Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-11-25
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE R0THSCHILDS,
BO" THE WEALTHIEST BANKING
HOUSE IN THE WORLD GREW
FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS.

HOUSE IN THE WORLD GREW
FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS.
The ancestors of the Frankfort
Jews came from Palestine, Turkey
aud Spain to escape persecution in
the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fif-
teen centuries and became the serfs
of the Emperor of Germany, who
accorded them protection in ex-
change for fixed tribute, which
went into his private purse. In 1349
Charles ~, being pressed for funds,
mortgaged his Jews to the munich.
pality of Frankfort for ESQ, 900. The
sum was never repaid, and thus the
inhabitants Of the Judengasse passed
under the control of the city council,
which selected swampy and un.
healthful spot on the margin of the
town where they were obliged to re-
side, and eXacted from them GER
tain portion of their earnings, or
sold their labor at SO much a month.
The Jews who controlled their own
time and talent paid dearly for that
privilege, but were shrewd enough
to make a profit, and advanced them
selves slowly but surely. They were
not allowed to use the sidewalk, but
were compelled to travel with cattle
and carts in the middle of the street.
They were compelled to wear dis
tinctive dress. Every male Jew had
patch of yellow cloth upon his
breast and every woman wore blue
and white stripes. They were al
lowed only one name.
The man who lived in No. so Ju.
dengasse, which was known as "the
house of the red shield" because of
a sign which the occupant placed
over its door, was called Anseim.
The original Anselm was a dealer
In old coins and curiosities. He mar.
ried and had boy who was called
Mayer Anselm in order to distinguish
him from his father. He was sent
to rabbi relative to be educated,
and afterward got place in the bank,
where he developed remarkable bust.
ness talent. When his father died
he came home, took his house. his
trade prospered, he became infiuen.
tial among his race, gained the re.
spect of Christians as we'll as Jews,
and was called Anselm of the Red
Shield, or Won Rothschild.
But his fame was only local until
he made the acquaintance of Baron
Won Estroff, the landgrave of Hesse
who was a coin collector, and sent
for Anselm one day to make some
purchases. When the latter arrived
the baron was engaged in a game OF
chess and could not be disturbed
The Jew stood by patiently and
watched the play. The baron was
checked, 1t seemed. hopelessly, and
turning to the Jew, he said:
DO you play chess ?"
Sometimes" was the answer.
"What would you do if you were
in my fix?"
The Jew modestly pointed out 6
move which the baron accepted anC
followed his advice through the res
OF game that was soon won. Afte,
that Anselm spent good deal OF
time playing chess with the land
grave, who prided himself on his
ability to beat every one Of his sub
jects. The baron and the coin mer
chant thus became great friends, ant
there was considerable business be
tween them in the way of loans anC
discounts. 1t was Baron Won Estrof
who sent 16, 800 Hesslan soldiers tt
America during the war Of the Revo
luton to fight on the British side
and received large sum of none,
for their services. When Napoleor
came along a few years after tn,
baron had saved Of it about 4, OOO, 90,
thalers In coin, which he took to An
selm and asked him to conceal IL fo,
MIN 80 that it might escape tn,
french army. Apselm accepted tn,
trust without responsibility, and. a,
the story goes, dropped the bags o.
coin to the bottom Of his we'll. Th,
French soldiers plundered his house
and took away everything valuabl.
that belonged to him, but the land
graves money was overlooked.
AS soon as the army had passed or
and he could do so without being sus
pected, Anselm loaded the treasure
on the back of donkey and started
for England, where he intrusted it tc
his son, Nathan, a young man who
had gone to London a few years be-
fore and was doing modest busi
ness in shaving notes and in the com.
mission way. There the father and
son quietly bought, little st a time,
large blocks Of English, Austrian
and German securities, which were
depressed by the war. Anselm went
back to Frankfort and there specu
lated with some of the money. I,
was nine years before the landgrave
returned. In the meantime his
money had quadrupled, and Anseln