St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-27
NAPOLEoN's PUTATlyE SON.
A San Francisco Watchm maker yyhs
Looked Lilo The Eusnernr

"A san Francisco Watchmak er who
Looked Like The Emperor.
From the New London Comm Day.
"A son of Napoleon born in st. Helena
island and buried in Lone Mountain ceme-
terry" is the heading OF an article published
in the San Francisco World that will cause
many a New Londoner to open his eyes
and wonder he did not guess it before. The
article accredits Napoleon Bonaparte with
being the father of the late John Gordon
the matchmaker, who formerly resided here.
and notice of whose death at San Fran
cisco appeared in these columns some weeks
since. The resemblance Mr. Gordon bore
TO his putatiye father, the emperor, was
often the subject of comment, but regarded
only as a coincident. The story, however,
is best told by the World as follows:
1.-The marron of NapOleon's prisoner
perhapsit would be more correct to speak
OF her as the honsekeeper-a appointed by
the British government to attend to the
comforts OF the eXiled monarch, was a
comely woman in early middle life, and
doubtless she, in common with the rest Of
his attendants, could never quite forget that
her charge had once worn an imperial
crown. Napoleon, like Jove in Dryden's
immortal poem, stamped an image of HIM
self ON the nearest approach to a fair
Olympia that the somewhat straitened re-
sources of st. Helena'S Isle could furnish.
The result was the birth of boy, who,
albeit with the bar-siniSter of the Bona
parties on his escutcheOn, could yet, it is
believed, claim more kindred, as he GER
tainly bore closer resemblance of feature
and figure to the race, than Napoleon Ill.
ever could.
after the death of the exiled emperor.
flarah x.t.e tra1- I.,G4 -
to London. taking her boy with her.
There she married matchmaker of the
name of Gordon, who adopted the boy and
bestowed Oh him his own name. BY and
by the young fellow grew to manhood,
learned his adopted fathers trade, and in
the course of years wandered to New Lon
don, Conn, where he soon established HIM
self i'll large and thriving business as a
matchmaker and jeweler. He became
man OF Influence in that part of the
country, mixing much in politics. He
even took quite prominent part in jour
nalism, especially during the contest which
preceded the selection of League Island as
the site of navy yard. New London was
the rival of that point for the possession of
the yard. and long and animated discus
sion on the relative claims of the two points
was carried on between Gordon and Gideon
Welles, then secretary of the navy. The
literary contributions of the former to this
controversy, though unsuccessful in attain
ing their end, were marked with great abil-
ity and earned for him the respect and
gratitude of the people of New London.
He chiefly contributed to the Norwich Bull
letin and the New London Star, most of
his articles on the navy yard question APP
pearing in the latter paper.
''Soon afterwards he came to this city.
having been probably seized with the Cali
fornia fever, then epidemic in the East.
He entered into business with Mr. Tucker
on the corner of Geary and Kearny streets,
and was engaged with him for about six
teen years. Afterwards he was for time
with Mr.. Durkin and later set up in a small
way for himself at 231 Kearny street, where
he remained until he died. He was man
of very.considerable business ability, but
somewhat reserved and only sociable with a
select circle of friends.
''Gordon's face and figure bore re-
markably striking resemblance to those of
his imperial father, and strangers who
knew nothing of the romantic story of his
birth frequently noticed it. He was very
retieent on the subject himself, but when
mellowed by the social cup, he would open
his mind very freely. and was by no means
unwilling to admit his relationship to the
'Corsican ConquerOr.' At such moments
he, apparently unconSciously, assumed the
very attitude and expression Of the picture
of his ancestor alluded to above.
Born at ST. Helena, he lies buried in
Lone M0untain-a proof that. notwith-
standing philosophic aphorisms to the con-
trary, there is often a good deal more than
a span between the cradle and the grave. ,