The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-09-10
James Robb...A Short Autobiography.

| the following DrleI memoir, written b.
himself few years ago:
JANUARY 2. 1877.-This day fit
years ago, in my thirteenth year, l lef
the home of noble mother my fathe
died in 1871. to perform journey o
TWENTY-FIVE miles on foot, through deer
and drifting SHOWS, to begin my caree
of life, and from that day to this m,
fortune has been pushed singly anC
alone, without the aid of penny from
any one, living or dead.
In my twenty-first year was ap
pointed Cashier of the Branch Bank O
Morgantown, Va, at salary of SS0(
per annum. resigned this position il
my twenty-fourth year, owing to my re-
moval to New Orleans, where l resided
twenty-one years, having during this
period made six visits to Europe anG
fifteen TO the Island of Cuba. | was
principal in establishing, from 1888 tc
1857, eight banking and commercial
firms and agencies-viz: New Orleans,
Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco
and Liverpool, England. four of Which
were in existence in 1857. Under the
''Free Banking Law of Louisiana" | es-
tablished the ''Bank of James Robb'
| resigned in 1866 with a paid up cap
ital of 5000, 900, of which l was sole pro-
prietor, except $4,000. This bank
did not suspend in 1857, and nowe<ists
as the Merchants Bank of Newer
leans.
In 1912 was elected President of the
New Orleans Gas Light and Banking
Company, with paid up capital Of
S1,800,000. Its affairs were in disorder
and its shares deprecated to 81 pei
share for $50 paid. The company in
1843 resumed its dividends, which have
not since been suspended, and its shares
at one time commandedover eighty pei
cent. premium.
In 1874 the Spanish Gas Light Com
pany was organized for lighting the
city of Havana, it's privileges being con-
firmed by ''Royal Order" The orig
inal capital was fixed at S300,000, all Of
which subscribed. and was made per-
petual president of the company.
Subsequently it's capital was increased
to $1,000, 900. which was equally divided
with the Queen Mother of Spain, Maria
Christiana and myself.
In 1854, when this valuable property
began to yield large profits, my neces-
stiles, owing to engagements for South
ern railways, obliged me to sell my in
terest, which in the sequel proved a
sacrifice of more than 100000.
In 1851 | was made President of the
Railway Convention at New Orleans,
and from this time may be dated the
first successful attempt of Louisiana to
construct railways, and the beginning
of my misfortunes. In November of
this year ] visited Nashville, Tenn, to
solicit the cooperation of that State in
aiding works of internal Improvement,
and addressed the Legislature in respect
to the same, in pursuance of message
from its Governor, William B. Camp
bell. In this year was elected men,
Der of the Senate of Louisiana for -four
years-but only served one session.
In 1852 was elected President of the
New Orleans, jackson & Great North
ern Railway; a member of the CITY
Cocncil of New Orleans-and its Posi-
dent; and had yielded to the solicita.
ton of friends. would have been select.
ed as the representative of Louisiana in
the Senate of the United States for six
years, instead of j. P. Benjamin, whose
election | both favored and promoted.
In 1857, of the firms established since
1888, there existed James Robb & Co.,
of New Orleans; Robb, Hallett e. Co..
of New York; r. Wilson, Hallett & Co.,
of Liverpool, and Tallant & Wilde, of
San Francisco; the money panic in the
autumn of this year caused suspen-
sion of the three former, and on the LIST
OF January, 1858, their unliquidated La
bilities amounted to $2,S33,525, all of
which l assumed, completing the final
payments, principal and interest, in
1866; about 100000 of the foregoing
was satisfied in securities, accepted bv
creditors, in preference to granting an
extension of two, three or four years,
with six per cent. interest.
In 1859 my residence was changed
from New Orleans to Chicago, where |
was appointed by the Hon. Thomas
Drummond (Judge of the United States
District CourD Receiver of the St.
Louis, Alton & Chicago Railway Compa-
ny. Upon the organization of new
company in 1862, was elected it's
President, which was resigned in 1864.
followed bya change of residence to the
city of New York.
In 1864 the Presidency of the Allan
tic q Great Western Railway was ten
dered and accepted at salary of $780,
600 per annum, but resigned within
three months upon the discovery of the
fraudulent purposes of its projectors.
In 1865 the Presidency of the Du-
buque & Sioux City Railway Company
was accepted, and resigned the follow
ing year. In the autumn of this year |
returned to New Orleans to establish
the Louisiana National Bank, which
went into operation in january, 1856.
with paid up capital of $1.0O0,OOO:
was selected as its first President, which
office surrendered in the beginning of
1869.
In 1871 retired from business with
diminished fortune; and in 1873 CHANGED
my residence to "Hampden Place. .
near Cincinnati, where I now ras;de
having purchased it in 1874 as a home
for my mother, whose roof l had left
fifty years ago, endowed with her ex-
ample, her courage and lessons tn Guide
me, as they have through the macs Of
our uncertain existence and iiuctuatino
fortunes. .r '''''infN
My sacrifices and lossas s;ro ,ot7