Grinnell, Henry, 1799-1874

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Businessman and philanthropist.

From the description of Signature of Henry Grinnell, undated. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 79450582

Henry Grinnell was born on 13 February 1799 at New Bedford, Massachusetts. He was educated at the New Bedford Academy and, at the age of nineteen, was employed as a clerk in the commission house of H D and E B Sewell in New York City. In 1825, he joined his brothers, Joseph and Moses, and whaling captain Preserved Fish, to form the successful shipping company Fish, Grinnell and Co. (later renamed Grinnell, Minturn and Co). Retiring from the company in 1850, Grinnell pursued his interest in Arctic voyages, financing four expeditions to the Canadian Arctic in the search for Sir John Franklin's missing Northwest Passage expedition, the United States Franklin Search Expedition [first Grinnell expedition], 1850-1851 (leader Edwin De Haven), the United States Franklin Search Expedition [second Grinnell expedition], 1853-1855 (leader Elisha Kent Kane), the United States Whaling and Franklin Search Expedition, 1860-1862 (leader Charles Hall) and the United States Franklin Search Expedition, 1864-1869 (leader Charles Hall). Grinnell also supported American attempts on the North Pole, sponsoring the United States North Polar Expedition, 1860-1861 (leader Isaac Hayes), and the United States North Polar Expedition, 1871-1873 (leader Charles Hall).

He served as a founding member and early president of the American Geographical and Statistical Society and was elected an honorary corresponding member of the Royal Geographical Society in 1862. He died on 30 June 1874. Grinnell Land, now Grinnell Peninsula, is named for him.

From the guide to the Henry Grinnell collection, 1850-1873, (Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn American Philosophical Society Library. Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection. 1668-1983. American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Dow, Margaret Elder. Papers, 1846-1963. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn Kane, John K. (John Kintzing), 1795-1858. Papers, [ca. 1800]-1892. American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn Kane, Elisha Kent, 1820-1857. ALS : Philadelphia, to Henry Grinnell, 1853 Jan. 11. Rosenbach Museum & Library
creatorOf Grinnell, Henry, 1799-1874. Henry Grinnell Scrapbooks, 1849-1866. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, UWM Libraries
referencedIn Murphy, William D., 1796-1877. Papers, 1772-1866, 1906-1907. Churchill County Museum
referencedIn Kane, Elisha Kent, 1820-1857. Papers, 1830s-1860s. American Philosophical Society Library
creatorOf Grinnell, Henry, 1799-1874. [Grinnell Arctic Expedition]. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, UWM Libraries
referencedIn Kane Family Papers, 1745-1955 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn William B. Provine collection of evolutionary biology reprints, 20th century. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
referencedIn Kane, Elisha Kent, 1820-1857. Letter, 1856, Sept. 23 : New York, to George William Childs, Philadelphia. Duke University, Medical Center Library & Archives
creatorOf Grinnell, Henry, 1799-1874. Signature of Henry Grinnell, undated. Library of Congress
referencedIn Elisha Kent Kane Papers, Bulk, 1843-1857, 1810-1953 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Sage, Gardner A. [Map of the area later bounded by 77th and 80th Streets, 5th Avenue, and Central Park at the proposed 6th Avenue, Manhattan, New York (N.Y.)]. New-York Historical Society
creatorOf Henry Grinnell collection, 1850-1873 Scott Polar Research Institute
referencedIn Henry Grinnell collection, 1850-1873 Scott Polar Research Institute
referencedIn Sage, Gardner A. [Map of the area later bounded by 74th and 77th Streets, 5th Avenue, and Central Park at the proposed 6th Avenue, Manhattan, New York (N.Y.)]. New-York Historical Society Library
referencedIn Francis Hawks collection, 1860 Scott Polar Research Institute
referencedIn Foulke, William Parker, 1816-1865. Papers, 1840-1865 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf Grinnell family. Grinnell family papers, 1847-ca. 1930. Old Dartmouth Historical Society Library
referencedIn Hall, Charles Francis, 1821-1871. Subscription book, 1863-1864. New-York Historical Society
referencedIn Charles Hall collection, 1869-1871 Scott Polar Research Institute
referencedIn J E Nourse collection, 1877-1878 Scott Polar Research Institute
referencedIn United States Naval Observatory Records, 1830-1900 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Franklin, Jane Griffin, Lady, 1792-1875. Correspondence, 1850-1864. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn Elisha Kent Kane Papers, Bulk, 1843-1857, 1810-1953 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Foulke, William Parker, 1816-1865. Papers, ca. 1840-1865. American Philosophical Society Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Agassiz, Louis, 1807-1873 person
associatedWith Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820 person
associatedWith Cooper, Thomas, 1759-1839 person
associatedWith Coues, Elliott, 1842-1899 person
associatedWith Cuvier, Georges, Baron, 1769-1832 person
associatedWith Darlington, William, 1782-1863 person
associatedWith Dow, Margaret Elder. person
associatedWith Edison, Thomas A., (Thomas Alva), 1847-1931 person
associatedWith Einstein, Albert, 1879-1955 person
associatedWith Everett, Edward, 1794-1865 person
associatedWith Fitch, John person
associatedWith Foulke, William Parker, 1816-1865. person
associatedWith Franklin, Jane Griffin, Lady, 1792-1875. person
associatedWith Franklin, John, Sir, 1786-1847. person
associatedWith Genth, F. A., (Frederick Augustus), 1820-1893 person
associatedWith Gray, Asa, 1810-1888 person
associatedWith Greeley, Horace, 1811-1872 person
associatedWith Grinnell family. family
associatedWith Grinnell, Henry person
associatedWith Hall, Charles Francis, 1821-1871. person
associatedWith Harding, Warren G. person
associatedWith Hawks, Francis person
associatedWith Kane, Elisha Kent, 1820-1857. person
associatedWith Kane, John K. (John Kintzing), 1795-1858. person
associatedWith Murphy, William D., 1796-1877. person
associatedWith Newcomb, Simon person
associatedWith Newton, Isaac, Sir, 1642-1727 person
associatedWith Poinsett, Joel Roberts, 1779-1851 person
correspondedWith Provine, William B. person
associatedWith Rittenhouse, David, 1732-1796 person
associatedWith Rush, Benjamin, 1746-1813 person
associatedWith Sage, Gardner A. person
associatedWith Schoolcraft, Henry Rowe, 1793-1864 person
associatedWith Seybert, Adam, 1773-1825 person
associatedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
associatedWith Stevens, Henry person
associatedWith Sully, Thomas, 1783-1872 person
associatedWith Thomson, Charles, 1729-1824 person
associatedWith United States Franklin Search Expedition Canada Arctic Archipelago 1850-1851 corporateBody
associatedWith United States Franklin Search Expedition Canada Arctic Archipelago 1864-1869 corporateBody
associatedWith United States Franklin Search Expedition Greenland North - Canada Arctic Archipelago 1853-1855 corporateBody
associatedWith United States Naval Observatory. corporateBody
associatedWith United States Relief Expedition Greenland West 1855 corporateBody
associatedWith United States Whaling and Franklin Search Expedition Canada Baffin Bay 1860-1862 corporateBody
associatedWith Waterton, Charles, 1782-1865 person
associatedWith Wayne, Anthony person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Arctic regions
Arctic regions
Subject
Scientific expeditions
Occupation
Businessmen
Philanthropists
Activity

Person

Birth 1799-02-18

Death 1874-06-30

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Ark ID: w61v60sb

SNAC ID: 33273373