New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-15
OBITUARY.
GORDON L. FORD.

COkDON IL. rOhD' "a
cor,on L. Ford one Of the bestmown men ~, ~
n.oor,rn died suddenly yesterday morning AZ ms
horo No 97 Clsrk-st. mt the age OF sixty -eigh. .
ro,d ras LAWYER newspaper publisher railroad pre-
,den and collector of books in the course OF bis
busv life lie was born at Lebanon Cohh ""
her 10 1893 When a boy. eleven years VI" "o -.
90 New York and entered the store OF ms unc@'
" Rurnham lie afterward bookReeper ~, ~"
- ~ which Horace B. ClaHln was afterward inc heau
a. s 600 ~ eighteen he entered the United Statesmar-
hal. ofsce under w. IL. G. warde, and there began ''e
,rdv ~ law When twenty years old TIC "as Au
mtted TO the bar. After practising ior ui'0 -, 80
london. Conn., he became president OF VIVA. y ~"
The NcwLondon Northern Railroad par. VI '"o
vermopt Central system. In 1856 he retired run
va ..ra, N prookyn to live and practised his pro
,ession 3, that city. Some time after tho ou'oe"A
., the war he aided in founding The BrookSh
Tn,on y and was It's business manager Tor tiio
Ue was a stanch Abolitionist. Ill 1o0o ne WIS in
Collector of Internal Revenue for the Illd D'"io' D
was retired in 1872 for refusing 10 pay i" ~
liticaI assessment. He became idennneo WIN Uo
Libcml Republican movement, and went as ucioe"
% Tho eonvention which nominated Horace Greeley
for the Presidency In 1873 he became business mas
ager of The Tribune and remained In that place un
1881 In 1853 he became president OF the oioon''
Flatbush and Coney Island Railroad, but ne riha,
I'm that Office only year. Since that tine nc i'i' h'
official position but devoted himself to the hsnaee
interests lie was largely interested In seVen'i u
The new trust companies but did not appear IN their
| directorates. ,
| Mr. Ford was identified with the Brooklyn Academy
OF Music and the Art Association from their orsaiHa
| ton and he large stockhoder III e"'n
| and had O largo share in their management
| He devoted much time and attention 10
reading. and books we're his hobby. Early in life he
began to collect autograph letters and rare books anu
his collection of Americana Is the finest in the country
| lie lived In an od-fashoned broad house, opposi'"
Monroe Place. in Carkst, and back OF this no bult
library room covering the rear OF the lot' III Is my
feet SQUARE with the ceiling about twenty-five Ieet
| high and the walls are lined with books ana
| pamphlets numbering $4,000. Many rare letters ana
nr,nts and other objects Of interest are contained In
| tb. collection, Mr. Ford had plan In mind Few
wears ago of leaving his books for pubic ocheho Ds
Converting the Art Association Building into library
| He recently began to publish the Original hiat
| ter which had come into his hands, ana
| several volumes have appeared under the editor
ship of his son. Paul Leicester Ford. lie was an In
defagable attendant at book auctions and purchased
nearly all his books himself. He presented to the
| Hamilton Trust Company engravngs and autographs
OF Alexander Hamilton and to the FRANKLIN Irust Oo'
pany similar memorials OF Benjamin Franklin:
Mr. Ford belonged to the Lotos Lawyers
| and Hamilton Clubs, and he was ldeh'i-
| fed with n number OF charitable institu-
|
Of investments and owned a large amount OF properly
| In various parts of Brooklyn. His fortune has been
| estimated a. several Millions
| Mr.. Fords tall somewhat spare figure WIN Ills
abundant gray hair and rather closely cropped beard
has been Of the most familiar IN BROOK
| yn's business streets for many years Oh late
he could be found every day In the omces Oh
various trust companies of his brokers' discussing
business or financial questions. But he was most al
home in his spacious library, where he spent many
hours every day reading and studying His son SAID
yesterday that the library among the largest private
| libraries In the country. His collection OF auto
| graphs was unique and valuable, being worth
| fully 800 900, and the books have an historical
| and statistical value beyond their literary merit
| Some valuable historical pictures were also In his
! possession. 10, 1871,
| Mr. Ford was Ill for several days with gastric
fever but serious results were anticipated Early
| Yesterday morning he grew worse, and while ms
| attendants thought he was asleep, he died. Inc
| funeral arrangements have not been completed
| Mr. Ford was married in 1854 to Miss Emily Els
| worth Fowler. They had seven children. three boys
and four girls all Of whom living. The sons are
| Panl L. Worthington c., and Malcolm Ford The last
named Is wellknown amateur athlete He has been
dangerously Ill at his fathers house, but is now re-
| covering The daughters are the wives OF Robert
| H. Turtle william Barr, Professor Richmond NJ
| smith, and Roswell skeel.