Griswold Manufacturing Co.

Location: Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
Founders: Matthew Griswold (1833-1919)
Period of Production: 1885-1957
Products Manufactured: Full Line
Brand Names: Selden & Griswold, Erie, Griswold's Erie, Griswold, Victor, Iron Mountain, Good Health, Best Made, Merit, Puritan

Griswold Timeline

1865 - Matthew Griswold moves from his family farm in Connecticut to Erie, PA.
1868 - Griswold and his cousins, the Selden brothers run a factory producing metal hinges.
1873 - The company becomes formally known as Selden & Griswold.
1884 - Matthew Griswold buys out Selden family interests.
1887 - After an 1885 fire, the factory is rebuilt, and the company reorganized as Griswold Manufacturing Co.
1905 - Matthew Griswold, Jr. succeeds his father as president, a position he retains until 1914.
1914 - Marvin Griswold replaces his brother Matthew, Jr. as president, and oversees Griswold's period of greatest growth.
1926 - Matthew Jr.'s son, Roger, becomes president after his uncle Marvin's death.
1944 - Roger Griswold dies suddenly, and his brother, Ely, becomes president.
1946 - Ely Griswold, among family infighting, succeeds in his goal to sell the company and retire.
1947 - After sale to a New York investment group, no Griswold family ownership remains.
1957 - McGraw Edison buys Griswold, and, within a year, sells it to competitor Wagner Mfg. Co. division of the Randall Co.
1959 - Randall sells both Wagner and Griswold rights to Textron, Inc. who manufactures Griswold trademarked products in the Wagner plant at Sidney, OH until 1969.
1969 - General Housewares Corp. acquires rights to Wagner and Griswold trademarks.
1973 - Use of Griswold trademark discontinued.

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