Griswold, William J

(Photo Courtesy of Susan Griswold Herst)

Mayor of Durham, 1910-1912

President of The Griswold Insurance and Real Estate Co, 108 N. Mangum St.

From "Durham Illustrated" 1910.

Uncorrected OCR:

THE GRISWOLD INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE CO. For nearly a quarter of a century the people of Durham have been placing their insurance through the agency of W. J. Griswold. It is over twenty years since Mr. Griswold, founder of this agency, issued his first policy, and in all the years since, he has enjoyed the unquestioning' confidence of the community. In December, 1905, the present conlpany was founded with Mr. Griswold as President, and Thomas C. Worth, Secretary-Treasurer. At this time the Real Estate Department was added, and during these past five years this honse has been responsible for luany large sales. None but the lnost reliable and strong- est insurance cOlllpanies are represented, the Grisvvold COlupatlY acting as agents for such well kEO'VJl cOlupanies as the A.etna, of Hart- ford, the Continental, the IJ'irenlan's Fund, the Niagara, Westchester,Agricultural, Hanl- burg-Breluen, "Virginia State, British Anleri- can, Fir21nall's of Newark, Providence of Washington, North River, Piedillont of Char- lotte, ·Southern Stock, and Southern Under- wTiters, of G ree11 sboro, and the Rhode Island -all of these being -fire insurance cOlllpanies. Tn the Life Departnlent they have the South- ern Life & Trust Co. and the Pennsylvania l\lutual; Accident, the Fidelity and Oasualty COlllpallY of N evv York. They are also agents for the Uilited Surety Co., of Baltimore, and' the Anlerican Surety 00., of Ne,v York. The offices are situated at 108 North Mangunl St., in the center of the business district of the city. In the Real Estate DepartInent, this company buys and sells all classes of im- proved and vacant property, either for their own investlnent or acting as agents for the owner or purchaser,-as the case lllay be. They handle estates, collect rents, negotiate loans and all such nla tters connected ,vi th a real estate business. The officers ot t.he conl- pany are well knovvn in the conllnercial and financial circles of the city. ir. Griswold has ahvays taken an active interest in nlat- tel's of a publie nature. He is proluinent in llraricipal affairs, having been elected last J tar l\!layor of the city. Since his election. he' has served the city with honor to hinlself and to the benefit of the city at large. He is President of The Peoples' Building & Loan \.ssociation, and interested financially in a lllllnber of !)urhanl's industrial enterprises. :F'raternally he is connected with the iasonic Order, the Elks, and the I{:nights of Pythias. Mr. Worth, the Secretary of the conlpany, is . a native of the State, and has been a resident of Durham since 1905. He is an active nlem- bel' of the Elks, and a prominent man in the financial circles of the city.