Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-26
STANFoRD's START.
EARLY LIFE In A WISCONSIN
- VILLAGE.
- Drove Him West to Seek
1880 Fortune.
Especial to the Chicago Herald.

tt---as fortune.
Especial to the Chicago Herald
+ FoRr WASHINGTON lWis.), March 10Th.
Forty years ago Senator. Leland STAN
ford, the California millionaire, here laid
the foundation of his fortune of $40, 100000;
here it was that Mr. and Mrs. Stanford
spent their honeymoon and the first three
years of their married life, and here they
suffered more and greater hardships than
they experienced before or after. 1t was
here, too, that Leland Stanford received
the blow which sent him away in chagrin
and disgust to build for himself and his
young wife new home in the West-the
blow that was the direct means of chang
ing his position in life from that of a
struggling country lawyer to the one he
now holds.
Mr.. Stanford came to Port Washington
intending TO make it his permanent home.
In the forties the village was lusiy rival
of Chicago and Milwaukee, and was en-
joying a healthy boom fostered by Chicago
men, whose confidence in the village at the
head of the lake had been shaken. Stan
ford was at this time studying law in AL
bany, n. Y, where missionary sent out
by H. o. Stone of Chicago found him and
induced him to cast his lot in Wisconsin.
His mind once made up it did not take
the young lawyer long to get his valua5les
together, his luggage consisting of a small
u lido hO,pI lal i
pairs of home-knit wooden socks, few
linen collars of the kind that fastened at the
back, and four or five cotton handerchiefs
as large as small table-cloths, which, with
his law books-the latter forming a small
but excellent library, the gift of brother
were packed in single trunk.
1t has been said that when Leland Stan
ford came to Fort Washington he walked
into the village, his wardrobe on his back
and his valuables tied in a red cotton
handkerchief. There appears to be no
foundation for this story. Gray-haired
men, who we'll remember Stanford's arri-
val here, say there is no doubt that the
journey from Albany was made by rail to
the terminus of the Lake Shore road,
which was then in course of construction,
thence by stage to Chicago. and by boat to
this place. There are number of the
early settlers who recall the young lawyers
arrival. He was stout-built, dark COM
plexioned young man, % or % years old,
with thick lips and an impeachment in his
speech that made him appear at bad adj
vantage in social gatherings, and tended to
make him bashful and retiring.
Stanford secured board at the Powers
Il L
H. o. Stone, of Chicago, and managed by
the late Judge OConnor. He looked the
town over, liked the location and its pros
poets, and decided to settle here. A room
was rented on the second floor of frame
store building and furnished as law of
fee. The apartment was small-S by 70
and plainly furnished, the furniture con-
sisting of rough, implanted table, three
chairs, and bookcase A single was
hung out, and Leland waited for client.
Whether or not the client ever came his
tory does not relate, but true it is the Court
records of Washington county bear no evil
dence that Leland Stanford had case on
the calendar during the three years he
was member of this bar. In fact, bust
ness was so poor that Stanford secured
an appointment as Notary Public in order
to increase his income by the fees accru-
ing from the office. To-day there is many
deed and mortgage on file bearing the
signature Iceland Stanford, Notary
Public"
In the fall of 1s4S Stanford returned to
Albany to be married. Charles Miller, a
prominent citizen of West Bend, in the ad-
joining county, declares with considerable
pride that he furnished the money to pay
the expenses of that wedding and bridal
tour. The fact was, lawyer Stanford had
found his hands full in keeping the wolf
from the door, and had been unable to
save much from his small income; but he
would not disappoint his betrothed by ask
ing her to postpone the wedding, and
pluckily took friend into his confidence
and borrowed the money to carry him
through.
Mr.. and Mrs. Stanford did not come to
Port Washington prepared to begin house
keeping. All their worldly goods were
contained in one trunk of very moderate
size, and they found no difficulty in get
ting everything into the one small room
in the Powers House occupied by them
Their apartment was on The second floor,
directly over the bar-room, and was
warmed by stovepipe that passed through
the chamber from the office. The young
couple were very happy here for several
months They were welcomed in society,
such as there was, and it is said the lines
were drawn very closely, attended the
dancing parties given in "the section"
as the long, low hall in the garnet of
the hotel was termed, and became a part
of the life OF the little village At last,
however, Mrs. Stanford became tired of
being continually invited out without
being able to entertain in return, and
sighed for a home of her own. 1t was de-
cided to begin housekeeping, and cosy
story -and-a-half brick cottage was rented.
Furniture came from the East-a gift of
Mrs. Stanford's father-and the young
people moved into their plain, but quite
pretty home. The house stood on the
bank of a brook, so close to the stream that
one day during a spring freshet the waters
rose and carried the building out into
Lake Michigan, where it sunk, together
with its contents.
For a time Stanford seemed to prosper
in a small way, but year after his mar
rage Dame Fortunes smile, which was
never particularly bright, turned to
frown. Business fell off to nothing, and
the young lawyers income stopped.
Then Mrs Stanford thought it advisable
to return to the home of her parents until
things picked up. A fire came and swept
away Stanford's Office, destroying his
library and leaving him with no means to
continue his business. About this time a
political campaign was at hand, and the
nomination to the office of Prosecuting
Attorney for the county was rendered him.
He accepted it, and when the votes were
counted found he was showed under. Dis
gusted. disheartened and poor, Stanford
accepted an invitation of his brother, who
had gone to California some months pre-
vious, and emigrated to the Pacific coast.
Il is interesting to know that the man
who defeated Stanford and sent him TO San