Joseph Park (1823-1903)

He was born at Rye, Westchester County, New York. He started his career as a clerk in a grocers store before entering into a partnership with John M. Tilford. By 1890, the firm had become a major chain of grocery stores known as Park & Tilford and Park was elected President of the corporation until ill health forced him to retire. He was a member of the New York Chamber of Commerce and the Produce Exchange. His business acumen led him to become a Director of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company, the Bank of the Metropolis, the Plaza Bank, and the New York County National Bank. Socially, he was a member of the Union League, Manhattan, American Yacht, and New York Yacht Clubs. He was also a member of the Aldine Association and the American Museum of Natural History. In 1886, he purchased Whitby Castle in his native Rye and divided his time between there and his apartments at the Hoffman House Hotel in Manhattan. He was survived by two sons, George and Hobart.