Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-11-11
ROCKEFELLER.
A Personal Description of the Stand2
ard Oil King.
New York Start


Mr.. Rockefeller in size is little above the
medium, being neither thick-set nor spare, a,
blonde of the quiet order, wearing no whis-
kers and having a light mustache He is a
peculiar-looking man in one respect, in that
his eye says more than his face, and neither
tells anything that their possessor does not
want known. He wears a very quiet man
ner, is very courteous to everybody with
whom he comes in contact. Long before his
present wealth was obtained, or even dreamed
OF, he was married to Miss Lucy Spellman, a
teacher in the Cleveland public schools, and
a woman Of high culture, beautiful face and
engaging manner. She was daughter of
II. B.'Spellman, a temperance worker of no
little renown some years ago, and closely
identified with the late William E. Dodge, of
New York, in many good works. Mr.. and
Mrs. Rockefeller have been blessed with
three daughters and one son, ranging from
e to years of age.
The greater partof the year is spent in New
York, where quarters are had at the Buck
ingham hotel But Mr. Rockefeller always
looks upon Cleveland as his home. His city
house. where his children were born, and in
which many years of his earlier married life
were spent, is situated on Euclid avenue, at
open, no matter where the family may be.
1t is not as elegant as the residences of many
men less rich, but all its appointments are
perfect, and kept in an air of home comfort
that many more gorgeous mansions do not
possess.
The Rockefellers are not, ard never were,
society people in the social meaning of that
term. They go out little, but in their home on
no 10 Il 81
pany of their own choosing. Toward such
they extend hospitality Of the most quiet
and yet most attractive character, making
each guest feel at home and not overpower-
ing him with ostentation. Although there
are twenty-five servants about the place,
Mrs. Rockefeller is the first one to meet the
guest at the door; and while every want is
met and every convenience is at hand, the
small army OF twenty-five do not seem 90
truded at one nor thrown at him with an
overp0werug sense of their presence.
Mr.. Rockefeller is member OF the Second
Baptist church, located on Euclid avenue, and
presided over by minister with sensational
tendencies. He is superintendent of the Sun
day school, as he has been for many years,
and is always present when within the city.
AIRS. Rockefeller is also in charge Of the infant
stanch pillars of the church, and whenever
anything is TO be done for the Baptist denon-
iuation in any part of the country the presi-
dent of the Standard is the first man called
upon. He is one OF the trustees of the
Women's Christian Temperance union that is
making the present temerance fight in Ohio.
and has furnished as much money toward the
campaign as any living man. But he is
thorough business in his donations, and goes
on a theory of his own. He does not give to
everything that comes along, nor just to get
rid of an applicant. He asks close questions
and looks into the merits of each case.
This is the social and home-life side of tbs
Standard prince. lis business side is of an
other color. When hematches his skill in the
market against that of another man or COM
bination of men, he is relentless, cold and de-
teimined. His success has come through the
buying out, wearing out or crushing out OF
competitors, but the claim is set up by his
friends that he never moved against man
with purpose Of war until he had first Of
fered to take that mans business and property
of his hands at a fair and even generous val
uation.
Mr.. Rockefeller has kept himself away
from the public as much as possible. He
takes no part in politics, and his name is never
seen among the delegates to any convention
or in the list of honorary vice presidents of O.
political mass meeting. He keeps his doors
closed to interviewers and reporters and never
goes into print to explain or answer any
thing. He is seldom seen ON the business
Streets and his face is known to a smaller
number of Cleveland people than that of any
man whose prominence in wealth or COM
mercial activity equals his own.