The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-06

original founders Of the present great
banking house of Dre1el, Morgan q Co.
Jasper T. Van Week has just celebrated
his eighty-frst birthday. He was born in
New York city Sept. S, 1911.
AT the age OF sixteen he became n clerk
in the State bank at Newark, y. j.. and,
after several years training entered the
Office of Rufus ~ Neyins. his uncle. at the
southwest corner of Wall and Williams
streets, New York
The volume of business on Wall street
was at this time insignificant. Hardly one
of the exchange oflices-as they were
called-had dollar of capital. Nevins
had come from Middletown, Conn, and
was the correspondent Of various Connecti-
cut banks. In 1887 the banking and bro
kerage house Of Nevins, Townsend & CO.,
which had been founded by him, failed for
the miserable little sum of g., 900.
After this Van Week worked for several
years in the banking houses Of John p.
Smith g. Co., and Houghton, Merritt &
Co. About the year 1912 he started in the
banking business upon his own account
without penny of capital He began buy
ing uncuTent bank notes, borrowing the
sum of 5000 from day to day. He paid for
this accommodation seventy cents day,
and also agreed to give TO the bankers the
uncurrent money he purchased. His
method of conducting business was unique.
The money borrowed from Drew. Robin
son & Co. be deposited in the Phenix
bank He would then draw his check for
the amount Of uncurrent or state bank
money purchased. To keep his bank ac-
count FROM being overdrawn. his clerk
Frederick white, late of White, Morris 81
Co., would take the purchases OF uncurrent
money promptly TO Drew, Robinson & Co.
and receive payment therefor directly
Thus be was enabled to turn the 5000
over and over again, and at five minutes 10
Sd. m. to make n final deposit, draw bis
check for s., 600 on the bank and return tae
loan.
About 1852 A. j. Drexel, of philadelphia,
offered TO put up $4,000 against Van
Weeks capital of $4,000 The offer was
accepted and a copartnership entered into
under the firm name Of Van Week, Read
& Drexel. This firm did very large bust
ness. About twenty years ago Jasper I.
Van Week retired from it, aud has ever
since lived the life Of a country gentleman.
The house mas since DecOmo lduvuo ~
Drexel, Morgan & Co.
No one who sees Mr.. Van Week today
would take him for an octogenarian. he
is the Oldest of the five patriarchs Of Wall
street yet living who began their careers
rs clerks in 1899.
Nathaniel 5. Barry is the oldest living
ex-governor In the United States. II his
life shall be spared until Sept. l, 1896, he
will have rounded out full century. Gov
ernor Barry was born in Bath. Me-. and
was left an orphan when he was but six
years old. Kind hearted people cared for
him until he was about thirteen, when he
set out for himself, locating finallyin Bath,
n. H., where he apprenticed himself 20 a
tanner and currier, which trade he followed
for many years after he had become jour
neyman.
In ls4l, without solicitation on his part,
Mr.. Barry was appointed judge OF the
court Of common pleas for Grafton county
In 1880 he became judge OF probate, sery-
ing until 1861, when be was elected gov
ernor Of New Hampshire. He had pre-
yiously been member OF the legislature
and state senate for six terms each.