Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1911-11-30
OBITUARY.
JOHN f. DRYDEN.

JSl14< lJlbl ItE<4t.
Former United States Senator John
F. Dryden, founder and president Of
the Prudential Insurance Company,
multi-millionaire and leader in the
business world, died at his home in.
Newark, last Friday afternoon. A
week previous he was operated upon
for gall stones and was recovering
satisfactorily till attacked by pneu-
monia when he sank rapidly, the end
coming at 6 o'clock
At the time of his death, Mr.. Dry
den was ~ years old. Born in 1889,
at Farmin gton, Maine, at the age of
% he entered Yale University, but
was compelled to leave Just before
graduation by reason of Ill health.
Life insurance early engaged the at
tention of the future head of one of
the greatest of insurance companies,
so he became life insurance agent
In these years after leaving college,
he devoted much time to the theory Of
life insurance, to finance and to the
present principles and processes upon
which modern life insurance is based.
In 1873, Mr.. Dryden, with but little
capital, went to Newark, where with
the help of several citizens, he found
ed the Widows and Orphans Friendly
Society, which became the Prudential
in 1876
From the very beginning, success
attended this enterprise. Formidable
difficulties and crises were not infre-
quent, but through all these the guild
ing hand of Mr. Dryden proved strong.
Ero,,. ifc acto hIic hr,a,,+ II, tho H,oco-
ment of the State Bank at Newark, the
Prudential moved into the Kremlin
Building, and thence to the $2,000,000
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 grolEo of office build
ings in the world.
As a financier, Mr.. Dryden was
especially well known, being an or
ganizer of the Public Service Corpor-
alton of MI, director in the q.
S. Steel Corporation, and in many
banks and trust companies. and at his
death was said to be worth many
millions, his estate being worth not
less than 10 millions of dollars. He
was chairman of the Cleveland Mon
ument Fund Commission, which re-
Gently raised more than 100000 for
a monument to the late President
Grover Cleveland, to be erected at
Princeton. He was also member
of the Mckinley Memorial Commits
sion, and a member Of many famous
clubs and societies.
Mr. Dryden early took an interest
in public affairs, and was staunch
supporter of the Republican party,
and contributed largely of his finan-
ces and energies When the term of
Senator Smith expired Mr.. Dryden
essayed to be his successor, but VIM.
J.. Sewell was elected, but died in
Office. In January, 1902, Mr.. Dryden
was elected to fill the unexpired term.
Like many other men of great bust
ness ability, Senator Dryden did not
prove the statesman his undisputed
ability was thought to assure, and
when the time for choosing new
Senator was at hand, he made but a
succeeded by John Kean
Senator Dryden was always digni-
/ fed, but kindly and courteous. In
mental ability, he was surpassed by
but few, and in spite of the financial
burdens he bore, was always their
equal. For years, the brunt of the
cares of the institution of which, he
1 was the head fell upon him, but he
bore them lightly, and unlike so many
men placed in similar positions, did
not give way to the tremendous drain
placed upon his mental and physical
resources.
His funeral was held Monday after
noon, and was attended by many men
distinguished for activity and leader
ship in their several walks of life
J. P. Morgan, who led the process
sion into the church; Judge Elbert H.
Gary, of the United States Steel Cor
poration; Franklin Murphy, former
| Governor Of New Jersey; former Uni
ted States Senator James Smith, Jr.;
GJerge w. Perkins, Congressman
John Dalzell, Dean Andrew S West.
lof Princeton University; Commodore
b. G. Benedict, Chief Justice VIM
H. Glmnmere, of New Jersey; and R.
" Lindabury were. among the hon
orary pall-bearers The body was
taken to Mount Pleasant Cemetery for
burial.
poraries are SO patient over the re-
| suit Of the late election It is evil
dence that its good example under
similar conditions pH the past has
borne fruit seven fold