[1] Griswold was educated for commercial pursuits, and at the age of seventeen entered the iron and hardware house of Messrs. Hart, Lesley & Warren, in Troy.

He remained at the firm for some time living in the family of his uncle, Maj.-Gen. John E. Wool there after engaging in business for himself in banking and iron works creating at the time, one of the largest and most successful establishments in the United States, known as the Albany and Rensselaer Iron and Steel Works, located in Troy.

Griswold was later involved in the production of other "Monitor" vessels, including the Dictator, Kaatskill, Lehigh, Montauk, Passaic, Patapsco, Puritan and Sangamon.

[4] In 1871, President Ulysses S. Grant offered the post of Collector of the Port of New York to Griswold, who declined.

Together, they had six children: three sons and three daughters, including: Griswold died on October 31, 1872, shortly after being diagnosed with liver disease.