Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1877-01-30
G. B. Rouss, the Dry-Goods Notion
JObber.

The following sketch of the eventrul career
of Mr.. G. B. Rcuss, former well known cit
izen Of the Valley of Virginia, and native
of Jefferson county, taken from a late nuns
Der Of the n. Y. Graphic, will doubtless be
interesting 10 our readers:
There are some men who, wherever they
engage in business, push themselves, by their
own inherent energy aud restless activity,
into the front rank OF the most successful and
cntcrprising merchants men who possess
originality in the capacity of drawing atte1-
ton to themselves, and would otherwise be
divided by scores of other dealers. This lat.
ter quality is peculiarly characteristic of the
subject of this sketch, Mr.. G. b. Rouss
For a decade of years, his name is familiar
to the public of New York rs large dealer
in tho jobbing notion trade.
Although still a young msn, his career
reads like romance. Born in the Valley of
Virgins, ard while yet boy, fuIl>fcdged
merchant. and when tho war began, joins
General Wade Hampton's cavalry regiment
of South Carolina, aud taking part with that
officer in some of his most brilliant campaigns;
then dashiug into largo business in Rich
mond with the same enterprise and vim with
which he engaged in the bloody conflict, fol-
lowing up his business success there by choos>
ing wider field for his restless energies in
this city at the close of tho war, he in few
years acquired wealth and influence. The
loss of quarter of million in Confederate
bonds on the breaking up of the war had
been passed over by him a nero incident
liable to attend the fortunes of any man who
dashes at line OF business as brave soldier
dashes @, a line of battle.
In IF bn-a in fnyu
years seemed to him as a matter of course
His faith in his star Of progress was never
doubted. Like the youth in Longfeilow's
poem of "Excelsior," his flag is always aoft
while his stride toward the goal is onward and
upward
Like the rcverses in battle which any gen.
eral is almost to occasionally meet with,
however frequent have been his successes,
Mr.. Rouss, during the short period of his
career has had his defeats and reverEcs. by
the perjury of man whom he had lifted out
of obscurity, and who became enviou7 of his
prosperity, he beheid the fruits of his enter
prise and labor suddenly swept away from
him, and that's the trouble with the man, he
lacks discycetness. This to any other man
would havo indeed been a Waterloo defeat.-
Into fields aud pastures new he struck. To
Mexico he went. and for time he succeeded
but sudden descent of ono Of those numer>
Gus guerilla forces, with which Mexico is
cursed, seized upon his stock in trade and left
him with but single dollar in his pocket
On foot and alone he took up his dreary tramp
in the FL PGso road toward the froutier of the
United States, still however with will that
knew no such words as "Iail."
On the Rio Grando he met Mckay, the
rich cattle drovcr and stock raiser. In
brief period Rouss acquainted himself with
the pursuit and business of stock-raising and
selling, and he suggested line of enterprise
to Mckay, which was eagerly embfaced by
him, and in few weeks he found himself
the possessor of $4,000 as his share of the
results of their enterprise and thus he con-
tinued on, p1ospering and acquiring money
rapidly. Still he had all these months ever
been holding it fast in his mind to get back
into his old legitimate business in New York,
where he had won aud lost so heavily in the
years of the past. There is no business he
understands SO we'll as the notion trade
Here was the field upon which he ever kept
his eyes fixed. And here he is now in the
full tide of prosperity, doing large business.
He has two stores on Broadway, No 4S1 and
Gas, another at No. 23l Church street, near
Canal, besides two stores on Sixth avenue,
aod one on Grand street.
These six stores are full to repletion, and
from morning to night always crowded with
customers.
We predict that if MI Rouss lives he will
in few years be at the head Of the notion
trade in this city.