Lloyd Carpenter Griscom (1872-1959)

Lt.-Colonel Lloyd C. Griscom, K.C.M.G., of New York; U.S. Ambassador to Italy etc.

Associated Houses

Verna

Greenfield Hill, Fairfield

Huntover Lodge

Syosett

He was born in Riverton, New Jersey, and grew up at "Dolobran" as the son of shipping magnate Clement Griscom, "without question, the key figure in American transatlantic shipping" by 1900. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and the New York Law School. In 1893-1894, he served in the United Kingdom as secretary to Ambassador Thomas Bayard. He was admitted to the Bar of New York in 1896 and was appointed Deputy District Attorney the following year. He enlisted in the Spanish-American War and served for four months in Cuba as a Captain and Assistant-Quartermaster. From 1899 to 1901, he was Secretary of Legation and Chargé d'Affaires at Constantinople. He was appointed Minister to Persia in 1901; Minister to Japan (1902-1906); Ambassador to Brazil (1906-1907); and, to Italy (1907-1909).

Returning to New York City in 1911, he became a member of the law firm of Beekman, Menken & Griscom. He was active in Republican politics, co-founded the The New York Young Republican Club and in 1910 was the President of the New York County Republican Committee. During World War I, he was appointed a Major in the 77th Division in France before serving as a liaison officer and Assistant Adjutant-General with the rank of Lt.-Colonel on the staff of General John J. Pershing, Commander of the American Expeditionary Forces. For his wartime services, King George V knighted him at Buckingham Palace as Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George.

On retiring from public service, he bought and published eleven newspapers on Long Island including the East Norwich Enterprise; the North Hempstead Record; the Nassau Daily Star; and, in 1929, he purchased the Tallahassee Democrat in Florida. In his spare time, he studied painting under the celebrated portraitist John Singer Sargent and wrote several books notably "Tenth Avenue" and his autobiography, "Diplomatically Speaking" as well as magazine articles on travel in Central America. During his first marriage, he lived between 174 Madison Avenue in New York City; Verna in Connecticut; and, Huntover Lodge at Syosett on Long Island. In later life he acquired 30 East 74th Street, New York, and, the Luna Plantation outside Tallahassee in Florida. In 1901, he married his first wife, Elsa, daughter of Frederic Bronson Jr., and they had two sons before she died in 1914. In 1929, he was married to Audrey, daughter of Marlborough Crosse and niece of C.E. Barwell-Ewin of Marston Trussell Hall in England, where they were married.

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Contributed by Mark Meredith on 15/09/2022 and last updated on 06/10/2022.