Cornelius N. Bliss

Full Name: Cornelius Newton Bliss

Merchant/Secretary of the Interior

Centurion, 1881–1911

Proposed by
Erskine Mason, Edward M. Townsend, and Samuel B. Dana

born January 26, 1833
Fall River, Massachusetts

died October 9, 1911
New York (Manhattan), New York

elected November 5, 1881
Age forty-eight

buried Woodlawn Cemetery,
Bronx, New York

proposer of

Myles Standish

seconder of

supporter of

Henry A. Stimson

Member portrait of Cornelius N. Bliss — Member Photograph Albums CollectionAlbum 4 & 5, Leaf 34

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Archivist’s Notes

Father of Cornelius N. BlissMember profile currently not available; contact Archivist for information on this Centurion

Century Memorial

Cornelius Newton Bliss was one of the large-minded and open-handed merchants of New York. Born of old English stock in Fall River, Massachusetts, his whole life presented a record of advance from early narrow surroundings to a sphere of broad influence, into which he carried his amiable qualities and strong common-sense. Deeply interested in politics, he was a stalwart Republican, and as we know rose to a commanding position in the counsels of his party. Always averse to accepting office for himself, he was nevertheless persuaded to take the Secretaryship of the Interior for a while by President McKinley. As Secretary, he was among the first to promote the cause of forestry by calling the attention of Congress to the need to preserve our forests. He then had the matter transferred to the Department of Agriculture, where he deemed it properly belonged. His pre-eminent services to the Republican party were as Treasurer of the Republican National Committee in four successive presidential campaigns.

Henry Osborn Taylor
1912 Century Association Yearbook

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