The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-16
JAY GOULD'S YOUTH.
Stories of the Great Financier Told by an Old
Village Shoemaker.

Stories of the Great Financier Told by an Old
Village Shoemaker.
Cairo IN. " Letter in Rochester Democrat.
There is in the Forge man who, thirty three
years ago, was well acquainted with Jay Gould.
and tor the purpose OF giving your readers In
tereSting matter in regard to the youth of one Of
the princes of Wall street your correspondent
iourneyed to the residence of the possessor of
the information desired.
Seated before the door Of his house, enjoying
his clay pipe with happiness complete the
Sultan might smoke his narghile, the individual
in quest of knowledge found Sack Byington,
the village shoemaker. About sixty years of age,
he is six feet tall heavily built and sturdy looking
with high forehead, white hair, vergng on bald
ness, keen gray eye glstening beneath shaggy
eyebrows, long, aQulne nose prominent by
reason of the face being clean shaver, with the
exception Of little side whiskers, and a mouth
we'll adapted to the purposes of simple country
life. Fashion does not reign supreme among
the inhabitants of Catskill town and Mr.. B. is
no exception to the rule. His clothing is
treme]y simple and very Anticipated. Jack" is
cheerful and talkative, and the information he
bestowed upon your correspondent is, in sub
stance as follows:
eyes, l knowed Jason Gould-and, mind We,
his name is Jason, not Jay-from the time he
lived in RoXbury, Delaware county, whar he
was born. His father old uncle Johnny Gould,
of the best men in the place aud was a
prominent member of the Baptist church thar
By the way, bear Jay gave 500 couple O
years ago to have the old church painted. There
was six on em-Sally, Betsey, Annie, Polly,
Jason, and Abraham. 1 don't know nothing
about the rest but Sally, she got married and
her husband died, and I'm told Jay is eddicatin'
her children at PouChkeepse. What kind Of
boy was Jay2s Well he was pecoolar youth.
He hadn't Cad habit, either. He never smoked,
nor chewed, nor drank. He never spent cent
fooishly, far asI know. Jay always seemed
to be studying on something, and was mighty
economical. He used to walk with his head
dow a11Eu hlY1 xnJ1tH 70 Nod
screw his head up one side and look at yer with
his big black eyes from underneath his eye
brows. Jay got most of his eddication at Delhi
and Roxbury, and he learnt surveyin'. too.
While Jay was young Teller we had the Maine
liquor law in RoXbury. and whisky was forbid
to be sold. Well. sir, would you believe it, half
dozen times young Jason catched men after
they had bought bar1 of spirits from man
that used to peddle it on the sly; and he
understand that he hain't never touched
liquor, and good thing it's bin for him,
too, l can tell yer. Did he ever show
any likelihood for turning out as he did, Well.
no. 1t seems nigh onto impossible to me when
think of young Gould clerkin and sweepin' out
the store there in Roxbury, starting with moth
in, havin as much money as they say Jay has
got. He must have brains and III ewow that
he's got the pluck. They were determined set,
them Goulds. Why, once old unu:S John--.v
jays father said that he could drive a team that
Catskill and back in one day. Well, sir, he got
man to take him, and he druv the hull distance,
one hundred miles, gettin' back to Roxbury AFTER
II o'clock. He did it, built killed the horses.
Jay was just like the old man in that respect. I
remember well the first money Of any account
he made. He had sort Of whee-bar' arrange
ment, and he carried it all round the country,
and made map. He got 81 500 for that and he
hung on to it Tight Old Colonel Pratt had a
tannery, and got rich, and started bank: Then
he wanted to go back into the tannery business,
and he got young jayne was bout nineteen
then-to go to northern Pennsylvania to take
charge of new tannery They called the place
Goudsborough, after Jay. Well, sir in
two years Jay came back with $4,000
of Colonel Pratt's money. and then he
went to New York. and hain't heard no more
I'm him. except that he's rich and made big
success. ~ it. Jay was never proud nor naughty,
ye understand AM I'll bet. if he saw me day
he would stop and speak w,... no' useo 10
make his shoes, and he never wasted an, WORDS,
l tellye. He used come in and try EN- on. ana
if they'd fit, he'd keep EN-; if they didn't he'd
walk right out and never say word. But he
always said he'd have his share of the money,
and guess he's got it." At this point. Jack"
relit his pipe, and after your correspondent had
been escorted through his neat establishment,
with an invitation for a repetition of the visit,
he took his departure.