The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-08-18
THIRTY YEARS AGO HE WAS NOT
WORTH A DOLLAR;
sThe story of John ID. Rock eieIler-
Early struggle OF the Standard
KingAHe liz Now Worth Two Huns
bred Millions.

I-
felles was hardly worth u dollar, and
now he is the richest man in the United
States. When he was Il poor, plod-
ding bookkeeper his best friends would
not accord him any credit for industry
or ~sagacity. What John ID. Rocke-
Teller does not know about his "
wealth would at present make rich
men of those very friends. He prob
ably cannot guess within $4,000, OOO OF
how much money he is worth, without
extensive figuring, says the New YORK
Herald.
John ID. Rockefeller is Of Scotch
parentage. His parents came to this
country shortly before the birth of the
future great magnate. The family
settled In the western part OF the
New York State on q small farm
near Moravia. Here the Rockefellers
rapidly increased until the family con-
sisted OF father, mother, two sons and
two daughters.
From Moravia the Rockefeller family
moved to a farm near Oswego. AT
this time John d., the eldest son, was
Q tall, slender lad nine years old; The
farmhouse occupied by the Rookie
fellers at this time is still standing.
1t was then and Is still owned by Mr..
@. M. Lamonte, q we'll to do farmer.
1t was in his service that young Rookie
Teller earned his first 20 cents, hoeing
potatoes. According to q statement
made afterwards by Mr. Lamonte, the
boy did the work slowly, but we'll
Among the neighbors young John
Rockefeller had the reputation OF being
a rather lazy boy, but even at this
early age. he showed signs o. the
strong will, calm judgment and per-
,nryoyonnn shat houn linna mazda him
famous. Who shall say that oven
while he was hoeing potatoes or plow-
ing corn his mind was not so active
that his muscles performed their al
lotted task lazily and mechanically?
Endowed with mental activity and
capacities that were perhaps still UNI
dreamed of by himself, young Rookie.
Teller began to long for a wider field
of action. 1t was only q dream as yet.
His ideas were crude, his character
uniformed, his habits unstable and un-
gettled. "John is too much of q
dreamer" said the neighbors. HE
will never make a good farmer. While
sowing his wheat he will be counting
upon the profits Of the coming harvest.
He will have it all in the market before
a blade is in sight"
The men who spoke in this wise are
still planting their corn and sowing
their wheat about Oswego. Some
have prospered; others have failed and
fallen into poverty. But the boy who
dreamed of unharvested wheat and
unmatched eggs could buy all their
farms rolled into one for a double price,
and then allow the land to lie idle until
tho end of time without inconvenience
ing himself in the least.
The father of John ID. Rockefeller Is
said to be still living in Cleveland,
although he has never occupied the
same house with any of this children.
He lived and labOred in Cleveland
while his family were yet in Oswego.
One day many years ago he suddenly
made up his mind that Cleveland was
the best place for his family. AT this
time John d. and William Rockefeller
was attending school at the Owego
academy.
The neighbors in Owego regretted
the departure of the Rockefellers for
Cleveland. Mrs. Rockefeller was q
strong character, we'll liked by all,
and q strict disciplinarian OF the old
school. She brought the w boys up
religiously aud well, and when. after
q six years residence in Owego they
started for Cleveland, both John d.
and William were well behaved young
sters of IA or Is.
Instead of being ruined by the hustle,
turmoil and temptations of a large
city, the young Rockefellers thrived
under the new conditions. AS for
John, the elder, it was the very thing
for which his soul had been yearning.
1t was q realization OF the dream that
had stricken his muscles with lassitude
in the old farming days.
Three years later we find Master
John ID. Rockefeller grown into q
strapping young man of II. His ambi-
tions had outgrown the narrow limits
of O public school, and he made up his
mind to do and dare for himself. He
told his mother about 1t, and then went
his way, looking for a job. 1t was not
an easy thing to find a position that
fitted him. -.
So it was that young Rockefeller
wandered away to ST. Louis. Wa it
blind chance that led him to accept
the position Of bookkeeper for a small
produce commission firm in Water
street Nothing better could have
been devised for a thorough training
in business methods. Neither did 1t
take Rockefeller any length of time to
master everything there was to be
known about the commission business.
He worked early n late on his books
and in the study of the methods Of his
employers. 10 odHSu lie Lionoy, wv,
and herein lies the difference between
John d. Rockefeller and many of his
contemporaries, who are still keeping
books in Cleveland.
Young Rockefeller worked with the
Water street commission firm until
he had accumulated something like
$500. He was then 10 years old. Time
was flying and it's flight made him
restless. He asked himself why he
should not go into business for himself,
His only inheritance in this world had
been brains and a good constitution.
With these he had acquired the small
capital with which he proposed TO DO
wOndrous things in the future.
1t was in 1857 when John ID. Rookie.
Teller, then q young man of 10, met NJ.
B. Clark, who Is now q member Of the
elevator firm OF Gardner, Clark 81
Z York.
The two yonng men rented q store
and went into the commission business
on their own account. They succeeded
~ a moderate way. Rockefeller on
fnued to save his share OF the profits
4 as he had saved his salary, and In the
4 eight years during which tho partner
ship continued he had put aside some
thing like $4,000.
Then the young man was again
stricken with % feeling Of the restless
ness. He was not making money fast
enough. The commiss! on business had
apparently reached its limit. He
locked about him for an investment in
something more profitable. Dissatis-
faction Ia sometimes mere ambition