Mr. Griswold was born in Erie in 1866 and graduated from Yale University in 1888. He was the president of Griswold Manufacturing Company of Erie for many years.

In 1906, a Yale classmate (E. W. Rice Jr. General Electric vice president) was looking for a location to build a new plant. Mr. Griswold suggested Erie as a possible location. Subsequently General Electric requested Mr. Griswold to obtain options on the land that General Electric purchased in 1907.

In 1911, Mr. Griswold left Griswold Manufacturing Company to become acting manager of the GE Erie works.

Mr. Griswold was named Manager of the GE Erie Works in 1912 and continued in this position until his retirement in 1929. During that period, the GE Erie Works grew significantly from 1 to 15 buildings and 4500 employees.

Mr. Griswold took an active part in the civic affairs of Erie. He served as member of the City Planning Commission, Erie Manufacturers Association, Hamot Hospital, Erie Trust Company, the Chamber of Commerce and the Griswold Manufacturing Company.

He was especially active in the promotion of public improvements such as the new Union Station, the new Railway Post Office building, the East Lake Road Boulevard, and in providing the city of Erie with an adequate supply of natural and manufactured gas.

The Erie General Electric Plant has been an asset and continues to be an asset to the Erie Community and the world by providing employment and purchasing material and services from the area. Erie GE Products are distributed around the world. Matthew Griswold played a significant part in the establishment and growth of the Erie General Electric Plant.

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