Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-01-16

John F. Dryden, President Of The Pru-
dental Insurance Company of America,
and leading capitalist in banking and
other large enterprises, has his home in
Newark. In person he is tall, spare, and
we'll knit. In demeanor he is dignifed,
yet kindly and courteous. In mental
ability he is equalled by few of the men
who have attained, like him, great success
| in life, and few men are equal to the great
burdens and responsibilities that Mr.. Dry
den has born for years, and that he seems
tc bear lightly.
! John F. Dryden is of old New England
stock. He was born on August z, 1889, at
Pennington, Me-, and was educated for the
| legal profession. His training in law has
been of great use to him in his subsequent
career. He was not very strong physically,
and was of retiring and studious DISPOSE
ton. At Yale University, where his
parents sent him, he devoted himself closely
to study, with the result of impairing his
health, and by advice of physicians he was
compelled to give up his hopes of gradua-
ton, and left the university.
| The subject of insurance early engaged
Mr.. Dryden's attention, and he devoted
his time to a study of its principles,
mastering the theory of finance, the con-
struction of tables, averages, percentages,
compounds, futurities and scientific none
tary economy About 1865 he obtained a
report on the subject of Industrial Insur-
ance, submitted to the Massachusetts Leg
islature by Professor Elizur Wright, the
State Insurance Commissioner. 1t criticised
the methods of the Prudential Insurance
| Company of London, England. Mr.. Dry
/ n v,rror1ro1 tho ror,ortc IF tho aounDql,v
and analysed them, and decided that the
Insurance Commission was wrong. This
gave him the idea of formulating an indus
trial insurance system for the United States.
He submitted plans to some New England
capitalists, but they were not received with
| favor.
| In 1873, Mr.. Dryden went to Newark,
and interested such men as Noah F. Blanch-
ard, VIM. Fl. Murphy, father of Governor
elect Murphy; Horace Alling, Leslie D..
Ward, and others. A bill was passed by
the legislature and, in 1875, The Prudential
Insurance Company of America was found
ed. From its inception Mr.. Dryden was the
soul and spirit of the enterprise. For
several years he was secretary, and when
Noah F. Blanchard, the president, retired,
| Mr.. Dryden succeeded him.
The steady faith, the uncomfortable will
and indomitable energy of Mr.. Dryden
carried the company through several crises
and overcame many formidable difficulties,
until the company became firmly planted
and began its growth. From the basement
of the State Bank, the institution moved
into the Kremlin building, and thence to
the 50, 900, 600 stone structure at Broad and
Bank streets, built by the company, which
has recently been added to by other great
and ornate buildings, making the finest
single group of office buildings in the
world
Mr. Dryden was one of the founders Of
the Fidelity Trust Company, started fifteen
years ago, which is about to increase its
capital to S., 900, 900 and to organize two or
more banks into one large bank under its
control. He is largely interested in the
North Jersey Street Railroad Company,
and is one of three owners of the Newark
and South Orange line, subsidiary COM
pany of the North Jersey system. These
and other interests are, however, common
place to him compared with his love for
The Prudential, the great child of his
creation, and his interest in its workings.
He is in close touch with the multitude OF
details of the vast system. In the construc-
ton of the Office buildings he gave daily
audiences to the architects, and worked on
the plans and estimates with an interest that
never tagged. His recreation is taken in a
superb home at Bernardsyille, N. j.