BIOGRAPHY: Eugene Grousset; New York co., NY
surname: Grousset

submitted by Elizabeth Burns (burns at asu.edu) 
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Submitted Date: June 3,2005
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Author: Walter Barrett

Eugene Grousset
Page 146
Old Merchants, 
by Walter Barrett,Clerk,
Knox and Sons, 1885

Eugene Groussett, that little, short, dashing French wine merchant will be 
remembered here by many of the present generation.  I do not know when he made 
his first appearance in this city, but think it must have been about the year 
1827.  He was celebrated as being the brother of Grousset de Granier, a wine 
merchant of Marseilles, who at one time, did an enormous business with this 
country and other parts of the world. He owed the Bank of France at one time, 
three million francs. He failed in 1839 or thereabouts, and then Eugene's 
agency on this side was closed. He went to New Orleans, where he died.

This wine made by Grousset DeGranier was sold in all parts of the country.  It 
was called Marseilles Madeira and was a very good imitation of the real 
Madeira. It was manufactured at a cost not exceeding $6 for a quarter cask of 
31 gallons.  It sold readily in this market for 50 or 60 cents a gallon.  The 
profit was enormous.  Grousset ought to have made two million dollars if he 
had managed his business properly.  Unfortunately he was forever
financiering--selling cargos at low prices to raise cash for immediate
necessities. He had three clerks, well now. One was Goodman, another Brady,
now clerk in a bank on Broadway and a third, John Mitchell, still a resident
of this city.

Mr. Grousset was a great wag. At that time the old City Hotel was in its 
glory. It boasted of serving the finest of wines.  It was at this hotel that 
the dinners were given by societies and parties. On one occasion a great 
dinner was given to celebrate the event at the City Hotel. The finest wines 
that the City Hotel could furnish were placed upon the table. This brought out 
Grousset. He had sent to his store in Broad Street for four bottles of wine 
that he purposely had carefully dusted to make them look old. It was really 
his trash Marseilles Madeira. Mr. Grousset stated that nearly all present knew 
that he was in the wine business. He professed to be a judge of wine and his 
father before also and they possessed a few bottles that hey never offered for 
sale because it was priceless.  It was old Madeira, and if it was not two 
hundred years old he did not know how old it was.  He was cheered to the 
clouds.  The wine was served in cordial glasses and pronounced to be something 
beyond any wine that had ever been brought to this county.