrett Smith Simon & Armstrong to become Lord Day &...
.
In 1893 the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
funded a $200,000 prize for submarine construction, and Frost lent John Philip Holland
John Philip Holland
John Philip Holland was an Irish engineer who developed the first submarine to be formally commissioned by the U.S...
the funds he needed to participate in this prize contest; Frost and Holland were finally awarded the prize money in 1895. Frost became secretary-treasurer and later president of Holland's firm, which was first named the John P. Holland Torpedo Boat Company and later the Holland Submarine Company. When Isaac Rice
Isaac Rice
Isaac Leopold Rice was a U.S. inventor and a chess patron and author.- Biography :...
formed the Electric Boat Company
Electric boat
While a significant majority of water vessels are powered by diesel engines, with sail power and gasoline engines also remaining popular, boats powered by electricity have been used for over 120 years. Electric boats were very popular from the 1880s until the 1920s, when the internal combustion...
(the predecessor of General Dynamics
General Dynamics
General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...
) to build Holland's submarine designs, Frost became the company's vice-president, secretary, and chief financial officer.
Frost married and divorced twice, as was prominently reported in the newspapers of the time.
When he died of paresis
Paresis
Paresis is a condition typified by partial loss of voluntary movement or by impaired movement. When used without qualifiers, it usually refers to the limbs, but it also can be used to describe the muscles of the eyes , the stomach , and also the vocal cords...
in Beach Bluff, Massachusetts, he left his estate to a female friend (later determined to be his fiancée), cutting off his relatives.
External links
- Biography on U.S. Navy web site
- "Morris view of Holland more widely accepted in our era" Electric Boat/General Dynamics web site
- http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/gwmccue&date=2009-10-25+23:37:32 Elihu B. Frost's role with John P. Holland's company is acknowledged at this site. Look under people & places/Elihu B. Frost.