The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-06-05

Especial correspondence OF lne 10y IJauy
Times
THE HEREIT's LETTER,
The Old Scotch Mercha Honor and
Honesty-Two Revolutl Heroes with
Unknown Graves-The Harper Family
Gibbons Home-Journalists-Cy Encyclopedias.
New York, June 1.
learn by the Times that Richard Irwin
Of this city has recently visited Troy. l
well remember this gentleman as a promi-
nent merchant during my carly cerkship in
Front street. His number was %, think,
and he was one of the few "Importers" who
still remained in that locality. Front
street was, at one time, occupied to large
degree by the shipping and importing trade,
until it was crowded out by the wholesale
grocers. The latter were headed by Il. d.
Morgan, whose store was near Mr.. Twins
warehouse. Grinnell, Mnturn & Co., were
at the corner of Front and Fletcher streets,
| but they moved to South street. Richard
| Irwin, however, was more permanent, and
| his establishment was for many years a
landmark in the street.
THE SCOTCH MERCHANTS.
They were very peculiar class Of men,
most of whom came hither poor in cash,
but rich in those faculties which create
wealth. They we're ahigh-toned commun-
| ity, and held a strong morality in trade
which one would like to see at the present
day. Among the early names was that of
Robert Lenox, whose wealth has enabled
his son James to accomplish a vast benefit
to mankind. Another was Dlvie Bethune,
who married daughter of Isabella Ora
ham, and whose son was well known
| preacher. Other names might be men
toned, such as Douglas, Maitland, Ken
| nedy, etc., which won distinction in the
commercial record. The thrifty Grant
| Thorburn was also among the number, and
80 was the distinguished lawyer Hugh Max
well. They were strongly tenacious of
their religious convictions, and had in John
Mason a preacher whose elcquence has
never been equaled.
THE sTUARTs.
| A fine illustration of national character
was found in an Edinburgh sugar dealer
who came hither burdened by debt of
1880 incurred by endorsing. He opened
a candy store in Greenwich street, and la
bored l5 hours day until that debt was
paid. His sons can now show with pride a
testimonial engrossed on parchment and
signed by all the creditors, acknowledging
| full payment and expressing their consci-
1 Of shn hnnAr hn V,nh
was the history of Kinloch Stuart, father
of Robert L. and Alexander Stuart, for
merly sugar refiners. They are now i'm
mensely rich, and are also very liberal.
| This indeed has been a marked feature 10
the Scotch element, which has done vastly
more than its proportion in the work of
| charity. James LenoX has given away
| more money than any man of this age, not
| excepting George Peabody, and other names
can be mentioned of proportionate char
| acter.
DECORATION DAY.
The power with which this custom has
taken hold of the public mind recalls the
language of poet
Gwen in our ashes live their wontsd 1res."
1t is cad to think that there are two revo-
lutionary heroes whose graves have never
been found. One was youth who fell
carly in the strife, and who az he approach
ed his doom expressed his regret THAT he
had but one lite TO lay down for his coun-
Try" The other wen. through The whole
war, and was only second y m nand u
Washington The e,d,-v Jlce per
ceive my allusion to Mai ID and Gen.
Greene. The former suffered as a spy, and
was buried in the cemetery which o. cupied
the site of Stewards wholesale warehouse.
His grave never was marked, for he died
among his enemies, who cared nothing fol
his name. Years afterward all the bones
were removed, and Hale's remains went In
the common heap-but his memory long
since was honored by nations gratitude
Gen. Greene, after the close Of the war,
went Sonih to improve his fortunes, and
lied on a plantation. The grave was neg.
lected, and years afterward, when congress-
voted q monument, the spot could not bt
found. may add that have never beer
able to find where Gen. Gates was buried
He died in this city in 1904, but there is nc
record of his interment, and if any of oul
readers know the place l will thank then
for the information. 1t is to be remem
: bered that Gates was one of the Oldest gen
erals In the continental service. Both he
and Mercer served under Braddock, wLer,
they met Washington, who was much thei
junior.
| THE HARPERs
The death of Fletcher Harper calls at
tention to the famous family, of which h,
was the last. He was named after tn,
eminent Methodist divine, which shows tn
religious preferences of his parents. Th
same preference is indicated by thensm
of John Wesley Harper, who is one Of tn
present firm. Much, however, as the hous,
IL attached to the Wesleyan system, it ha
never produced Methodist preacher
while on the other hand the Presbyterian
publishing house of the Carriers has fol
some years had in the field preacher o.
that denomination. At such time as this
when a leading business man IS to be writ
ten up, there is much said merely TO fill az
space, without regard to correctness Fo
instance, a morning paper issues the follow