The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-11-17

days. Between Law. Biddle aud Cooke there 10
another difference. that while the two former were
eit comparatively penniiess by the IL lure Of their
oauks, the latter has every prospect Of surviving
Pecunlsrily the wreck of his grand scheme.
:. Jay Cooke was born in the CITY Of Sandusky In
sne year 1922. His father. EIeutherus Cooke,
Caswell: came from Washington county. New
lork; the former from tile pleasant town Of Gran
viie asd the latter from the neat and decorous
v,inge OF salem. Cooke, the elder, was man Of
anty, seif-willed In his way and restless OF limit
ca ca fortune he belonged TO the type Of men whs
laid vide and deep the foundation OF the greatness
=. me west while building up for themselves
native town and was admitted 10 the bar at AL
bany BY Chancellor Kent. He brought his wife
OUT "est over rough roads. down swollen rivers,
through forest prairie and Indian hunting gruunda.
vi sfter many months of checress wandering he
pitched his tent, about the year 1872 a short dis.
lance from this city, There he purchased a large
tract OF land of which he alter ards
oi 70 settlers from hs native town. The placs
u no" called Cookies Corners. lie moved int
sanuusky IN the year 1921, and With his character
istic energy set about building himself stone
dwelling. though the handful Of residents in the
lhree frame houses and two log cabins constitut-
ing the city were unable to see stone enough
wherewith 10 build Sidewalk. However, he CAR
teu out ms scheme, made his mark, aud thence
forth went forward to luck and 10 the yjn;tad
States Congress. lie was the hrst TO suggest :
railroad az this aide Of the Allegheny Mountains,
and ultimately saw it carried out With Ali M,
rugged energy and selfw will, he had . broad hu-.
manly OF disposition. was kindly, genial and So
ciabe man, or, as Is more cxpresaiveiy rendered
here, "a good. clever fellow" HIS wife was &C
tive. strong minded and 50 ,acous; and this much
IN reference 10 both will help to show the iiher-
lance OF qualities which fell to the share OF jay
Cooke, and which have 20 strikngty marked his
character. at rsass,a4
There were six children in the Cooke family. two
of whom died the rest live and sre married and
afiuent. Pitt Cooke tue eldest, has partial charge
OF the New York house Of Jay Cooke d o. Hefiy
VI. fAna xl.E
IN Washington and jay himself operates in Pinia-
delpais. Sarah L. Cooke, the only daughter, II
married to wealthy Spectator, William G. Moor
head. who lives r. ght royalty in the City of Broth
erly Love. E.utnerus Cooke. the father Of this
happy family died ABOUT three years ago at tue
green Old age Of sevcnty-six. retaining his wonted
energy 10 the last Mrs. Cooke, wfo Is a iiltlo
over seventy, still lives Lere in the old family man
sion III the enjoyment OF all her faculties and An
ample particip ant ia the iii al bounty OF her sons.
When Jay Cooke was sent TO school here. al Tho
age OF SIX years, Instruction in the pri.
,nary elements was furnished in q log cabin
by a Mass Stimpson, an inevitable Yanxee
school marm. Tue seat Of learning, Of
orchard owned and tended by civli,zed Indian
cnief, named Ogoritz, who was Afterwards killed.
BY one Of his tribe for being over civilized. Tho
village then Contained nearly hundred inhabi-
tants the school ate ndance being hardly bakers
dozen. Jay and his two brothers were tree
docile Buys, puclual At school, httls gwen 70 the
sports common among boys Oh their age, but more
SOUS. Jay however the least inclined 10 play
OF any OF the brothers; It is sad Of him that he was
never truly . boy, never acted Or talked after tMe
ordinary fashion OF boys he was OF gentle aad
frank disposition, fond Of watching transactions il
buying and selling IN his fathsr's store, Who, along
with being lawyer. kept all kinds Of marketable
products-was every thing by turns, a. the neces-
sites OF The times oemanoed-and had Also the
reputation oil being mean orator. II there was
any mental characteristic that revealed itself in
Jay at this age, il Was his love for figures tnsir
primary eleneuts-o Of putting two aud two togetnse
and deIghling to lind lley made four.
At this period in tue history OF Sandusky, there
was an influx OF settlers from the East. Men came
from New York aud parts OF Pennsylvanis. ex
following the star Of empire in tue Occaesss.
Among the rest WAS Q Mr.. William IL Moor
head, Of Philadelphia. He s.nled here.
went soms years Afterwards to Valparaiso -
United states Consul, then 70 Californls, where he
made q fortune. returned here and lost nearly vi
In some speculative enterprises, retrieved hiMseif
again and ultimately joined jay Cooke Ia the
banking business just before tho opening q tue
war.
Among others that came here about the year
1885, WAS Mr. l.. ). Hubbard. now president u
one OF the national banks. In partuership with
another he started = store for the sale vf general
merchandise, term which then comprised every
conceivable article Of clothing. food and house
hold furniture, from o red handkerchief TO Q red
herring. Mr.. Hubbard was prosperisg, there WAS
little competition, aud when market day broughA
y crowd Vt distant settlers, his store receives
At this time Mr.. Elsuthsrus Cooke had been
elected TO the Leg stature. and beng one OF
men, SO rare nowadays who believed that man
elected to public representative station sA0ule
give time and attention the public than -
his own private welfare. he soon found his sitxEo
at home were becoming embarrassed, and his busi-
ness prospects looking less bright than formerly.
When he returned to Sandusky he found matters
were not as satisfactory he hoped: he had bills
TO pay and money WAS scarce, condition OF things
eIninently dsagreeable. Standing In his door one
day he saw his three boys returning from scaooi.
and when they came up to him, putting his arm
half jokingy around them, he sald:-"Ay
boys, l have nothng left for you; you
must 20 aud look out for your.eivea-S
Ihe others remained silent and downcsst, bss
young Jay, who was then thirteen years old, look.
ing up At mis- father with bright aud earnest ex-
PRECISION, responded: Father, am old enough -
work. / win 60 and earn for myself" Old Cooke
took further notice OF this little incident. yet
might be said 10 have had . greater Influence en-
his sous destiny than any other event Of has life.
but he had no Sed intention 70 send him jus. is
TO earn tor himself. However. tho next morning.
jay, instead OF going to school, stole away from
home and went, down to Mr.. HubDsrd's
store. the one alluded to above. He in
quircd for the proprietor and told him he
Dame to look for work in his store. Mr.
Hubbard happened just then 70 stand in need Of .
previous for dishonesty, He admired the artiess
and intelligent looks Of young Cooke, aud forth
with employed him. In che evening when Jay
returned home he was reproved BY his mother for
playing ruant, for abe had learned from bio
brothers he lad been abssnt from school. why.
mother wont be trouble 70 you any longer;
am now earning for myself" said he, with hush Ct
conscious responsibility. Tho parents, on consul
tation, decided to let Jay work out his own des-
tiny, and from this begins the date OF thas
career which took an obscure Western
boy step BY step up TO the pinnacle Of wealth
and greatness. Yes, i will earn for myself hs
no doubt often exclaimed TO himself that evening.
Next day he was At his post in the store pune
tuaiiy. ready 10 perform any kind Of work for
which he felt strong enough, and as day by day
he faithfully discharged hIs duties Ills employer
became more and more attached to him, taught
him bookkeeping, for which he ovnced remark
able taste and otherwise sought 10 instruct Linn in
many things he had failed 70 learn at school: