Elihu B. Frost

Elihu Brintnal Frost (May 12, 1860 – August 22, 1925) was an American lawyer[1] with an early involvement in the submarine industry.

Early life and education

Born in the town of Peekskill, New York, Frost was the son of lawyer Calvin Frost and Mary Antoinette Oppie (Hait) Frost.[2] He attended Peekskill Military Academy, and went on to graduate from Yale University in 1883. While at Yale, Frost was a member of the student secret society Skull and Bones.[2] After Yale, he studied at Columbia Law School, and initially worked for the Lord Day & Lord law firm.[2]

Submarines

In 1893 the United States Congress funded a $200,000 prize for submarine construction, and Frost lent John Philip Holland the funds he needed to participate in this prize contest. Once the contest had concluded, Frost and Holland were awarded the prize money in 1895. Frost became secretary-treasurer and later president of Holland's firm, which was first named the John P. Holland Torpedo Boat Company and later the Holland Torpedo Boat Company, which would go on to build the first submarine used by the US Navy.[3] When Isaac Rice formed the Electric Boat Company (the predecessor of General Dynamics) to build Holland's submarine designs, Frost became the company's vice-president, secretary, and chief financial officer.

Prominently reported in the newspapers of the time, Frost married and divorced twice.[4][5][6][7][8][9] When he died of paresis in Beach Bluff, Massachusetts,[2] he left his estate to a female friend (later determined to be his fiancée), cutting off his relatives.[10][11]

References

  1. ^ "The Bar Association", The New York Times, March 11, 1891. Describes the election of Frost and 16 others to the New York Bar Association.
  2. ^ a b c d http://mssa.library.yale.edu/obituary_record/1925_1952/1925-26.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  3. ^ Morris, Richard Knowles (1998), John P. Holland, 1841-1914: Inventor of the Modern Submarine, University of South Carolina Press, ISBN 1-57003-236-X.
  4. ^ "Mrs. Frost Asks Divorce; Wife of President of Holland Submarine Company Files Suit in Nevada", The New York Times, December 3, 1909.
  5. ^ "Mrs. Marie Frost Divorced; Decree Granted to Her Behind Closed Doors in Reno", The New York Times, December 20, 1909.
  6. ^ "E.B. Frost Married Again; Prominent Attorney, Divorced, Wed Rosalind Harrington June 18", The New York Times, June 29, 1915.
  7. ^ "E.B. Frosts Posts Wife; Hearing on Divorce Application Announced in Atlantic City", The New York Times, January 22, 1920.
  8. ^ "Frost, Suing Wife, Names Man in Case; George Hassan Is Revealed as Co-respondent in Corporation Lawyer's Divorce Action. Hotel Meeting Charged; Young Defendant Is Second Wife of Former Head of Holland Launch Company", The New York Times, January 23, 1920.
  9. ^ "Mrs. Frost Files Answer; Alleges Cruelty Against Husband and Names Co-respondents", The New York Times, February 13, 1920.
  10. ^ "Elihu Frost Estate Left to a Woman; Submarine Builder Made Mrs. Helen Evans Beneficiary; Cut Off Relatives. Disposition to be Fought – Contestants Engage Six Law Firms – Incompetency and Undue Influence Charged", The New York Times, October 25, 1925.
  11. ^ "Bulk of Frost Estate Goes to his Fiancée; Mrs. Helen E. Evans Received $345,337 Under Will of Late Corporation Lawyer", The New York Times, December 16, 1926.