James F. Grinstead
James Fontleroy Grinstead | |
|---|---|
| 34th Mayor of Louisville | |
| In office 1907–1909 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Worth Bingham |
| Succeeded by | William O. Head |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 15, 1845 Glasgow, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | November 13, 1921 (aged 75) Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Resting place | Cave Hill Cemetery Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Annie W. Harwood (m. 1892) |
| Occupation | Grocery wholesaler |
James Fontleroy Grinstead (November 15, 1845 – November 13, 1921) was a businessman, mayor of Louisville, Kentucky from 1907 to 1909, and county commissioner from 1917 to his death in 1921. He is a descendant of William & Elizabeth Key Grinstead
Business[edit]
Born in Glasgow, Kentucky in 1854,[1][2][3][4] Grinstead had a common school education in Barren County, Kentucky before moving to Louisville in 1866 to work in wholesale grocery at Glazebrook & Grinstead, later known as W. E. Grinstead & Co.[1][5][6][4] He was a full partner in 1871 and worked in the company until 1891, when he left to found the wholesale company Grinstead & Tinsley in 1892,[1][5][4] In the same year, he married Annie W. Harwood.[5] which he headed until his retirement in 1910.[7][4]
Public service[edit]
Grinstead became a well-known local businessman and was approached to run for Mayor of Louisville in 1897, which he declined.[1][4] In 1901, he ran for mayor and won the Republican nomination.[1][4] After learning that his backer—Republican Party boss Charles Sapp—had used some questionable tactics to get votes for Grinstead, he declined the nomination,[1] earning the nickname "Honest Jim".[4] He became the first Republican mayor of Louisville to be elected by general voters when he became mayor in 1907[5] to complete the term started by Paul C. Barth,[7] whose 1905 election had been thrown out by the Kentucky Court of Appeals.[1][4] He ran for reelection in 1909, losing [1][5] to Democrat William O. Head.[4] Grinstead was elected county commissioner in 1917 and served until his death in 1921.[7]
Legacy[edit]
Grinstead Drive, a prominent street running through Louisville's East End, was renamed in Grinstead's honor.[4] He was buried in Cave Hill Cemetery,[8][4] which Grinstead Drive runs alongside.
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Gibson - FRONTLINE - PBS". pbs.org.
- ^ University of Kentucky Libraries. "Notable Kentucky African Americans -". uky.edu.
- ^ "Death Comes to Former Mayor". Lexington Herald. No. 318. November 14, 1921. p. 1.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Kleber, John E. (January 13, 2015). The Encyclopedia of Louisville. ISBN 9780813149745.
- ^ a b c d e Polk Johnson, E. (1912). "A History of Kentucky and Kentuckians". google.com.
- ^ "Death Comes to Former Mayor". Lexington Herald. No. 318. November 14, 1921. p. 1.
- ^ a b c "Death Comes to Former Mayor". Lexington Herald. No. 318. November 14, 1921. p. 1.
- ^ Lawrence Kestenbaum. "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Grimke to Griswald". politicalgraveyard.com.