Dryden, John Fairfield

Dryden, John Fairfield

(1839–1911) insurance executive, U.S. senator; born near Farmington, Maine. Forced from Yale by ill health, he settled in Newark, N.J., in 1873. In 1875 he wrote the first policy of his new firm, the Prudential Friendly Society (named the Prudential Insurance Company in 1878). He became president of the company in 1881 and pioneered in writing industrial policies. In 1902 he was chosen for the U.S. Senate (Rep., N.J.; 1902–07) but ill health prevented him from pursuing reelection.