Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-11-08

JOHN LEWIS cHilos,
10 IL always q pleasure 10 the Demo.
crAt to record the success of Oxford
County boys. Last week We promised
our readers brief sketch of tie young
man whose likeness appears nj the top
of this article, and whose name has come
TO b- known throughout the civilized
world In connection With the advaace-
ment Of the science Of Horticulture.
John Lewis Chllds VAS the son of
stephen and Lydia Chllds, late Of Buck
field. Oxford County, Maine, aud he car
ries into his life's success the value and
advantage % q goodly parental Inherit
ance. Ilis parents were of the sturdy
old New England stock that has given
to the world go many of its brilliant
lights In manhood aud womsnhood.
II should be said that the subject OF
this sketch was bon In the town at Jay,
In Franklin County. In the year lsS5, his
parrnts removing during his childhood
10 the town of Buckheld In this county,
where they occupied what has long been
locally known a. the Ira Gardner farm
about one mile vest % Buckfeld village
on the Psri. IIili ros They lIVci here
aud at Buekheld village during the re-
mslnder 90 their lives, where they prom
inently identified themselves With the
social and religious Interests of the
town, and where their lives are held In
blessed memory by lArg. circle OF
surviving relatives aud friends.
John Lewis Was one Of the Youngest
OF considerable family. Anon. hls
brothers and sisters wcr DIR. Andrew
Chiids, Who died In early manhood, and
left behind q reputation for ability and
business ssgscity rarely equal~i by =
man Of hi. age; Dr. Converse =. Childs,
no~ q .uccc..fui dentist aud lrsdln. cit
iyen % Buckheld; Lydia, Wife of j..
Roscoe Fuller, E.a., . prominent citizen
aud postmaster of florsl Park, y. y,
and Nellie, wife of Walter y. Pike, Esq,
editor Of the Msynower, FLORAL Park,
MY.
On the Gardner farm above alluded tn
the boyhocd of John lewis Chllds Was
spent, and here he developed tb. love ~
flowers, which, coupled With ability aud
enterprise of high order, has earned
for him fame and fortune.
The writer we'll remembers ID. neatly
kept flower garden which john Lewis
Chlids, az . boy, planted aud card Tor
~ith hls Own hands. u VAS th, admlra-
tlon 90 all lovers Of fo~ers for nile
around. and MAS Que of the points ut In.
t.r-.t Ia visitors Ia INV native town.
Mr.. Childs rrceivcd = good common
school sui academic education, but, hi.
taste. running Ia agricultural and hor-
ticultural pursuits more than "a book
lore, much of hi. boyhccd WAS spent In
farming, until nj the age of only seven
teen years, he started out 10 the world
to .sSk fame aud fortune Tor himself.
Through q friend Who had preoeded
him to New York. he obtained n situs-
tion ss an spprrniicc With Mr.. 4. L.. Az
/ len, q secismsn and hori.t 81 Queens,
Long Island.
This move, II will - seen, was but
the natural outcome ~ hls ardent love
Tor the line of occupation 10 which hc
has been so eminently successful, and
Who shall say that hls success j. not the
natural outcome Of the ardent love for
HE cslllngt
Mr.. Chilis remained In the employ of
Mr.. Allen for one year, 1T the end of
which time he obtained q little land aud
started In business In . very modest Nay
/ for him self. Prom this humbl. begin.
ming starts the story of the great bush
ness that L. now known the world over.
wherever flowers are cultivated.
lie took up forty acres of Land In an
unin,iting part of Long Island aud has
caused "th- desert To bud and blossom
q. the rose" for on this slie now stand.
the beautiful aud thriving village Of
Floral Park, the conception and esiab-
| ll.hm.nt of John Lewis Childs.
As his bu.ldes grew be built MP
FLORAL Park, making u the wonder al
spectators aud unsurpassed In beauty by
ANY ,lllsg- la his county, aud hi. 10 q
county of beautiful suburban villages,
where wealthy business men 81 Nes
York city have made their country
home. aud surrounded th.m With the
| elegance that wealth inspires.
/ Some idea of the extent aud m,gni-
tude of Mr.. Child.' bushes. may IT,
gathered from the fact that now be Ia.
l 10 acre. under cultivation Mt FLORAL
Park. beside. large seed gardens In suf-
folk County aud other parts Of the coun-
try wher. the soil aud climate are best
ad,pted for certain strains of seeds.
There are four large greenhouses, two
SEED stores, one larger than the larry
est block In oxford County, = steam
printing establishment, ~ by Us feet,
equipped with the beat modern presses,
type, &C., an electric light plant, a
large aud ~ell-kept hotel, With thirty
rooms, aud thirty cottages occupied
by employees; q handsome aud spacious
block of .tore.. all % which were erect
ell BY Mr.. Childs. In fact, he prscti-
caliy own. Floral Park. The seed busi-
ness IL mainly done through the cat
alogue, 10000 copies Of which were
thi. season printed and mailed Ia all
parts of the world nj an expense al
slt0.OO. Another publication is the
Msyhower, which has = monthly circu-
lation Of over 10000. The yearly post
age for sending out the goods Of this
mammoth establishment amounts "a
sijO,WO. There are branch houses oi
Mr.. Chllds' at London; Sidney, Austria
la; Auckland, New Zealand; ~. Cath
srinc's, Canada; and ~. Johns, New
foundlsnd. The total running expenses
90 Mr.. Childs' establishment, Including
the wages % = small army Of employees,
amount To 81 900 day.
Mr.. Childs II not the man Ia forget hi.
old Maine friends, and several Of the
most important places In his employ
the heads of departments-are occupied
BY natives Of the old Pine Tree state.
For the second time Mr.. Chllds has
been selected by the Republicans Of the
First Congressional District Of New
York ne their candidate for Congress.
Although the district IL strongly Demo
cratic, aud the Democratic candidate q
most popular gentleman, Mr.. Childs'
personal popularity, his public splrii
and generosity, and hls great business
ability, combined with his thorough
know ledge Of the needs Of Long Island,
will make him most formidable candl'
date.
We claim that Il IL no mean achieve
ment for man In his thirty-sixth year
TO hsve won the brilliant succe. that
John Lewis Chllds has done, and We ars
justly proud of young man ~ho, start.
Ing With hardly dollar In the world and
no aid except bis own efforts, has Ia
seventeen years founded and built up q
thriving village and business second In
its line to none In the world.