Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1888-01-07
PRESIDENTIAL POVERTY.
THE WHITE HOUSE NOT THE PLACE
For MONEY MAKING.

| Jefferson Died I'm Debt--one of the Wash
ington Family Peddiing Trinkcts-The
Adamses as Money savers--Andrew Jack
an--Fiiimorc--Garfield.
/ Most of the presidents have died poor, and
| few of them have made much out of office
/ holding. just before Jefferson died he was
so much in deht that lottery scheme was
gotten up to sell his property and relieve his
necessities. He left practically nothing to
his children, and they received some two
sums Of $4,000 each from the legislatures OF
| two of the southern states.
John Tyler left some property, but it all
went to his second wife One of his sons
Gen. John Tyler, who drove a four-in-hand
while his father was in the White House, and
who was then called the handsomest man in
Washington, lives off position in the treas
ury department, and one of Tyler's most ac-
conn ,lished daughters, q lady who presided
over the executive mansion after her mothers
deaeh and until her father married Julia
| Gardner, is a guest of Corcoran's Old Ladies'
! Homo here. A man who claims to be one of
the Washington family, and who, by the
way, has a face strikingly like that of the
president, peddles trinkets in a little booth in
the pension building. Dolly Madison, the
presidents wife, was, during a part of her
last days, furnished food by a colorcd man
who had been in President Madison's service.
| She got however, a large sum of money from
congress for Madison's papers, and it was this
that eased her declining years.
PRESIDENT MoSRoE's POVERTY.
Monroe was SO poor that his latter days
were spent with his son-in-law, Samuel L.
Gouverneur, in New York, and there he
died. Harrison left nothing 60 speak of.
Polk left about Sl5o,000, including Polk
place at Nashville, where his widow now
lives. 1t is valuable block Of ground in
the center of the town, which has risen
largely in value since the presidents death.
Martin Van Buren, made money out of
politics. He started life poor and died well
to do. One estimate puts his estate at $780,
600, and he made money in real estate as
well as in the law. Both Of the Adamses
were money savers, If not money makers.
The letters of John Adams, the second presi-
dent, to his wife, Abigail, repeatedly urge
her to cut down the household expenses and
to practice economy. He lunched himself
on oat cake and lemonade, and no walked
far oftener than he rode.
John Quincy Adams received nearly $780,
600 from the government in salaries during
his lifetime, and no possessed the Yankee
thrift. The Adams family at present is one
of the richest in New England, and was
told at Kansas City that Charles Francis
Adams has more than 100000 invested in
real estate there He has railroad stocks
and bonds in addition, and he makes his
money breed like Australian rabbits
ANDREW JAcKsoNs EXPENSES.
Andrew jackson spent moro than his sal
airy while no was in the White House, and he
had to borrow money to keep up with his ex-
penses Thomas jefferson borrowed tho
money that carried him out OF Washington
when he left the presidency, and Andy John
son, though he entertained considerably, Is
supposed to have saved at least $4,000 dur
ing his White House career. He died, l am
told, worth about 100000, and the most Of
this came from economy. 1t was pretty
good estate for tailor to leave. James Blu
chanan was making about $1,000 year at
the law when he entered congress, and he
spent during his presidency what was left
from his living expenses in charity. He
was not, however, a rich man when he died,
and his estate of Wheatlands was sold year
or two ago.
President Fillmore began his life as wool
carder. During the three years he was en-
gagged to his sweetheart he had not enough
money to pay the expenses OF the 100 miles
which lay between her home in Saratoga
county, N Y, and where he had begun to
practice law. During tho first years of their
marriage his vito did the housework and
taught school, and still he died one Of the
richest of the presidents. The greater part
Of his fortune, however, came from his Soc
ond marriage to a rich woman of Buffalo,
whom he courted after his first wife died.
President Clevelandi is supposed to be worth
about 100000, and ts owns, am told, real
estate in Buffalo which is rapidly advancing
in value President Arthur left much less
than he was supposed TO be worth. Garfield
shortly before his death owed $4,000 to Gen.
Swain, and Grant did not add to his fortune
by his White House career. Hayes made
money out of the presidency, and is rich
through Inheritance and economy. The pres
idents, as a rule, have not saved money dur
ing their presidency, but tho same abilities
which made them presidents would, if they
had been used in the field of money making
and money saving, have given them fort
unes.-Frank G. Carpenter in New York
World.
Mr.. Surgeons face is said torecall that OF
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