Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-10-18
LAST MAN OF TIE OLp GUARD.

LAOl MAN OE huG Wv UOAhDs
Tne career Of n RemR kable Man
who Thiuks he viii Ontltve the
Republic.
New York Sun. !Sth.l
Commodore Samuel Knower, whose
baked beans are known from one end OF
Manhattan Island 10 the other, is an
aged but hale and hearty relic OF the
past generation. His long life has been
crowned to an unusual extent with inter
esiing incidents He is not merely a
baker Of Boston beans, but philosopher
in the best sense Of the word, and his
axioms, if reduced to practice by the
workers OF the world, would do more to
extirpate pauperism and crime than all
the theses ever written and all the reso.
luiions ever passed.
The Commodore conducts his busi-
ness in The basement of 1909 Nassau
street. The front room be uses as
restaurant, and the two others as kitch-
ems, in which are prepared the dishes to
| be served to his customers, and the free
lunches' which he cells to saloon.keepers
all over the city. He is q large, we'll
built old man, with a finely shaped
head, partly covered with long, silky
white hair, and broad, open face, which
does not need ths aid OF genial smile
to show that the owner is q man OF
happy disposition and benevolent heart.
de ia old-fashioned in his dress, and
wears turndown shirl-collar Of great
breadth, and around his neck long
! gold chain, such az the gallants wore in
the olden time before the days Of oroide
iewelry aud pistol pockets.
The Commodore is eighty.six years
old, although few would take him TO be
over seventy. He is man Of great In
telligence and indomitable pluck, but he
is extremely modest witbal, and is rarely
seen 10 the street, except when going to
or from biz place of business. His
features closely resemble the best por-
traits OF Benjamin Franklin. He was
born at Roxbury, Massachusetts, slq at
the age of twenty-tbree served as a sol
| der Ia The war Of 1872. After the war
he commanded the crack militia com
pany of the Sists. having succeeded
General Alexander HamiltGp Gibbs, a
eompeDion OF General Worth. he hos
been for many years the last survivor of
the Old Guard Of Boston, and on his
last pisit to that city. tgenty years ago,
he was received with distinguished
bonors by bnndreds Of people, DESCEND
ants of men epd women TO whom in the
dark days Just preceding the crisis Of
1897 he had extended libersl sid from
his princely stores Of wealth.
The old gentleman has never been an
Office seeker. Thirty.fge gears ago, or
more. he was chief engineer OF the Box
bury FIRE department, aud while delegate
IA a political convention he received, to
his great surprise, the unanimous vote oil
the deleraliou as their choice Tor Com
rress. The Aattering offer the Commo'
dore was forced to decline, because OF
the pressing nature Of his vast and rap
idly increasing hGsiness. His title OF
Commodore he derived from the fact
that he was for a long time the chiet oii-
Ger of the Boston Yacht Club. No vas
at this period looked upon as tie strong.
est man in the State He was very fond
of athletic sports, aud could handle the
gloves and the sword With remarkable
skill He was one Of the FIRST persons
examined by the phrenologist. Fowler
who predicted that he would live to be
one hundred and sixty years old. And
am sure" said the Commodore, yes
terday, that If we do not have change
for tue better. shall outlive the Repub
lic
For many years the Commodore was
in the shoe aud leather basiaess in Bos
ton, where, half century ago. be took
the lead in the patent leather trade snG
amassed fortune. In the crash Of 1881
he vent under and came to New Yorh
and started afresh He was soon on the
high road 20 wealth again, but in 1874;
he became member OF the soeialis
community which settled IN Bradford
county, Pennsylvania, aud was shortly
afterward elected President, Horac,
Greeley being at the time one Of the CON
munity's most earnest friends. The en-
terprise failed, and in 1915 the Commo
dore returned TO New York with bu
/. $500 to begin life with. In less than tel
years be had FIVE stores IN operation il
New York and Brooklyn, He then liyeC
: near Plymouth Church, to whose treas
ury he was most liberal contributor
. At one Of the annual sales Of pews h'
paid the highest premium ever Offered
q sitting in Beecher's Church.
In 1855 he failed again, but in no Wis
discouraged be once more entered int
i the battle Of life aud opened an estat
lishment in New street, the Public store
: then being opposite bis place Of busi
NESS. Here tor long time be had th
custom Of four hundred OF the employe
of the government, but when the store
> we're removed his trade went down L
uo,biog, and he moved TO his preseu
location il pRs while be was 10 Me-
- street that he conceiged The notion {
y preDariog Tree lunches and thu
l. nnvad lhe wav for tha introdnption ol