Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-05-27
ROTHSCHILD.

The founder of the family, Meyer Anselm
Rothschild, Baron of the Austrian Empire,
was born in 1743 in the Judengasse OF Jews
Alley, of Frankfort on he-Main. The house
in which he first saw the light of day was a
humble and unpretending dwelling in an OBJ
scure and dirty quarter of the city. His
father, Anselm Moses, shrewd but con-
scientioHsly- honest trading Israelite, in
tended him for the ministry, and so dearly
had he set his heart on this calling for his
son that on his death-bed he counseled the
youthful Meyer, then only 10 years of age,
to proceed to Furth. in Bavaria, there to
study theology in order to become a rabbi.
Provided with the necessary means, the
orphan obeyed the wish of his deceased
father, and spent some time in the study of
the Talmud and Rabbinical literature. Hav-
ing, however, imbibed a taste for commercial
pursuits, which all the honors of profess
sional life were insufficient to eradicate, lie
abandoned the idea of entering the ministry,
and returned to his native city, where, COM
mencing at the lowest round of the ladder,
he steadily and perseveringly mounted, until,
by the time he had reached his seventeenth
year. he had gained an excellent reputation
for business ability and whole souled in
tegrity. A Appointment banker of Hanover,
Herr Oppenheim, becoming acquainted with
thu young man and detecting in him the
germs of future greatness, offered him a
situation, which was at once accepted. Soon
the clerk gained the confidence of the en-
ployer and became associate manager, which
position he held for many years, until finally
he resolved to return to Frankfort and en-
bark in business on his own account. In
his twenty seventh year he married Gudula
Schwapper, and received with her liberal
dowry. By this estimable lady he had 10
children, five sons and five daughters. The
former of these subsequently composed that
firm which, descending from generation to
generation, is likely to survive as long as
many of the royal dynasties.
Meyer Anselm embarked in finance and
became ney-changer and exchange
broker, which business naturally developed
into all the branches of general banking.
About this time an event occurred which ex-
ercised powerful influence in determining
the future of Rothschild and in laying the
basis for his immense wealth. The Land
grave of Hesse Cassel, William *, who
afterward became elector under the title of
| William l., seeking a banker with whom to
deposit the vast sums of money inherited
from his father, Frederick H., sent for
Rothschild, who had been recommended to
| him by Baron Estorf, the latter having
| learned the bankers worth while he was yet
clerk with Herr Oppenhim. On reaching
| the palace and entering the apartment of the
Prince, Rothschild found him and the Baron
engaged in game of chess. Taking up a
position behind the Landgrave's chair, the
future millionaire watched the board closely
and silently. The game was against Will
liam, who, at length in doubt what move to
make, turned to the banker and suddenly
asked him if he understood chess. s'Well
enough, your Higness,' he replied, ''to in
duce me, were l playing to castle on the
king side. The Prince acted on the sug-
gestion of his visitor, and turned defeat into
victory. Placing his hand on Rothschild's
shoulder, ''You are wise m an said he,
Sand if yon are SO good chess-player, you
must have very clear head for business -
Trf1lng as this incident was, it was the COM
! 1nencement of friendship between the
Prince and Rothschild, who was soon ap-
pointed the royal banker, to the no small
surprise of his competitors, who all won
dered why William should pass them by and
select the Hebrew for SO responsible and con-
fdenital a position. About 100000
were thus transferred to the keeping of the
banker. He proved worthy of the great
trust, for he served the Landgrave through
his later troubles with zeal and fidelity, and
was the means of saving his wealth from
falling into the hands of the French
Napoleon, after the battle of Jena, in 1906,
pronounced the forfeiture of the Landgrave s
estates, and ordered his army to march on
the capitol. William, who had in his palace
vaults about 81 100000 in silver, together
with other valuable treasure sent, in his ex-
trem1ty, for Rothschild, and offered him the
free use of all this property, without interest,
If he would but remove it to place of safety.
This, with the aid of his Jewish friends, the
banker succeeded in accomplishing, and it is
said that during the hostile occupation of
the city by the French, the treasure was con-
cealed in large wine casks in the cellar of
Rothschild's house When, however, eight
years afterwards, William returned as elector,
Meyer Anselm was dead, but his Oldest son,
Anselm, accounted for every kreutzer, and
furnished the elector with full statement
of his wealth, to which was added the
interest. This latter, however, William
declined to receive, on the ground that
he would have lost everything had it
not been for the fidelity of the father. The
full amount was just ready for delivery when
the news arrived that the great Corsican had
escaped from Elba. This so alarmed Viii
liam that he begged Anslem Rothschild to
keep the money at 2 per cent. interest per
annum. For period of no less than nine
years this large deposit continued to remain
with the firm, at the expiration of which
time 1t was delivered to Williams successor,
every penny thereof being strictly accounted
| for
Meyer Rothschild died in the old house in
the Judengasse in 1872, being then in his
| Seveutieth wear. His widow aurvivad him
81 years, and when nearly 100 years old she,
and her husband had lived, inwhich her
children had been born, and
where they had all had such
remarkable prosperity. The wealth left by the
founder of the family has been estimated at
$4,000, but this is merely conjecture, for
upon such matters it has always been the
policy of the family to preserve strict
silence. OF their numerous agents, account
ants, and employees, there is, perhaps, not
one that knows anything of their private
affairs beyond what is actually
indispensable for the proper per
Torrance of the business upon
which each may be engaged. Be this as it
may, however, it is certain that the old
Rothschild was possessed of vast wealth,
and that, to his credit be it said, he made
| good use of it, His heart was ever ready to
respond to the call of the deserving. and it
was his greatest delight to dispense his
charity where it was most needed, and in a
manner SO plain and unostentatious that
often the happy recipient was ig-
norant of the donor. Through the wretched
quarter IN which he dwelt, and through the
many abodes of poverty that existed in
| Frankfort, the millionaire banker would