Sheldon Munson Griswold, D. D., S. T. D., Episcopal bishop of Salina, was born at Delhi, Delaware county, New York, Jan. 8, 1861, a son of Walter Hanford and Ann Elizabeth (Betts) Griswold. The Griswold family in America was founded by three brothers—Edward, George and Matthew Griswold—who came from England and settled in the Connecticut colony in 1630. Bishop Griswold is the ninth in descent from Edward Griswold. His paternal grandmother, Mary Mead, was a daughter of General Mead of the Continental army in the war of the Revolution. His maternal grandfather, J. Munson Betts, was the first sheriff of Delaware county, New York, and was a man of prominence in political and commercial affairs. The descendants of Matthew Griswold have been conspicuous in the history of the United States. Bishop Griswold's father graduated in law at Union College, Schenectady, N. Y., in the class of 1844, but never practiced. Instead he became interested in the banking business, and for nearly forty years was cashier of the Delaware National Bank of Delhi.

Sheldon M. Griswold attended the academy in his native town, where he prepared himself to enter college, and graduated in the literary department of Union College at Schenectady, N. Y., as a member of the class of 1882, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He then entered the General Theological Seminary in New York city, where he was graduated in 1885, and in November of that year he was ordained to the priesthood. During the next three years he held pastorates at Frankfort, Ilion and Mohawk, all in Herkimer county, New York. In April, 1888, he went to Little Falls, also in Herkimer county, where he remained until November, 1890, when he went to Hudson, N. Y., and took charge of a church there. Here he remained until consecrated bishop of Salina, Kan., Jan. 8, 1903. In area the diocese includes all of Kansas west of the sixth principal meridian, except Harvey, Sedgwick and Sumner counties, considerably more than one-half of the state. Upon taking charge of the diocese, Bishop Griswold devoted all his energies to building up the church's interests therein. Since then he has built a cathedral costing $65,000 at Salina; purchased an Episcopal residence there; established St. Barnabas Hospital; enlarged and improved St. John's Military School; built ten churches and six rectories, and in many other ways has strengthened the church, thus increasing its power and influence for good. In 1900 his Alma Mater, Union College, honored him with the degree of D. D., and in 1903 he received the degree of S. T. D. from the General Theological Seminary. Bishop Griswold is recognized as one of the most brilliant and at the same time one of the most substantial men in his church. As a public speaker he has a national reputation, and the work he has accomplished in his diocese is evidence that he is a man of fine executive ability. Always consistent and fearless in his work for the better life and the uplifting of humanity, he commands the respect and esteem of all with whom he comes in contact. On Oct. 7, 1885, Bishop Griswold was united in marriage with Miss Kate Maxwell van der Bogert, a daughter of Joseph Yates van der Bogert of Schenectady, N. Y., and a descendant of one of the early Dutch settlers of that town. Mrs. Griswold is a highly cultured woman, who is in full sympathy with her husband's noble work, and on numerous occasions she has shown herself to be his most valuable counselor and assistant. They have no children.