Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-01-30
yevsboy 10 Millionaire.
CAREER OF THE OWNER OF A MAGNIF-
IcENr PALACE IN SAN FRANCISCO.

~
wedding of Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Crock
er of San Francisco occurred at their
palatial residence in that city recently.
Mr.. CrOcker is one of the milliOnaires oil
the golden State. There were no less
than 500 guests present at the wedding.
Ontting, as we must, descriptions OF
the Crocker palace, the assembled COM
pany, and the wedding scenc-only
mentioning Mr.. Crocker had thought
fully minated in the the invitation that
presents from guests would not be in
order-we copy from the San Francisco
CaN an interesting biographical sketch
of the host. 1t shows something OF the
achievements ofa Troy boy in his sue
cesstul life work.
His father was the proprietor OF a
large store in the city of Troy, \. y,
in which Charles Crocker was born In
1922. Until he was thirteen years old.
young Crocker had the advantages Of
such education as the common shoots at
that day afforded. In that year, how
ever. his father failed in business so
completely that the bare maintenance
of his family became a mItter OF great
difficulty, and Charles, the eldest OF SIX
children, had to leave his schooling and
play things to begin the struggle OF life.
He sold newspapers on the street. Al
ter a few weeks had been devoted to the
business, the young t"")r--year old
learned that the agent lui ~ New fork
Transcript, an opposition journal which
had only been running a short time
would be obliged to give up the billet,
and the lad delermnd to succeed him
if possible. He went at once to the
head agency in A.rany and boldly ap-
piled for the place, much to the amuse
ment and astonishment Of the proprie-
tor. who told him whoever got
1t would have to pay 1900 cash.
Little Croker. replied that he had no
money and no means of ObtaInng any
except By selling newspapers, but prom
i7ed that il he got the agency he would
not only pay the amount with in SIX
months. but that he would guarantee to
lrrsely increase the sale OF the journal
| The chiefagent was pleased with the
bows frank and seIl-relIant mlnncr.
and agreed to give trial, taking the
risk of loss upon his own shoulders.
Young Crockcr put his whole strength
and soul into the business. and soon suc-
cecded in running the daily circulation
of the Transcript in Troy up to 500
numbers, and before six months had
passed up to about 700. Every one OF
these papers he sold and delivered IN
person, paying for them sixty-two and a
hall cents per hundred and selling them
for one cent apiece. He paid the 5000
as agreed, and then contributed to the
family support for seven months, pay
iuga!l the expenses while his father
was absent in the West seeking home
for those whom his misfortunes had rem
dcred homeless. Notwithstanding all
tnis outlay, in two years from the time
when he had startedas a newsbOy young
f Crocker had managed to save s4OO, all
OF which went into the family funds.
Ills father had taken up some wild land
in northern Indiana, and in 1886
brought his people to the lo9 hut in
! the wilderness.
! Although totally unused to farming
and woodcraft, the father and his young
sters managed, after much hard labor,
to clear away sufficient land for the
nucleus of a farm, and on its opening,
which enlarged year by year, young
Crocker worked for the general good
until his mother died in 1889. He was
then seventeen years Of age, aud hired
as a laborer on a neighborlnS farm !;
but that sort of work dissatisfied hum,
so he became day labOrer in saw
mill. He fell in love with the daughter
of his master, Miss Mary A. Demins.
In the presence Of retinement' the poor
lad felt his own deficiencies. and.
throwing up his job, enter 1 school ana
renamed just three mont all the
teaching he has had s.Iae his twelfth
year. Finding, however, that coin was
more needed than education, he be-
came an apprentice in a forge where
bloomed iron was made, and soon
ranked with the skilled workmen. In
1916. after having thoroughly mastered
the trade, he, in company with his en-
ployer. built new forge and ran II un-
til 1850.
Then came the story so familiar To
early CaIifornians. wonlrods tales ol
fortunes made in a single day. OF glgan'
tic nuggets, of wild adventure. of every
thing that could attract a young VIZ
orous, and ambitious man. Young
Crocker- was then % years OF aye
sold out his interest in the forge
bought two wagons aud teams. aud
started across the plains in compAny
with five otner young men, reaching
, Sacramento in August, 1850. CrockeT
at once started into mining on the Big
Canon. below Placerville. He lett the
nick and shovel and opened store in
} the camp. Coin poured in so rapid,
that he determined to seek still wldel
field. and migrated to Sacramento where
, he soon established the most money