Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-04-26
The wealthy Parsecs.

Foremost in the catalogue is Sir JAM
shedji Jijibhai, the first native baronet,
who was born in the Gaikwar's terri
tory in 1888 and died, rich, respected,
and honored, in 1859. 1t will be new
to many persons that this gentleman
was on board an English merchant YES
sci when she was captured by the
French man-of-war the Belle-Poule,
in 1906. He suffered no small
hardships between June, when he
was taken prisoner, and Deem
Der. when he was landed somewhat for
lorn in Calcutta. His statue by Marc
chetti adorns the Town Hall of Bombay,
and we should add that to Lady jam
shedji is due the splendid causeway
which connects Bombay with Salsette,
executed at cost of some el5,000.
With good reason did the late Lord
Elphinstone declare a statue to be fit
ting expression Of the gratitude Of a
community toward a man who had
spent a quarter Of a million in great
public works. Sir Jamshedji left three
sons, who inherited their fathers
spirit with his wealth. The title
is now borne by the grandson, men,
Der Of the Bombay Legislative Council
and a G.. S. /. The families known by
the title of Patel, Modi, Banaji, and
Kama are scarcely less honOred. Ka-
vasji tvulgarly spelled Cowasiee) Patel
dug large tank in the last century
and gave his name to a street. The
Readymoneys traded with China, and
some of them fed thousands of starving
people in the great famine of Guzerat,
Their cognomen is really derived
from two English words, and is not,
as might be imagined, distorted ORR
entail phrase. The members of the
Wadia family have been known as ship
builders for century and a half, and
have launched such ships as the Salsette
and the Minden. and recently have fitted
out transports for the Abyssinian aud
other expeditions. Framji Ksyasji dis
tinguished himself by improvements
in agriculture, and his model farm ex-
cited the admiration of Sir John NAL
colin fifty years ago. His brother
Rastamji, with his two sons, was well
known as leading merchant in Cal
cutta, and astonished the Bengalese by
giving entertainments at which the
ladies Of the family did not hesitate to
appear. Members Of the Vikaii family
became farmers Of the land and sea
customs, imported Berar cotton into
Bombay, and administered large dis
tricts belonging to the Nizam Of Hyde
rabad. OF late years Parsees have filled
with credit appointments in the LegiSla-
tive Council, and have been high-Sher-
ifs. justices of the peace, and chairmen
of the municipal corporation. Practi-
cally there is hardly a profession in
which they have not been conspicuous.
More Of them are now seeking employ
ment in the public service, and in
past times they have, when neces-
ssry, shown they could fight. But
their greatest successes have been
achieved as contractors, bankers, mer-
chants, manufacturers, and middlemen.
They have on more than one occasion
followed our armies to the field, and
have sold their goods in camp at Alden
and Cabul. Their generosity has
known no distinction of race. sect, or
creed. While they have built fire.
temples and DokhmaS for their co-reli-
gionists they have assisted the deserving
Of all classes, have contributed to
patriotic objects in England and in
France, and have compelled the Shah to
do some justice to their countrymen in
Persia.