The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1859-03-23
lfro" Hunts Merchants Magazile, july, 1851
JOHN GRIGG, OF PHILADELPHIA

] ]'I Pialse' 1etlt too often happens, that we have
! men liFlng among US whom we meet in the street
| and do business with every Cay whose Iiyas bsye
hen one long lesson Of active goodness Of industry
ana Ioice 81 characaer but whose merits are little
known 70 the world at large, until death removes tbe
S,L .i secItsy which propriety is supposed TO place
| upon their lives. No man indeed can Load si5cb :
| ME without becoming widely known; the love and
admiration ~ associates which are sure 10 acronnnanv
H. Its untaIng reward following hut moi run aferi
are perhaps the only reward he desires but not the
only one he has right But society remains mn.
aae ol ile treasures 1t possesses until it has lost
! tAtm lAe tribute then thrown on the grave has
| lost nan rs fmgance. What more appropriate re-
ward to life well spent than fit words of praise spo-
| Ken ih The ear OF living eIcellence1
| II j. with the view OF doing what we NAV TO repaiP
WI INJUSTICE and at the time Of furnishing in
that the series Of Mercantile Biography Is given in tb
pages Gf the Merchants Magazine 10 this series We
merchat t ,TS.P vie PoTTat I With pen and pencil of
atlty, varied experience and uprightness give him
e. hIL ~ l.',t a.tohg these bright examples We shall
pc fortunate II We succeed in giving few of tho lead
~ uts 3t TINS truly original character, as well as
i SIe HL'iSt mas portrayed the clear eve, and the
| a IILhta features through which it speaks from the
adopting Rolingbroke's definition. we NAV call BIZ
ogIaphy (Which is individual history) the practical
| philosophy Of life, taught hv examples To the
tle young nothing is 50 striking rs fact Rules and
prnc pies. they learn fiat AM when embodied in
athpeS which realize them. Tell them that Industry
a % tIasy are necessary 10 success in life. and thev
yam you as they VIII when told there is such
country is Chna. But hold up the life Of such man
az rank I'M, or Girard Astor point 10 the living eT
I115 - ~ successiul enterprise-to Abbot Lawrence,
cause they see Such lives teach a great lesson not
ptealse these men are rich men-rich men they are
III III !siey are something more. sect money, hon
estl II you can. but get money" is degrading pre
.tPt as i"olsh as wicked. for it nculeates spirit
Wihca must defeat the very aim it proposes Inter-
,ri;,r sake ana wealth. its natural result,
When combined with other qualities. and aided by
r w ,,lIe' are the lessons the lives Of such men
john ,irigg. the wellknovn although now retired
IhStief oi Philadelphia, began life orphan farm
NJ "oyi restless spirit drove him TO the water, and
ne early exchanged the monotsnous life Of the farm
81 tvi me yNctements Of that Of sailor The actvi-
IA y !"'ihs ana enterprsing not unfrequenty
lak'- thls direction Amid the perils of the Bay of
hicay' aud the temPests OF the West Indies he had
HHpt opportunities by which he did not Fail 10 profit
r become thoroughly versed in the whole art Of sea-
lAan.hir calling, than which. there is none, perhaps
nel'T calculated to bring out the Qualities of nrou1pt
| decision and self reliance Ne do MOI know how
,ohg Hi' experience IN reefing and steering lasted
| ..' y H'' s." ldil as We could wish Some thirteen
Virginia. The ouicknc.S ana d-inaI y ' ~ ~ ~;
character, tie zae W,th which he pursued his stud
es and resumed them when broken on and his de-
r,'h Y, 'ne m"hematlc,, in particular, for which
WI Wnra "'h aceonpany the talent for practical Ii 70
] ,i' l m ! a,,T'ced ne notice OF the relatives with
INtlrc Tor the Young student The lady 81 The honsa
{l,'.rl very iona 9ithe mathematics assisted him in
| make ~ the world; and soon leaving Richmond, he
"Grii ,r, 10 10 ONO; eager for the fray of life.
t,Ic We md nm engaged in the duties Of Clerk
q the Court Of Common Pleas and Chanccry of War
rgn county Ohio with the sole charge Of this respon-
hfuon 81 all, and won for himself the esteem and
flehaslnp Of such men Mr.. Justice Mclean, who
tG jb ot .l'eh Leit NE courts of Ohio for the place
"t.n ne Ad9InS on the bench ofthe Supreme Court
of the United States, and Of the Hon Thomas Corwin
~ ~ Secretary Of the Treasury. During
ult NN9lt OF hr. 'Irlggs residence Ohio, Mr.. Cor
| WIN ana he were intimate friends, and "bosom ero-
mes. such friends as young men arc who know each
tastes and habits Il can say Of him Lonr otstions
are from recent letter from Mr.. CoTwin) "Wi.h en-
tire confidence IN the opinion, that he was from his
| ofp
non ana fortune, an earnest frank. sincere, honest
man. After entering the Clerks office he very soon
made himself master Of every detail and became in
tact, Clerk the Court know he often wrote from
hteen 10 eighteen hours, every twenyfour for weeks
symptoms Of disease was the consequence Of such
habts OF industry and intense application, and made
change OF occupation necessary. But these habits
hau won ior hlm name and character which soon
enabled nm to enter different and less harrass-
ing pursuit. Joel Scott ESQ., at this time pro-
prletOr Of mandatory Of wollen cloths in Scott
County. on the Elkhon Creek in Kentucky a region
IenlaThahle Tor the beauty of its scenery the excel
renee ol ~ water power, and the fertility Of its soil;
the remotenesS of the Atlantic cities and the war pre-
vnIng al that time with England operated as the
tl"st eltctual OF projections and the Vollen manu-
iacture was a highly lucrative business in Kentucky
, | new propnetors commenced the manufacture of all
descriptions oi wollen cloths large scale, and
with much energy and apparent skill. 1t was early
n 1913 when NJ Grigg became the Superintendeuto
At. scott establishments at Georgetown. His new
! situation tasked the best energies Of his mind and
character He was placed in the most trying circum
stances and on occasion left suddenly with the
!, sole charge OF the whole establishment upon him.
q ! hut the same quckness and assiduity which made
him efficient clerk of court made him the hest AZ
! | superntendents. also. The greater experience OF
+ the Old Country might he challenged to produce !
d Wool manufactures who knew better how to assort
fleece INTO i've or six different qualities or had q
Z quicker and more practiced eve to when thing
was Wen done, from the washing OF the wool to the
Z finishing Of the cloth.
Mr. Scott still lives in opulent retirement near
Frankfort He and his excellent belong to that
noble order OF Kentucky farmers whose fine farms
and rare breeds Of cattle are the pride and wealth OF
the state. and whose hearts and sympathies are as
broad and open as their fertile acres Although is
hvu!N rl -nFe years since Mr. t'rlgg was at George
town. and during that time the two friends have new
er met Yet tbs friendship and regard which his ser
wees ana character secured from Mr.. Scott have las
ted. undated through life In letter which We re-
Gently received from Mr.. Scott. and to which arr
indebted for some Of these details, he speaks of his
u old friend with youthful warmth, Of .his uncommor
p industry activity andefciency in business Of ahi.
: | exalted ana honorable feelings and principles" Mr.
s drigg won the entire confidence and most cordial
l. attachment says Mr.. Scott, mot only Of myself anc
iInly but also Of all with whom he had been assocai
e. | ted IN buSluesS.'
y This attachment was fully recprocated by his owr
H., warm and generous heart and was evinced not only
q oy the manifestation Of feeling, hut also by the be
= stowal Of some memorial 20 the various members o
the family, when he took leave Of US. And stll tn,
h warmth Of his noble heart is undated Not sing,
s year Is hceh allowed 70 pass without the receipt o
some substantial ana cherished memorial of his abb
"a ding friendship, not only TO myself but also TO m,
4, S'len ana grand children, all Of whom he seems
u embrace N the wide scope OF his generous affections
Y although he has never seen but a single indvidua
~ | Of them
/ The year 1916 brought with il still another chang
T. q residence and occupation. Mr.. Scott parted from
MS assistant with reluctance, but his restless activy
n was ambitious fora wider field and higher range HI
10 must 20 g the city; he must Try his fortune as mel
chant IN Philadelphia. From country to CITY, an III
- broken current OF youthful hope. energy and cha
a. acter ever setting, which puriRes and renews il
n true Int too often leads to the shpwreck of wea
s- PRINCIPLES and sanguine hopes Were il not for ne
Just A. cluzens chdren after one OF two generation
s become ,,, nv puny and weak But the city influence
he strong ald X is an even chance whether will CO.
rupL or the country influence will purify. Hence tn
~ HnseI 81 tS mdiScnminate esgerness Of the youn
os " ruNIi INTO cry lc But II they all brought wit
p them tGc same power To- resist. and che powe
az e. do ir Themselves, which John Grigg carried wit
'c nun to Philadelphia, this tendency would be less
be hc regretted II WAS his intention 10 enter Who'll,
sale erN good house But the year 1916 was one
he | general embarrassment No opcnipg presented
,r- Like Franklin before him, Mr.. Grgg found himse
to IN the city Of Philadelphia comparatively Withou
d means without employment, WIN no outHHIJf f w W
nj port hut upheld v that sure inward resource OF SCI
az ic1ucf which is the centre Of moral gravity hoS
e ever he was shont giyng 8P ~ psn' Tei ne % ..'
o very extensive business. Mr.. Warner seems TO hAy
on been man Of qgcS sppreelaIion Of character, M
~. srt,r and abilities. Mr. Warner was FiIend and
~ clerk who at once entered his house, and justlhe
az, tS and ciearness of head which he brougI
M II bear upon his new pursuit Versatility is said
n. lc an American characteristic, and ew'men have po
scsscd It more strongly than Mr.. Grigg, The read
, | ness of adaptation 70 pursuits, situations an
~ omcrgencics. which made him efficient in each Of n
o varied callmgS with which within few years he ha
re- already made himself familiar, marked his caree
m troughlfe II twas his favorite opinion that ali d
" c'ltes can he overcome by perseverance-that 4
man or boy can tell what he make of himself M
~ tl he tres He made it rule of fe when dfScu
U ties appeared TO clap on double energy and like He
eues 70 rely upon the strength of his own shouldel
10Y | to get the wagon out Of the ditch.
"a He had need Of all his own resources of charact
"a m the calling which he had adopted. But il WAS n
To- last change Of pursuit he to make. He had four
IN business whose range of operations suited his An
To- ties and ambition The difficulties of the bookseI
an business are said 10 he peculiarly great This Is Ii
an eonsenung opinion Of those familiar with il; and il
obvious how much tact and discrimination sagaci
u and careful study Of the public TASTE il reouiree
~ connected Is It with Literature, that mistaken lite
@ @e airy Judgment may involve the most serious busne
tn Hn consequences Dazzling projects, which onopap
~ give assurance of brilliant results, when put n
~ cuuon prove worse than failures II was not howe
* eT, untu lew years later when he had worked b
~ way upto the higher walks of his business that the
"a qualities were called out into the most active exc
- slse. But the same energy which displayed
~ the more responsible station to which he attane
~ marked his performance Of the humber duties
~ clerk. This devotion, this determination 10
~ whatever his hands found do" with all his might
90" whether as clerk, principal, as Banker Man
ulacturer Clerk Of Court, or Publisher is the seer
OF OF his suceessof all in business. The la
not William Gray, Of Boston, in his days ofOPusneo, vi