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 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. | (aged 75)
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
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]
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]
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.
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 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. | (aged 75)
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
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]
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]
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.