The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-08

IL IN de-,
fourth anniversary of his birth. There
would be nothing remarkable in this
fact alone, for there are many men
s In these parts who have lived to
very old age, but John l. Blair has
achieved a considerable reputation
through the public works he has
planned and executed, and he has
,amassed a great fortune. He is espe-
cially well known in the West, where
he has built many new railroads and
developed others which were not pay
ling properties until he took hold of
them. His wealth is estimated to be
from $4O,0OO,00O to $50,0O0 900. He has
practically founded the town in which
he has spent the greater part of his
life, and which commentaries his
name, and has laid OUT no less than
eighty others along the lines of rail-
roads which he has built. His name
stands at the head of the great bank
ing firm of John l. Blair & Co., at 33
Wall street, New York. Members of
this firm include his son. a grandson,
a nephew and others of his relatives
= Notwithstanding his great wealth,
Mr.. Blair is very plain man. There
lis nothing ostentatious in his manner
of living. He is so averse to display
that he objects to any demonstration
on the part Of his relatives and friends
on his recurring birthdays, and those
who called last Saturday to pay their
respects had to do so without formal
1ty. Until recently he spent a great
deal Of time in walking, but he rarely
gets out of the house now. About two
years ago he had a bad turn, and 1t
was thought would die. His strong
constitution enabled him to rally, and,
for one Of his age, he may be said now
to be vigorous. When he needs to go
out he harnesses up an old horse and
bitches it to an equally old and de-
lapidated chaise. The old attachments
and customs Of half century ago are
stronger in their influences than the
so-called comforts of the present
Nothing better illustrates the charac-
ter Of the man than the following an
ecdote:
why is 1T, Mr. Blair" friend
asked the old gentleman, that your
son rides In a fine turnout, while you
Jog along like this?"
well, you see, 1 never had the ad-
vantage of rich father" he said.
HIS STRUGGLE FOR WEALTH.
In form and feature in the history
of his life and in the projects by which
he has become one of the wealthiest
men in the country, John 1. Blair is
not unlike the first Cornelius Wander
bilt He began Iife-a business life
when a boy, and without money. He
has accumulated a great fortune and
has made it possible for many others
to become very rich.
He comes of Scotch Presbyterian
stock, and the founder of the family
in this country was John Blair, who
settled in New Jersey in 1920. He and
his brother, Samuel were both clergy
men, and were among those who pro-
cured from Gov. Belcher the original
charter for Princeton college. Samuel
Blair was afterward vice president
and professor of rhetoric in the col
aege, and was its first historian in
1854 His brother John was professor
Of moral philosophy.
1.-The old Oxford iron furnace, in the
center of Warren county, has played
an important part in the fortunes o.
MIR. Blair The furnace was opened
by one of William PENIS associates
before the revolution. 1t fell into the
hands of DR.. Shipman, of Philadelphia,
who sent his son-in-law, Samuel Blair,
10 look after it. Tbs Samuel Blair was
John l. Blair's grandfather.
John l. Blair's father moved to the
banks of the Delaware to look after
the shipping of the iron, and 1T was
there, at the foot Of what is known
US Foul Rift, two miles below Belvi-
dere, that John Insley Blair was born
on Aug. %, 1902. Two years afterWarc
his father moved to farm on Beaver
creek, three miles from Hope, ano
there young Blair grew up. 1t was e
big farm, and the land has belonged
to the Blair family for more than l5'
years. John I. Blair went to schoo
for few winters, worked on the farn
during the summer, but his interes
In education was overshadowed by
desire for money. He had Sever
brothers and three sisters. 1.-The Others
may go in for education" he said tt
his mother, "but I am going to ge
rich"
He began the accumulation Of none!
while he was yet boy. The first n
got by catching muskrats IN BeaVe
creek and selling their skins at rat
of sixteen for a dollar.
as a clerk with cousin who Kept
country store at Hope. At fourteen
he was considered a good storeKeepe
and at seventeen he determined Z
start in business for himself. Hi
cousin John furnished half the cap
ttal and they looked around for suit
able location They selected what l
now BIairstown. 1t WAS just beyon
the Mace where Buty's bridge crosse
PauIin's kill. The roads met fror
south. east and west. Over the mea
dow. beyond the kill, two hills rose
separated by a brook. Near the top @
the most easter1y of these hills, know
as Grand hill stood log tavern wit
q whipping post in front of it, SPUR
Hankinson's house and a little fran
store.
WENT INTO BUSINESS.
Squire Hankinson was the great ma
of that section then. He owned a
the land that Mr. Blair got afterwar
IN Blairstown and a great deal NOR
Mr.. Blair hired Squire Hankinson
store. The capital put into the bus
ness which young Blair and his cousi
opened was $500. Two years late
John L borrowed money from h
mother and bought out his cousi
John. He prospered from the frs
Country stores were few and far b'
tween. There were sold in them DIR
goods, groceries, hardware and run
Money in the country at that tim
was almost unknown. Traffic was ca
ried on in credit and exchange. I'll
staple crop was buckwheat. 1t we