The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-03
JAY GOULD's LIFE STORY.
The History or the Most Successful FIunn
cier of His Time.


The History or the Most Successful FIunn-
eier of Ills Time.
Jay Gould died at nearly 81 years Of ago on
tho same day Of the week that once earned q
famous nickn name. through one OF his most re-
markable financial operations. He died MS no
would have wished to do. at homo and sur
rounded by his family. but his death closed
lfo that was 80 managed as to leave his lace
and figure practically unknown to the people
in the city in which he had lived for thirty
years.
He was short. spare man with piercing
black eyes and u salow face the lower part OF
which was hidden behind full black beard.
Those who knew him best said that 1t was
through his eyes that tho man revealed him
self They were u remarkable Tair-scarch-
Ing nrm. cold. and all but incapable OF chang
ing in any way that might bctrny his feelings.
He seldom lost his temper or was excited.
His methods. II his friends anuyze them cor
rectly led him to discern public movements
before his rivals did. and TO follow rather than
to lead them. Thus no got tho great influence
OF natural forces to add to lis power AMI
weight in many important railway srccuia-
lions. In others he created conditions to suit
his specuiativ. intentions. and there were no
means he would hesitate to adopt In order to
succeed.
tho habit OF asserting that his origin must
have been lIebraic No ono prctends to say
how many generations bnck tho jewish blood
was In the family. or that Mr.. Gould was aware
Of its existence in him. But both his names
Jason or Jay and Gould-served to strengthen
this belief in those who held 1t. The twisted
form Gould" was suspected OF being changed
from Cold which is \ common prefix in tho
names OF inanimate and natural objects which
certain Jews in Europe were compelled to
adopt rs surnamcs in one period OF their his
tory. His habits OF thought and his extraor-
binary intellect were both Jewish. these per-
sons assert with how much or little basis in
the actual fact OF his origin no ono can over
decide.
Mr.. Gould was certainly American In tho
character and extent OF his sell-creution and
success. born Of poor parents On poorer
farm no began TO MAKE moMOy to pay his way
through scoool. and he WAS n partner in buSi-
ness enterprises while yet a lad. lie cot richer
and richer by tho fairest means and by means
that caused him to DO tho man most cordially
disliked by tn. public OF all the conspicuous
mon OF his day. He has died with between
sixty and ssvcnty-live millions OF dollars. in
heritiny none and marrying mono Ithat united
in his vast estate.
1t was in Koxbury. Delaware county. that
bury is tiny village in the Catskill Mountain
region. Tho Goulds had moved there not
long a.ter the Revolutionary War and jays
father. John B. Gould. was the first white ma!e
child born in tho county. His birth occurred
in 1872. Ho WAS small farmer and kept Il
dairy OF twenty COWS. 1t is said that Jay was
cliristened Jason. 1t was his duty 10 drive his
fathers cows 10 and from the pasture and to
help at tho milking Of them He liked no part
OF the lifo on the farm. He was pale. sen-
der delicate little fellow studonsy inclined
and disliking the customary sports as much
as tho toll OF the people around him.
During tho school terms he attended
the village school and it is remembered
OF him that he was different from the
other boys. He WAS not what Is generally
termed u manly boy. He kept out Of the
rough. good natured games. He preferred to
remain indoors. and ut noon time cudd!ed up
In some remote corner of the schoolhouse.
busy about nobody knew what When ap-
preached by the others with invitations to
come out and join them he would refuse. II.
in banter. the boys attempted to force him to
join them. lie would make II great outcry. and
breaking away from them. would SIT and nops
until the school was called to order. Then no
would 80 to the masters chair and enter q
fearful complaint against his enemies The
tie Gould would be tickled.
His father became unpopular In the village
by opposing the antircnt movement ut that
time, and young Gould was oblig ed to leave |
the school. He begged TO ba allowed to attend
tho academy In the village OF Hobart. some
miles away He agreed to pay his own way
through the academy. and he walked to 1t with
an extra suit OF Clothes with precisely half a
dollar to his credit in the world. and with tho
peculiar knowledge that his father considered
him no good on tho farm. Tho boy was then II
years OF age.
At Hobart tho boy was to show by what no
did that he was as little like most OF the other
boys as no seemed. The principal OF the acad-
envy found in the village blacksmith man
who would board and lodge tho boy in return
for tho keeping OF his books and accounts by
young Jay. The lad worked persistently BY
day and by night ut his studies and the black
smiths books and com pleted the course ut tho
academy. spending his Sundays with his
father. for his mother had died when he was
IL years OF age. On leaving school he got q
place as clerk in q tin shop in Hobart. and at
Is years OF age was partner in and manager
OF the business.
Not only that. but this amazing boy was up
at dsybreak every day to pursue the study OF
surveying and such engineering as he found
books and instruments to help him to. More
over. when the elder Gould sold his farm young
Jay took him into the tin shop on \ salary.
Leaving his father in charge there he engaged
with some surveyors at so a Llonth to help
make survey for map OF u
ster county. His employers gave him a
little pass book. which he said would DO USE
full to him on tho road. The farmers who gave
Jay Gould anything to eat were to put 1t down
in this pass book. and the employer would