Lloyd Carpenter Griscom
Encyclopedia
Lloyd Carpenter Griscom was an American
diplomat.
to Clement Griscom
. He graduated in 1891 from the University of Pennsylvania
and studied law there and then at the New York Law School
. In 1893-1994 he was in England
as secretary to Ambassador Thomas Bayard
; in 1897 he was deputy district attorney of New York; and during the Spanish-American War
he served as captain and assistant quartermaster.
After a short period as Secretary of Legation and chargé d' affaires
at Constantinople
, he became Minister to Persia in 1901. He held the corresponding post in Japan
(1902–1906) and was ambassador to Brazil
(1906–1907) and to Italy
(1907–1909). In 1911 he became a member of the law firm of Beekman, Menken, and Griscom, New York City
, and was thereafter active in local Republican
politics. He contributed numerous articles to the Philadelphia Sunday Press on travel in Central America
. In 1917 he was appointed a major in the department of the Adjutant-General of the United States army and afterwards became Assistant Adjutant-General.
Griscom's primary significance was as an advocate for globalized free trade as a means to promote peaceful development in accordance with his Quaker faith. In the Middle East he worked for better relations between Muslims and Christians, and he played a major role in the relief effort in Italy after the Messina earthquake took 50,000 lives. Prior to the death of Secretary of State John Hay in 1905, Griscom was offered the post of First Assistant Secretary of State. The appointement of Elihu Root to succeed Hay nullified Griscom's appointment to the State Department position.
Following his retirement from pulic service, he bought and became the publisher of several Long Island newspapers, including the East Norwich Enterprise, the North Hempstead Record, and the Nassau Daily Star.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
diplomat.
Biography
He was born on November 4, 1872 in born at Riverton, New JerseyRiverton, New Jersey
Riverton is a Borough located in Burlington County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough had a total population of 2,759....
to Clement Griscom
Clement Griscom
Clement Acton Griscom was a prominent American Quaker businessman and nineteenth century shipping magnate.-Biography:...
. He graduated in 1891 from the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and studied law there and then at the New York Law School
New York Law School
New York Law School is a private law school in the TriBeCa neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City. New York Law School is one of the oldest independent law schools in the United States. The school is located within four blocks of all major courts in Manhattan. In 2011, New York Law School...
. In 1893-1994 he was in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
as secretary to Ambassador Thomas Bayard
Thomas F. Bayard
Thomas Francis Bayard was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party, who served three terms as U.S. Senator from Delaware, and as U.S. Secretary of State, and U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom.-Early life and family:Bayard was born in...
; in 1897 he was deputy district attorney of New York; and during the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
he served as captain and assistant quartermaster.
After a short period as Secretary of Legation and chargé d' affaires
Chargé d'affaires
In diplomacy, chargé d’affaires , often shortened to simply chargé, is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents who head a diplomatic mission, either on a temporary basis or when no more senior diplomat has been accredited.-Chargés d’affaires:Chargés d’affaires , who were...
at Constantinople
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, he became Minister to Persia in 1901. He held the corresponding post in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(1902–1906) and was ambassador to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
(1906–1907) and to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(1907–1909). In 1911 he became a member of the law firm of Beekman, Menken, and Griscom, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and was thereafter active in local Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politics. He contributed numerous articles to the Philadelphia Sunday Press on travel in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
. In 1917 he was appointed a major in the department of the Adjutant-General of the United States army and afterwards became Assistant Adjutant-General.
Griscom's primary significance was as an advocate for globalized free trade as a means to promote peaceful development in accordance with his Quaker faith. In the Middle East he worked for better relations between Muslims and Christians, and he played a major role in the relief effort in Italy after the Messina earthquake took 50,000 lives. Prior to the death of Secretary of State John Hay in 1905, Griscom was offered the post of First Assistant Secretary of State. The appointement of Elihu Root to succeed Hay nullified Griscom's appointment to the State Department position.
Following his retirement from pulic service, he bought and became the publisher of several Long Island newspapers, including the East Norwich Enterprise, the North Hempstead Record, and the Nassau Daily Star.
Further reading
- Salvatore Prisco, "Progressive Era Diplomat: Lloyd C. Griscom and Trade Expansion," DIPLOMACY & STATECRAFT, 18 (September 2007), 539-549.