The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1911-11-28
DEATH TAKES AWAY
JOHN F. DRYDEN
President Of Prudential and
Former U. S. Senator.

most prominent men of the age, passed
away at his home in Newark last
Friday night, after brief illness fol-
lowing an operation for the removal
OF gall stones.
Mr.. Dryden had been a resident of
Newark since 1873. He was native
CT Maine, having been bern on a farm
near Farmingdale in that state on
august 7th, 1893. His parents were
John and Elizabeth Dryden and he
came of a long line of cid New Eng
land ancestry. In 1861 he was sent
to Yale by his parents, his intention
being to become lawyer He APP
Piled himself so Closely to study that
his health became impaired and it
was impossible for him TO complete
the course. In later years, however,
he was restored to full privileges
and entered as a graduate of the
class of 1866 and was given the de-
grees of bachelor and master. These
honors are rarely bestowed by Yale.
He early made study of prudential
insurance matters, and when he had
reached what he believed was a
working point, he made an effort to
interest New England capital and men
of prominence, but he met with so
little encouragement that in 1873 he
decided to come to Newark. With
comparatively little trouble he gained
the backing, financial and otherwise,
of men of prominence, and the Pru-
Dental Friendly society was organized
and began business on November 9Th,
1875, with the late Allen L. Bassett
as it's first president, John F. Dry
den as secretary and the TO lowing
directors: Horace Alling, Benjamin
Atha, Allen L. Bassett, Noah F.
Blanchard, Charles G. Campbell, Aaron
Carter, jr., William r. Drake, John
f. Dryden, James M. Durand, Isaac
CASTOR, Albert o. Headley, Andrew
Hopper, Henry j. Yates, Alfred Lis
ter, George d. G. Moor, William M.
Murphy. George Richards, William
Robotham, Charles W. A. Roemer,
Edward B. Ward, DR.. Leslie d. Ward,
Marcus L. Ward, ir., William Whitty
and Elias A. Wilkinson4
From that time until his death the
story of the life of Mr.. Dryden, with
the exception of his political promi-
nence for few years and his inter-
est in large financial and commercial
institutions, could be told as the his
tory of the Prudential Insurance COM
pany. He was from the beginning it's
handspring of activity, and mainly
through his seemingly tireless energy
the concern grew from the little base
ment room in bank building and
an office force of one, to the present
100000 series of home office build
ings in this city, with its operating
force of more than 5000 persons and
branch offices and field forces through
cut the United States and Canada
engaging the entire time and effort
of a few less than 10000 persons,
Up to two weeks ago Mr. Dryden
continued to keep in close touch with
the details of the vast business, with
every one of which he was personally
familiar.
Mr.. Dryden was always a republi-
can. In 1896 and in 1900 he served
as a presidential elector. After the
death of Senator William J. Sewell
in 1891, he consented to become a
candidate for U. S. Senator, and on
January 29th, 1902, he was chosen
by the New Jersey legislature to fill
the unexpired term of Senator Sewell,
which expired on March 4th, 1907.
He became a candidate for reelection
but political conditions at the time
were such that there was bitter
contest and the legislature was dead
locked for several weeks. Although
he was considerably disappointed MIR.
Dryden and his family found that
his health was beginning to fail un-
der the strain and he withdrew from
the field and the present senator,
Frank Briggs, was elected. During
his term in the senate Mr.. Dryden
was a member of important COM
mittees. He was brought into particu-
lar prominence during critical time
in the Panama canal work, taking
strong stand for the lock type of
canal and subsequently earning the
credit of having decided the policy
of congress upon the question.
Mr. Dryden was married in 1864 to
Miss Cynthia f. Fairfield, who sur
wives him He is also survived by
one son, Forrest f. Dryden, first
vice-president of the Prudential com
pany and expected to succeed his
father as it's president at the an
nual meeting of the directors next
January; one daughter. Mrs. Anthony
r. Kuser; three children Of MIR. and
Mrs. Forrest F. Dryden, John F Dry
den, second; Dorothy and Elizabeth
Dryden, and two children of Colonel
and Mrs. Kuser, John Dryden Kuser
and Cynthia Kuser
The funeral services were held on
Monday afternoon Following the
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