Standard Oil Trust signed by H.M. Flagler, J.D. Rockefeller, C. A. Griscom and W. H. Beardsley - 1886 Autograph Stock Certificate

Stock issued to and signed twice (at stub & back) by C.A. Griscom. Also signed by W.H. Beardsley who was Rockefellers private secretary. Signed by H.M. Flagler as secretary and J.D.Rockefeller as president. This stock is as nice as I've ever seen condition and eye appeal!! Portraits and biographies included. 

Clement Acton Griscom (March 15, 1841 – November 10, 1912) was a prominent American shipping magnate and financier. By 1900, he was recognized as the pivotal figure in American transatlantic shipping. Born into a distinguished Philadelphia family, his father, Dr. John D. Griscom, was a respected physician, while his mother, Margaret Acton Lloyd, was a direct descendant of Thomas Lloyd. He received his education at local Quaker institutions and Central High School. At the age of 16, in 1857, he began his career as a clerk at Peter Wright and Sons, a Quaker shipping company in Philadelphia, and became a partner in 1863. In 1872, he ascended to the position of vice-president of the International Navigation Company, which managed three vessels, and later integrated the Red Star Line into its operations. By 1888, he had risen to the presidency of the International Navigation Company and was acknowledged as a millionaire by 1901. In 1902, with the financial backing of J. Pierpont Morgan, the companies were consolidated into the International Mercantile Marine shipping trust, which operated 136 ships across five transatlantic routes. Griscom held the presidency of IMM from 1902 until 1904, when he retired due to health issues, although he continued as chairman. He was succeeded by J. Bruce Ismay, who promptly relocated the headquarters to New York and downsized the workforce. Additionally, Griscom was a member of the board of directors for both the Pennsylvania Railroad and United States Steel.

William Henry Beardsley acted as the private secretary to Henry Flagler and served as the Chairman of the Florida East Coast Railway Company. Born on April 7, 1852, in Cleveland, Ohio, he was the son of I. L. Beardsley, a journalist from New York who moved to Cleveland in 1838. I. L. Beardsley was instrumental in founding the 'Plain Dealer' and later transitioned into the wholesale grocery business. Mr. Beardsley completed his education in Cleveland, graduating from Central High School in 1869. He began his career working with his father in the grocery sector before moving to New York. From 1880 to 1890, he was associated with the Standard Oil Company. In 1890, H. M. Flagler, a co-founder of Standard Oil, appointed Mr. Beardsley as his financial representative. He later assumed the position of treasurer for the Florida & East Coast Railroad, the Florida East Coast Steamship Company, and all properties managed by Mr. Flagler.

Henry Morrison Flagler (January 2, 1830 – May 20, 1913) was an American industrialist and a co-founder of Standard Oil, originally based in Ohio. Flagler played a pivotal role in developing the Atlantic coast of Florida and founded the Florida East Coast Railway, which was significantly built through convict leasing. He is often referred to as the father of Miami and Palm Beach, Florida.

John Davison Rockefeller Sr. (July 8, 1839 – May 23, 1937) was an American business magnate and philanthropist, widely regarded as the wealthiest American of all time and the richest person in modern history. Born into a large family in upstate New York, Rockefeller's family moved several times before settling in Cleveland, Ohio. At the age of 16, he began working as an assistant bookkeeper and entered various business partnerships starting at age 20, focusing on oil refining. In 1870, Rockefeller founded the Standard Oil Company, which he managed until 1897 while remaining its largest shareholder.

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