Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-03

little toyshop on Main street, with
Lewis Cinter' over the coor.
This was the beginning OF Mr. o'nters
success In Richmond.
After awhile, motions" were added to
his toys-a larger shop was needed.
Later on, the toys were displaced by
household and trimmings, and the
shop became store.
This is far enough for my memory to
follow him.
How long Mr.. Ginter had been In Rich
mond before that first day l went INTO
his shop l really do not know, for
was a very small child at the time. II
may have been only week or two. Or
a month or two. perhaps, longer, but the
point at which my memory Of him bs-
gins Is that fall, the first time our
posse OF nurses and children went down
town after returning from the summer
sojourn at the plantation, when tnat
desolato figure standing at the door OF
that little topshcp caught my eye and
appealed to my plying heort, and Il may
have been only few days before
persuaded my nurse to allow me TO 50
IN, or It may have been a few weeks.
A childs mind does not measure time
very accurately and the way l hx the
date OF the year so exactly Is that te
happened the fall before the death Of
my dearly-loved brother Jack, who was
drowned In Jsly, 1876, and for whose saKs
I treasured that doll for many year.
and also a little jointed doll. the remains
OF which I have to-day
HIS SUBSEQUENT VENTURES.
Mr.. Ginter. when he had accumulated
sufficient capital, branched out Into the
housefurnshng business. He had
neat and pretty store almost opposite the
ST. Charles Hotel. and here he displayed
In an eminent degree that exquisite taste
and love Of the beautiful In the num-
ber variety, and arrangement OF the pret-
ty things he collected and exhibited tor
sale. He was very successful IN this
line of business, and moved to larger
store on Eagle square. at the site now
occupied by the Western Union Telegraph
Conpany's Office. Here he did very
large retail business until 1856. when he
sold out to Mr.. Thomas A. Buikley
BY intense labor. though not exactly
In the line Of other men, by glganuo
labor, often running on till evening met
the morning; by that hercuiean isnor
which brings the golden apples from the
garden of Hesperides he brought him
self steadily up to the trent line OF emil
nence as a merchant This was the one
secret OF his astonishing success.
His next venture was In the wholesala
notion business with Mr.. John Il. Alvey
| as a partner Their store was on Four
| teenth. then known as Pearl street The
| business was a success from the start.
| and finding themselves cramped Tor rooms
| the firm rented the house on Thirteenth
| and Main streets, then occupied by Daniel
| III. London, the wholesale dry goods mar-
| chant. AT this location the hrm mama
was changed to Ginter, Kent d Alvey,
| and white goods and Saxony woollenS
| were added to the stock
At the end OF one year Mr.. Kent re-
| tired and Mr.. Ginter associated his
| nephew. Mr.. Georl Arents, now trea-
| surer of the American Tobacco Conn
many. with him. the frm-name being
changed to Ginter. Alvey arents.
| II was the largest dry-goods and no.
! tions-house south OF Philadelphia. and tho
| business. which continued until the war
| broke out, was one OF the largest In tho
| city. Some idea OF It's scope, az well as
| of the generosity OF Major Ginter. can be
| gathered from the fact that when war
| was declared Mr.. Glnter was worth
| $4,000. which be sacrificed to the cause
| OF the South. and even after the close
| of the war he never asked one OF hia
| creditors to pay the amount they owed
to him. 4
A GOOD WAR RECORD.
| Mr.. Ginter, as was noted above, came
| of an old Dutch family, and was born
4 with very decided antipathy TO the
| Yankee"
So far as public fame is more imme-
diately concerned. Major Ginters war
record stands out In bold relief from his
| other services. He was among the first
TO prepare for the impending conflict.
with a prescience that now seems like an
| inspiration. and with vigor which could
| scarcely have been increased. From
| strenuous advocate of peace. he suddenly
] threw himself into the exigencies OF the
war. The eternal principle OF right was
trampled under foot; and then 1t was to
the very soul OF clemency to appeal to
| solid shot.
Major G;nter entered the Confederate