The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-29
OBITUAR Y.

The y. Y. Times of this morning prints the
folOVmg:-
Ex MAYO James Harper died at st. Luke's
Hospital, Fifth avenue and Thirty-tourth street,
on saturday evening. 1t has been previously
announced that on Thursday afternoon last,
while driving with his daughter in Central Park,
they we're both thrown from the carriage in
consequence of the horses taking fright. The
daughter WAS but slightly injured, but her vene-
rable father was taken up insenslble aud carried
to his home. He never recovered consciousness
in this lie. and finally expired as above stated.
James Harper was oorn at Newtown, Long
Island, in 1895. His father, a substantial
farmer, was OF sturdy English stock; his
mother of the no less sturdy Dutch race, who
three generations before had settled upon Long
Island. Almost sixty years ago James Harper,
3 tall steut lad of sixteen, came to New York
He spprenticed sfe9 hi@sef Ss to priaSs: printer
and soon became noted Us the best craftsman OF
the DAY. Before he nad passed his appren-
ticeshp he had laid the foundations OF his for
tune. By untiring industry and strict economy
be had saved enough to furnish
small establishment for printing.
In few months he was joined by
hs brother John, two years his JUNIOR who had
also learned the trade, and was just out of his
lime. II soon became an understood thing that
the young harpers could do work better and
quicker than any body else Gradually they
grew from printers 10 publishers, and the name
of j. & j. Harper is to be seen on the title'page
OF many book IN our Libraries. Before either
brother had reached the age of nve and twenty,
Meanwhile they had taken as apprentices
their two younger brothers, Wesley and
FlecLer Bo b of these manifested de-
cided business capacity, and about 1925
the four brothers formed partner
sbip under the name of Harper d Brothers,
which has renamed unaltered and unoroSen
until three DAYS ago, when the death OF James
Harper dissolved one OF the iairest brother
hoods ever known upon earth. Four such
brothers never before wrought together, SIDE
by side, for a whole half century. with Wnat
result they wrought the name OF harper %
BIoihers fully shows. ,,-
james Harper was in many ways notaole
man. Physically he was one out OF ten thou-
sand, Four days ago, when he had passed
three score aud ten, aud WAS verelng upon four
score his late form was as erect as u had been
thirt years before; there was hardly a gray
lar ii his head; his eye was Undlmmed, ana
his natural STRENGTH unabHted. No one would
have supposed that he had seen half century;
a score more OF years might have been safely
promised him.
His life for many years had been that OF man
nj hnsIness in its best sense. Early in the mora
mo he was at his desk, reading the innumerable
letters which demanded his cares then ior an
bour or two he was looking through the WORK
INC mart of the establishment, joking or Laughing
w IN the Workmen or workwomen, put seeing
ooervtbing that was done or left undone. Fol
en h1nr or two more he was at the disposal ol
sn1hodv who pleased to call, seeming 10 nave
noihing on his mind OF hands. But tnese ap
Darenty ldle hours were really We pSs'es' VI