History of Hancocks Bridge, (Salem County) New Jersey United States of America

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John Griscom, educator, was born at Hancock's Bridge, Salem county, N.J., Sept. 27, 1774; son of William Griscom; grandson of Andrew Griscom and of John Denn; great grandson of Tobias Griscom (born in England); and great, great-grandson of Andrew Griscom, one of the earliest emigrants from London to Philadelphia, who received a grant of land from William Penn, and built the first brick house in Philadelphia in 1683. John attended school in Greenwich and afterward in Salem, N.J., and also worked on his father's farm. In 1790 he opened a school for the instruction of the neighbors' children, and in 1793 entered the Friends' academy in Philadelphia, but the school was soon closed on account of a yellow fever epidemic and in 1794 he became principal of the Friends monthly meeting school in Burlington, N.J., which position he held until 1807. He was also librarian of the Burlington library. He was married in 1800 to a daughter of John Hoskins, an elder in the society of Friends. She died in 1818. In 1806 he delivered in Burlington a course of lectures on chemistry, said to be among the first lectures on natural science delivered in America. In 1807, by request of his New York friends, he became principal of a private school there, at a yearly salary of $2250, the highest salary that had ever been paid in America for a similar purpose. There he continued his popular lectures on experimental chemistry. In 1808 he opened a school of chemical philosophy on his own account, which he continued with success until 1831. In 1822 the was one of the organizers of the medical department of Rutgers college, New Brunswick, N.J., and was professor of chemistry there, 1812-28. He also planned and established the New York high school, conducted as a Lancasterian school, and was its supervisor, 1825-31. He then removed to Providence, R.I., where he was principal of the Friends' boarding school, 1832-35. He removed to Haverford, Pa., in 1836, and thence to Burlington, N.J., in 1840, where he was for some time trustee and superintendent of public schools. While in New York city the was one of the promoters of the Society for the prevention of pauperism and crime, organized in 1817. In March, 1817, on the establishment of natural history lectureships by the New York historical society, Mr. Griscom was appointed lecturer on chemistry and natural philosophy. He was chosen a manager of the New York auxiliary colonization society in November, 1817; was elected an honorary member of the Cornwall (England) literary and philosophical society in 1822; a manager of the New York Mechanics' association in 1822; a vice president of the New York Bible society in 1823; and a director of the American peace society in 1829. He was one of the founders of the American Bible society, and president of the Burlington County Bible society, 1845-52. He delivered a course of lectures on natural philosophy before the Mercantile library association, New York, in 1829-30. He received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Union college in 1824. He published A Year in Europe (1823); Discourse on Character and Education (1823); Monitorial Instruction (1825); and Address to Newark Mechanics' Association (1831). He also contributed to Silliman's Journal of Science and other scientific periodicals. See Memoir of John Griscom, LL.D. (1859), by his son, John H. Griscom, M.D. He died in Burlington, N.J., Feb. 26, 1852.

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

History of Hancocks Bridge, (Salem County) New Jersey

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