History of Westport, (Fairfield County) Connecticut United States of America

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Biographies:

Henry Griswold Jesup, educator, was born in Westport, Conn., Jan. 23, 1826; son of William Henry and Mary Hannah (Riley) Jesup, and grandson of Ebenezer and Sarah (Wright) Jesup. His ancestor, Edward Jessup, emigrated from England to America prior to 1649, and was in 1664 one of the patentees of West Farms, N.Y. Henry fitted for college at Hopkins grammar school in New Haven, Conn., 1841-43; was graduated from Yale college, A.B., 1847, A.M., 1850, and from the Union Theological seminary, New York city, in 1853. He was pastor of the Congregational church in Stanwich, Conn., 1854-62, and was professor of botany at Dartmouth college, 1877-99. He was elected a member and fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and is the author of: Edward Jessup and his Descendants (1887); Flora and Fauna Within Thirty Miles of Hanover, N.H. (1891), and contributions to periodicals. He died in Hanover, N.H., June 15, 1903.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Morris Ketchum Jesup, philanthropist, was born in Westport, Conn., June 21, 1830; son of Charles and Abby Sherwood (De Witt) Jesup, and grandson of Ebenezer Jesup, and of Samuel Burr Sherwood, a leading lawyer of the state, and representative in the 15th congress, 1817-19. Morris K. Jesup entered business at an early age, as clerk in the firm of Rogers, Ketchum & Grosvenor. In 1852 he started business for himself, and was engaged actively as a banker until 1884, when he retired, and devoted himself to philanthropic and scientific work. He was elected a member of the board of directors of most of the leading charities of New York; president of the New York City Mission and Tract society in 1881; built the DeWitt Memorial church in memory of his father-in-law, the Rev. Thomas DeWitt, and presented it to the city missions; was elected president of the Five Points House of Industry in 1872; was one of the founders of the Young Men's Christian Association, and its president in 1872; a trustee of the Union Theological seminary, and presented the building called "Jesup Hall;" a trustee of the Deaf and Dumb institute, and the Half-Orphan asylum; and in 1899 was elected president of the New York chamber of commerce. His crowning work was the development of the Museum of Natural History which, under his guidance, increased its capacity by the addition of five wings. In connection with the institution he inaugurated a system of exploration to all parts of the world and in 1897 provided means approximating $75,000 for a thorough investigation of the native tribes of the North Pacific coasts of America and Asia, the object being to make a systematic comparison of the native races of that area with a view of determining the early relations between the native races of America and Asia, the results to be published periodically. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from Columbia in 1900. See Publication of the Jesup North Pacific Expedition (Vol. I., 1899; Vol. II., 1901; et seq.)

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor