Now, fifty years later, Dorothys body has yet to float to the surface of a reservoir. Some speculated that Dorothy Arnolds older, less prestigious boyfriend had ordered a hit on her after she refused his hand in marriage. View Source Share Save to Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA He also had an electrical cord tied around his neck. But the mystery was never truly solved. asked the World , tying her story to Andrew Griscoms death. At least one discovery was made, and it was a most unwelcome one for Dorothys family:unbeknownst to anyone, she had a boyfriend. The House was an underground abortion clinic that, some time later, was revealed to have welcomed various women into its doors who often disappeared. Cant it wait? he asked. You dont feel just right and its no use going to the trouble. Everything there seemed in perfect order, and Mrs. Arnold and Marjorie assured him that all of the missing girls clothes were hanging in the closet, except for what she had worn the day before. Instead, he seemed desperately in need of rescuing himself. Calling the police would garner too much attention, he insisted. At that remark, Dorothys mother snapped back, making a longwinded statement about her daughters poor choices in love and lazy men. She may have become pregnant by Griscom. Dorothy was a robust girl whose health was flawless. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. On that fateful winter morning in 1910, the official consensus is that Dorothy left 108 East 79th Street to buy a new dress at 11:00am. On Monday she paid a visit to the general delivery window of the Thirty-fourth Street post office, where she received several letters with foreign postmarks. This account has been disabled. She died on 21 September 1793, in New Britain, Bucks, Pennsylvania, British Colonial America, at the . Compare DNA and explore genealogy for William Griscom Jr born 1777 Salem, New Jersey, United States died 1847 Frankford, Pennsylvania, United States including ancestors + descendants + DNA connections + more in the free family tree community. This may have left a lasting mark on the impressionable Dorothy, becoming her pattern of behavior when disappointed in life and love. He assisted in the building of Independence Hall and other important buildings. Dorothydisappeared on a December afternoon in 1910. George "Junor" Gascom, Jr. As the investigation progressed, reporters uncovered a romantic relationship between Dorothy Arnold and one George Griscom, Jr. Griscom was a 42-year-old engineer from a wealthy family who lived with his parents in the Kenmawr Hotel in Pittsburgh. To all intents and purposes, this was the beginning of her last walk on earth, and it is possible to say that she made the most of it. All I can see ahead is a long road with no turning.. Sorry! Thanks for your help! But then, sometime between noon and 2 p.m. on Dec. 12, 1910, Dorothy Arnold vanished. Copyright 1949-2022 American Heritage Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved. The facts of her case are sparse but suggestive of a darker story. The Arnolds were reluctant to cooperate with police, which led them to clash with investigators and spawned a plethora of conspiracy theories. They were the parents of at least 5 sons and 16 daughters. The mystery of Dorothy Arnolds disappearance is still unsolved. Despite the fact that it would be difficult to recognize her after a quarter of a century, detectives were dispatched to the corner in question. Her destination was Brentanos bookstore, where she was observed leafing through books on the newfiction counter. Dorothy, still lolling in bed, did not open the envelope or even comment on it, but tossed it aside indifferently. His name is engraved on a plaque at Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia. In fact, all reports of the clerks who engaged with her at both locations said she was very well spirited, not giddy, but quite normal, and pleasant. All results for George Griscom. There they stood for several hours, peering vainly into the faces of passers-by. Lost your password? She left home on foot to go shopping for an evening dress around 1:30p.m., wearing a long blue coat over a blue dress and carrying about $25. Her family moved in the highest circles of society. Please support this 72-year tradition of trusted historical writing and the volunteers that sustain it with a donation to American Heritage. And her dad thought she had been abducted in Central Park. No, this is serious, John Arnold replied. *Burial confirmed via The Times archive - Deaths column dated March 14, 1938*Engagement confirmed via FamilySearch.org, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. One day she journeyed alone to the post office at Thirty-fourth Street, where she called for mail at the general delivery window. The public theories were many, and even when the case was closed 75 days later, it grew more and more absurd. The most popular theory is that she secretly eloped with engineer George Griscom Jr., a suitor her family disapproved of because of his passive and inconsistent character. What she really meant, was men like George Griscom, Jr. George is the indispensable, star-crossed lover of our mystery. Nor did Dorothy ever speak of knowing anyone in Washington who might have brought the package to Theodoras door. Dorothywas not missed at once. I am firmly convinced my daughter has been killed, he said. But strangely, after one friend called the family back asking if she had been found, the Arnolds lied and replied that yes, their daughter had safely returned home. The NYPD, however, begged to differ and continued the search. For in any display of anger there might be a cine to the girls inner feelings about her family. They feared their daughter was up to some kind of scandalous business, but eventually broke down, called on her friends, and asked them for clues to her whereabouts. Dorothy was the daughter of a Manhattan millionaire. Un informe deca que su cariosa madre todava le compraba todas sus . On Friday, Dorothy further astounded Theodora. Dorothyenjoyed writing, and aspired to become a novelist. Why, Dorothy, Theodora exclaimed, its only Friday and you were to stay until Monday. Dorothy shook her head. Then Gladys King excused herself, explaining that she had to meet her mother for lunchit was now nearly two oclock and she was late. For Keith and George, suicide was one strong guess, but it was so taboo that the parents wouldnt even consider it. Try again. The people she had encountered prior to disappearing said Dorothy seemed to be in good spirits. Yes, shes here, Mrs. Arnold stated brightly, in reply to Elsie Henrys question. Dorothy's parnets disapproved of the relationship and forbade her to see him. Then, dive into the secret life of Roald Dahl, a fighter pilot and spy who became a beloved childrens author. Men who have nothing to do With this tantalizing phrase to spur them on, newsmen left the Arnold office to delve into Dorothys apparently placid existence. The one theory to which I have always leaned is that she was kidnapped and made away with in a short time, he told a journalist. You will receive mail with link to set new password. Nor can we assume the steam liner documents werent planted by someone else; her parents? Library of CongressThe disappearance of New York City socialite Dorothy Arnold remains one of the biggest missing persons cases in U.S. history. Accompanied by her brother, she knocked on his hotel room door in Italy for answers, but she was given none, or at least none that satisfied her. She rented a post office box where she kept the manuscripts, away from the prying eyes of her family and their servants. I dont approve of young men who have nothing to do.. The pair had met when Arnold was still at Bryn Mawr, and Arnold once even lied about visiting an old college friend to meet with Griscom in secret. One report said his doting mother still bought all his shirts and ties." . Nor has it been found buried anywhere. When her second short story, The Poinsettia and the Flame was rejected by McClures magazine, it seemed that something broke in her. As time passed and the family chaffing continued unabated, Dorothy took a most unusual step lor a cloistcred young lady. To license content, please contact licenses [at] americanheritage.com. She was seen purchasing candy at Park and Tilford on 59th Street and a humor book titled An Engaged Girls Sketches at Brentanos. It was thought that perhaps Arnold had run away with Griscom. Dropping the candy into the capacious muff, Dorothy returned to the street for the second lap of her last known walk. Mum & Dad named me Vanessa, but you can call me Nessy. George S. Griscom, Jr., of Pittsburg, who has been much talked about in connection with the disappearance of Dorothy Arnold, the missing daughter of Francis R. Arnold of 108 East Seventy-ninth . Name: The $25 in her pocket would not last forever, but perhaps she had been secretly saving money and had more with her. One report said his doting mother still bought all his shirts and ties. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Griscom inst a todos los que conoci a llamarlo "Junior". He was George C. Griscom, Jr., a plump, sideburned forty-two-year-old who lived with his elderly parents in Pittsburgh, and summered at Nantucket. It was the last time anyone saw her. SAMUEL GRISCOM, son of Tobias and Deborah (Gabitas) Griscom of Newton Township (Camden), Gloucester (Camden) County, NJ, was born about 1717. He was George C. Griscom, Jr., a plump, sideburned forty-two-year-old who lived with his elderly parents in Pittsburgh, and summered at Nantucket. It was Dorothys mother who decided to track down George overseas. He said he had no idea what happened to Dorothy but hintedshe was depressed about her faltering writing career. Keith investigated all the local hospitals, morgues and jails. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? This brought her to Twenty-seventh Streetthirty-two blocks more, fifty-two in all. He was hardly the type to sweep a girl off her feet, or rescue her from a stifling existence. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. When the reservoir subsequently thawed, police went searching for Arnolds body and came up empty-handed. In 1772 his son Bodo Otto, Jr., purchased one hundred acres of land for four hundred ninety-seven pounds the property . His last job was at Moore Brothers in Clayton. There she paused at Park & Tilfords candy counter to purchase a halfpound box of chocolates. As evening approached, Francis and Mary began to worry. Edit your search or learn more. Despite their romance, her family didn't approve of her contact with him. Some quick detective work on the part of the European correspondents revealedto everyones consternationthat the veiled lady was none other than Mrs. Francis Arnold, whose privacy at the New Jersey rest home was still respectfully honored by the newspapers. In an effort to bring things to a close, Dorothys father said he thought shed been killed and disposed of in the Central Park reservoir not likely, said the police, as the lake was frozen at the time of her disappearance. He now suggested a search of morgues, hospitals, and even jails. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. For 70 years, American Heritage has been the leading magazine of U.S. history, politics, and culture. A 1928 article about Dorothy Arnolds case in. For the parents, responding to the reporters was like pulling teeth, especially when they began inquiring about the possibility of Dorothy having run off with a lover of a lower social standing. Their refusal to seek professional help during the first days of her disappearance spiralled the case out of control. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Nina Griscom, a New York socialite and the stepdaughter of longtime Lazard honcho Felix Rohatyn, is in the book, as is Raymond McKenzie, who also worked at Lazard around the time I was there too . When her mother died, she was still hopeful. She was pre . One had simply to look at her wide, placid lace to realize that she was more studious than frivolous. It satisfied the NYPD, but not George or her parents (the only time they would ever agree). As one newspaper remarked, She disappeared from one of the busiest streets on earth, at the sunniest hour of a brilliant afternoon, with thousands within sight and reach, men and women who knew her on every side, and officers of the law thickly strewn about her path. How? Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. The next day, though, the Arnolds reached out to John Keith, a family friend, and attorney, for advice. Also, no witnesses of an attack came forward. Instead, they cabled European correspondents to locate Griscom. 0 cemeteries found in West Kirby, Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England. View. Already informed by the Arnold family of the general outlines of the case, Flynnwho later became head of the United States Secret Serviceadvised an immediate meeting with the press. There is a problem with your email/password. Until this time only the family, the Pinkertons, and a few friends knew that Dorothy was missing. Record information. Further, he offered to conduct this grisly search himself, still without informing the police. edited by Homer L. Kerr (Hill Jr. College Press, 1976, 255 pages) is the diary of Lt. George Griscom who was the Adjutant of the 9th Texas Cavalry Regiment, whose well written diary gives the history of the famous cavalry brigade from Texas who fought with famous Texas Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross, who command this famous brigade during the . By the next day the Captain denied that he had ever said this. The intersection on Fifth Avenue where the heiress was reportedly last seen. Thegirls chatted for a few minutes before parting, and Dorothy purchased a book before she left. As the flowery journalese of the era pictured her, she was at the summit of her youth, rich, especially preferred, blessed with prospects, and to the outer eye completely happy.. Again she used her right name and address. ButGriscom was in Italy when Dorothy disappeared, and he was dismissed as a suspect. Griscom (who preferred to be called "Junior") was a 30-year-old engineer who came from a wealthy Pennsylvania family with whom he still lived at the Kenmawr Hotel in Pittsburgh. Both left behind them wills which stated: I have made no provision for my beloved daughter, Dorothy H. C. Arnold, as I am satisfied that she is not alive.. Or perhaps her family already found her and simply kept her in hiding due to shame. George agreed. Failed to delete memorial. On September 24, Dorothy had returned to York Harbor. But through all the furor Francis Arnold persisted in his stubborn assertion that Dorothy had been murdered in Central Park. Opening a desk drawer, Keith found a pile of personal letters, some with foreign postmarks. Mrs. Arnold, it turned out, was not only capable of doing things on her own, but also had a remarkable reserve of energy. At Fifth Avenue she turned left, and headed downtown. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. But when Elsie asked to speak to Dorothy there was a momentary silence. Yet no one saw her fall that day, and no hospital received a girl with a concussion or a blanked-out mind. Not only was he much older than the woman he met as a student, but he didn't have a lot going for him in either looks or personality. But who, the world wondered, was the heavily veiled woman? The salesgirl recognized her as a familiar customer, and without question added the purchase to the Arnold family account. He stated virtuously: I am sorry my father should have seen fit to give out the story. There were a few theories as to Dorothy Arnoldsfate: Dorothys father began tobelieve she had been attacked and murdered and her body dropped into a reservoir in Central Park. Finally she picked out An Engaged Girls Sketches , by Emily Calvin Blake, a scries of frothy love stories that had appeared in the Ladies Home Journal . That day she wore a well-tailored suit, with a blue serge coat and a tight hobble skirt in a matching color; she carried both a huge silver-fox mutt and a satin handbag. Dorothy was young and strong andmay not have been easy to subdue. Drag images here or select from your computer for George Stewart Griscom Jr. memorial. For the most part it was cheerful, feminine, and chatty, but toward the end there appeared an intriguing paragraph: Well, it has come back. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. After phoning Dorothys friends, the Arnolds realized something must have happened to her. George Griscom Jr. of Pittsburg. At the bookshop, shetold her friend she was going for a walk in Central Park. However, noviable leads were generated. Nevertheless, on this particular day she seemed more than walling to venture out of doors. But he also discovered that some of the burned papers were letters with foreign post from a man named George Griscom Jr. The girl who seemed to have everything has never come back in any shape or form. It took no master-mind to figure that the young man must be Dorothys older brother, John W. Arnold; he could easily have boarded a transatlantic liner in the six weeks before the story of Dorothys disappearance broke in the newspapers. Yet Dorothy traversed the twenty blocks to Fifty-ninth Street on foot. December 12 was not an especially good day underfoot; the winter weather was raw, and strips of ice made the Fifth Avenue sidewalks treacherous. Well-behaved society girl that she was, Dorothy dared not push the matter further, instead, she followed her fathers advice, and during the next few weeks wrote a short story (ailed Poinsettia Flames, which she dispatched to McCluress , the combination New Yorker-Saturday Evening Post of the day. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. . CABLE GARVARMCOM IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING OF HER WHEREABOUTS, WAS MISS ARNOLD LED TO SUICIDE BY AUTO-SUGGESTION. The blame quickly fell on a black man named George Washington Davis. Ship-news reporters, who had unexpectedly found him aboard the Savoie of the French Line, peppered him with questions. But no one will ever know. 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