, 1873-02-13
A Ruined Family.


In the year 1888, Edward H. Stokes,
a successful cloth merch ,nt Of New
York, and nearly connected with some
OF the most prominent representatives
Of the wealth and bensfcence OF that
city, retired from business with hand
some competency. Eight years previ-
yiously he had married Miss Stiles, q
daughter Of a leading Philadel pIian,
and, seeking q home of ease and eie-
ganoe. Mr.. Stokes chose Philadelphia as
bis future residence. There his eldest
son was born in 1889, and named Ed
ward stiles, after maternal relative
The lad was boy of unusual beauty
and promise, d quick, active mind, a
generous aud loving disposition these
traits being remembered Well after tie
lapse Of years, by those who knew him
at that time Two daughters aud two
other sons were born in tlie period be
tween 1910 and 1850 Tie family is re-
e;,lied as being rarely endowed with all
that seemed needed 10 insure the happi-
ness OF a household. The home was
one OF wealth ana laxury, the culture Of
the best.
Edward was educated at the univor
sity, and took high rank as scholar.
lie went to New York at the age of II,
to enter into the store Of Samuel Perry,
ON South Water street, an extensive
cheese dealer. Perry failed thres years
later, and young Stokes made new
partnership with Junior of the COLLAPSE
cd house. and they, as Stokes & Bud
long, opened cheese store on Yesey
street They had excellent success,
their foreign trade being very large, cali
ing Stokes to visit Europe several times
during the next few seasons. About
this time the senior Stokes was induced
to remove to New YORK, where he made
his Office with his son, thongh not orr
ginally. intending to become ertancled
III business. Such was the result, how
ever, and not only was the father~but
other prominent and wealthy relatives,
gradually but heavily involved in the
extended ventures of Stokes & Bud
long. The failure of the firm followed,
and father and son were thrown into
bankruptcy.
With the wreck of his fortunes young
Stokes embarked next in the enterprise
of establishing an oil refinery at Hun
ter's point. About 100000 wsre
expended in the works. which were
to be Of the best class, when the com
pany fell into difficulty. at this iuneture
the 'baleful light of jim Fisk's counte-
nance comes into the story. Jim was
in full tide of his operations with Erie.
He held the advantage 1--WE wish it were
less employed by even more scrupnlous
railway managers than hey, supplied by
his corporation, in transportation and
control of market, as the Erie was the
great throughfare to the Gil regions. A
compact WAS struck. Fisk entered the
refinery company, reinforced its capital
and with change of uaule and heavy
drawback" on the Erie freight bills.
the Hunters Point refinery sailed
strongly into successful competition
Stokes was secretary, as well as part
ner. At one time his profits from the
refinery gave him a thousand dollars a
week.
In 1864 Stokes married the daughter
of j. W. Sonthwick, prominent furni-
ture dealer in New York, one of the
oldest in his line in thai city. A short
time since one Of our oldest residents
showed us set of furniture. wedding
outfit bought in Chicasoin 1886, bought
Of Mr. Southwiek, who is now man Of