Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-05
The Hobbies of Famous Men.

A clever and industrious compiler of
facts concerning the peculiar pursuits
followed by some prominent people in
their off hours has presented the follow
ing:
Joseph Jefferson Of "Trip Van Wink
lie" fame is not only great actor but a
very good artist.
"Billy" Florence, his distinguished
confrere, is an expert angler. His chief
hobby though appears to be practical
joking
Edwin Booth ia an enthusiastic play
er of whist as we'll as the foremost play
er OF tragedy in America.
George Bancroft, the historian, is pas
sionately fond of roses, and has some of
the finest specimens in the country.
Robert Bonner devotes all his time
and attention to his horse on the trot-
/ ting turf.
George w. Childs, the Philadelphia
journalist and philanthropist, is fond
of collecting authors manuscripts, china
and bric-a-brac.
William Rockefeller is an admirer of
fast horses. He owns three quarter
mile track at which he treats his friends
to races between his own horses.
Cooper Hewitt, son of ex-Mayor
Hewitt, has one of the best collections
of musical instruments in America
and knows how to play on nearly all of
them.
John d. Rockefeller's hobbies are
churches and charities, and he devotes
all his spare time to furthering the in
terests Of the Methodist church. He is
also fond of horses.
Henry Willard, the railroad magnate,
is passionately fond of music. He is a
good performer on the violincello, and
is thoroughly posted on all the doings
in the operatic world.
Russell Sage is an enthusiastic chess
player. After solving the problems of
the bulls and bears, and puts and calls
on Wall street, he goes home to solve
problems on the chess board.
Mrs. Harrison is very good painter.
Nearly all the pictures in the Harrison
homestead were painted by her, and
many of them are really works of art.
The Prerident takes great deal of in.
terest in his wife's work.
George Gould is a philaCelist. He
has one of the finest collections of for
eign stamps in the world and devotes
great deal of his spare time in arrang-
ing them and sticking them in albums
according to their classifications. An
other hobby Is his baby.
Brayton Ives, of Wall street, has per-
haps the finest and most valuable col
lection of old manuscripts, missals and
rare books in the country. He attends
all the sales and frequently sends COM
missioners to the book sales that take
place in Europe, and is considered q
well-posted photographer.
John Wanamaker, the Postmaster
General, has been busy man all his
life. His only hobby is the Sunday
school which isconnected with Bethany
Church in Philadelphia. He is so
wrapt up in the success of this Sunday
school that he is frequently caught neg
lecting his business to discuss Sunday
school matters. ~
Charles A. Dana finds recreation
among the flowers. His flowers have
taken prizes at the flower shows in this
vicinity for number of years, and al
ways form one OF. the most attactive ex-
hibits at the show. He is especially
fond of ofchrysanthemums and has thous-
ands of varieties of these beautiful
plants in his garden.
Jay Gould's hobby seems to have
been collecting dollars; but in addition
to this very interesting collection,
which now numbers several millions,
he is very fond Of flowers. He has, per-
haps, the finest conservatory in the
country; and he works among his flow
ers and rare plants in this conservatory
Just as his gardner would.