The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1873-10-23
Jay Cooke at Homo.

Washington Correspondence Chicago Tribune.
Nine miles back of Philadelphia, on the
waters of TscoDey Creek, IS "Ogontz," the
residence of Jay Cooke It-is villa of
the native sienite of the hills, pointed and
set in blue mortar, with iron verandahs,
Mansard towers, and pavilions, and all
elegsncies afforded by modern resources
and improvements. A flower walk with
beds and terraces, closed by a mock ruin,
in which fireworks were set off on ration
al holidays, in the vista from that side of
the house, where, in a great recess with
painted walls, the conservatory is main
tanned. From the opposite verandah
there is a view of grass-beds, sprinkled
with pools and fountains, slopIng down to
the creek, which is made to decend in cas-
cades; and here the mausoleum of thefam-
ily-a beautiful edifce IN marble-makes
the headland to cape of timber. The
lands attached to this noble mansion
reach over 200 acres IN extent, and are
covered to great degree with natural
woods, chiefly oak, chestnut, sycamore
and hickory The hills in all that region
are high, and the country strong and
stony, like the native people, who belong
to hardy type of Quakers, and Welch,
Scotch, and old German ab-criginals.
About one mile from Ogontz is a small
turnpike village called New York Road
Station" or Shoemaker Town, where Mr..
Cooke had built his church. quaint and
attractive specimen of early English
Gothic From this village Mr.. Cooke
went daily to the city by train, Sunday
excepted and if he ever remained at
home, though indisposition or safety, be
communicated with his banking house by
telegraph Two small black Vermont
ponies were his own favorite roadsters.
He was a good neighbor-the best ever
known in these parts-and plain and cor
dial IN his address. At home he lived a
parental life, being widower and fond
of his grandchildren He spent little up
on himself, but was proud of his residence
and it has been believed in that region fol
good while past that he had presented
| Ogontz to his daughter, Mrs. Bonney
| The portraits in his house most notable tc
see were Mr. Lincoln, Mr. Chase in oil and
marble, E w. Clarke, Phil. Sheridan, and
| his own father, Elenthews Cooke, who
| had been re-interred in his family vault
One of the last of his purchases was .
small album of Moran's views on the Vel
lowstone, for which he gave $1,000. He
had large library which he had nc time
to read and, as the employer of many
| servants, he was kind to all, but not prof
| hgate in wages His dwelling anC
grounds would have brought, one yeal
ago, $4,000 an acre. although he probably
spent that aggregate amount on the house
alone. His expenses at his dwelling could
not have been less that 81 900 week as
long as he entertained commensurate with
his house and business. Near at hand, in
a quiet cottage lived his agent, General
Nettleton, of Sandusky, the active man at
advertising and selling the bonds Cooke
had private secretary and phonogrspher
about fourteen servants at the villa, about
two hundred employees in his three bank
ing houses, and vast payroll in his rail
road and insurance companies. He is be-
lieved to have been worth $1,000, ,00C
when at his highest.