Allen County has been home to many illustrious persons. One of the more locally famous was the historian, Bert J. Griswold. Originally from Iowa, Griswold and his wife moved to Fort Wayne in 1902, where he worked as a cartoonist for the Fort Wayne Daily News and the Fort Wayne Sentinel. He later went on to start an advertising agency and cultivated his growing interest in local history. In 1917, he published his 700 page “The Pictorial History of Fort Wayne, Indiana”, which included biographical sketches of over 150 influential citizens. Griswold published other historical works, including “Builders of Greater Fort Wayne”, which was copyrighted in 1926 and published in 1927. On March 8, 1927, exactly 98 years ago today, Bert J. Griswold passed away. The announcement of his death saddened and grieved the citizenship of Fort Wayne to perhaps greater extent than the passing of any other citizen in all its history. Today we honor the memory of Bert J. Griswold and the contribution that he made to the chronicling of our local history. #sociallyhistory
Civic Worker, Historian and Newspaper Man Dies in Fort Wayne
FORT WAYNE, March 8.-Bert J. Griswold, aged 58, 1816 West Wayne street, winner of the first Optimist civic award, and one of the most prominent leaders in civic activities in Fort Wayne, died at 8:20 o'clock this afternoon at the St. Joseph's hospital of double pneumonia. Mr. Griswold became ill and was taken to the hospital Monday.
Mr. Griswold came to Fort Wayne in 1902, and for many years had devoted himself unselfishly in the cause of civic improvement. He was an ardent supporter ofevery movement for the improvement of river banks and delivered many addresses on that subject, illustrating them with pictures taken by his own camera.
During the last few weeks he devoted days and weeks of effort in planning the recent state Rotary - convention, which was universally acclaimed the most successful ever held in Indiana. He is a past president of the Fort Wayne Rotary club, and in the meeting of the club held Monday was accorded the honor of being elected the delegate to the convention of Rotary International to be held in Ostend, Belgium, next June. The motion, as passed in the club included the provision that Mrs. Griswold be invited to accompany him.
Haute (Indiana) Tribune and the Indianapolis Star.
Came In 1902.
He came to Fort Wayne in 1902 and served for nine years as a cartoonist for the Fort Wayne Daily News and later was engaged in the same capacity with the Fort Wayne Sentinel. He established, in 1914, the Progressive Advertising company. On March 21, 1901, Mr. Griswold was united in marriage with Miss Clara Louise Norton at Cedar Rapids, Ia. He was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Scottish Rite Masons, Mizpah Shrine, Home lodge No. 842, F. and A. M., and a member of the Plymouth Congregational church.
Surviving are the widow, mother, Mrs. Veleria Griswold, and a sister, Mrs. C. C. Hunt, both of Long Beach, Cal., and a brother, W. W. Griswold, of Osage, Iowa.
Former Local Resident Succumbs to Attack of Pneumonia.
[Special to The Indianapolis Star.]
FORT WAYNE, Ind., March 8. Bert J. Griswold, 53 years old, formerly of The Indianapolis Star and one of the most prominent leaders in civic activities in Fort Wayne, died at St. Joseph's hospital this afternoon following a two-days' illness of pneumonia.
PLANNED ROTARY MEETING
Mr. Griswold came to Fort Wayne in 1902 and for many years devoted himself to civic improvement work. His most recent activity was planning the state Rotary convention which was held here and two days ago he was named delegate to the international Rotary convention at Ostend, Belgium, next June. He was a past president of the Fort Wayne Rotary Club and was secretary of the real estate board.
The huge crayon drawing of George Washington, nearly fifteen feet tall, which was unveiled during the Rotary convention here, was a piece of his handiwork. He also wrote the pageant, "Indiana," which was presented on the final night of the convention. He gained state- wide prominence with his historical research work, to which he devoted much time. He was regarded as the best-informed resident on the history of this city.
WATERLOO, Ia., March 9.-Bert J. Griswold, former member of staffs of Cedar Rapids Gazette and Waterloo Courier and prominent as an artist, died last night at Fort Wayne, Ind., where he was serving as secretary of the chamber of commerce. He was born at Osage, la.
Advertising Counsellor and Famous Cartoonist Known the Bunny Man, Dies of Pneumonia
Mr. Bert J. Griswold, 53, of Fort Wayne, well known in that city as an advertising counsellor and civic historian, died Tuesday afternoon following a few days attack of pneumonia.
Mr. Griswold for many years was a cartoonist on the Fort Wayne News and Sentinel, and of late years has been engaged as an advertising counsellor. He was known as the "Bunny Man, and was prominent in the historical settings of the city of Fort Wayne. He frequently gave chalk talks and appeared at one time in Waterloo.
Bert J. Griswold was born in 1873 in Osage, Iowa, and died in Fort Wayne in 1927. A gifted illustrator and cartoonist, he came to Fort Wayne in 1902, working for the Fort Wayne Daily News and the Fort Wayne Sentinel. He later left the newspaper to establish his own advertising agency. In the course of his work as a reporter and cartoonist, he developed a deep interest in the history of Fort Wayne and Allen County. He also became a prominent advocate for the City Beautiful Movement, which worked for the establishment of local parks and boulevard improvements. Griswold wrote short columns for the newspaper about area pioneers and historic buildings, and his efforts culminated in 1917 in the publication of the two-volume Pictorial History of Fort Wayne.
It's #waybackwednesday! Take a look at this aerial view of the St. Mary's River and downtown Fort Wayne in 1924. This image comes from the Bert J. Griswold Collection in our Community Album. [showing what is now Headwaters Park at the confluence of the Three Rivers]
GRISWOLD, BERT JOSEPH: 1873-1927. Bert Joseph (originally Joseph Elbert), son of James J. and Ruth Velerie Arnold Griswold, was born in Osage, Ia., on Oct. 13, 1873, and was educated in the public schools of Osage. He married Clara Louise Norton on Mar. 21, 1901. He began newspaper work on the Osage WEEKLY NEWS, later working on papers in Waterloo and Cedar Rapids, Ia. Coming to Indiana, he was on the staffs of the TERRE HAUTE TRIBUNE and the INDIANAPOLIS STAR and in 1902 settled in Fort Wayne, where he was a cartoonist for the DAILY NEWS. In 1911 he joined the FORT WAYNE SENTINEL and in 1914 formed his own advertising agency, the Progressive Advertising Company. Mr.Griswold was also one of the founders of the Fort Wayne Engraving Co. In addition to his newspaper and advertising work, he engaged in research and writing on the history of the Fort Wayne area. He died in Fort Wayne on Mar. 8, 1927. Copied from Indiana Authors and their books 1816-1980 at
Best known as the author of early 1900s history books about Fort Wayne and its citizens. Bert Grisworld was born Oct. 13, 1873, in Osage, Iowa, Griswold grew up to become a skilled artist and illustrator. He came to Fort Wayne in 1902 to work as a cartoonist for the Fort Wayne Daily News, and stayed there nine years, then held the same job for about three years at the Fort Wayne Sentinel. The two papers later merged to form today's The News-Sentinel. In 1914, Griswold left the Sentinel and started his own Progressive Advertising agency. He died in 1927 of double pneumonia at age 53. His wife, Louise Norton Griswold, whom he had married in 1901 in Iowa, died about two years later on Feb. 8, 1929. Both are buried in Lindenwood Cemetery in Fort Wayne. Copied from Bert Griswold described as a talented man with a warm heart He was a civic leader and strong advocate for Fort Wayne by Kevin Kilbane published February 10, 2017 and also see Griswold book marks 100 years of sharing Fort Wayne's history The cartoonist and amateur historian once worked for the newspapers that became The News-Sentinel. by Kevin Kilbane published February 10, 2017 in The News-Sentinel newspaper now archived on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.
This intriguing photo from our Community Album is part of the Bert J. Griswold Collection. Captured by Griswold himself, it shows unknown faces and an unidentified location—right here in Fort Wayne! Do you recognizewhere this was taken? Let us know!
Mystery Monday Alert! 
Do you recognizewhere this was taken? Let us know! 
