The Saint Paul globe., 1900-04-22

The foundations for many of the prince
ly fortunes now enjoyed by leading New
Workers were laid by ancestors who were
compelled to make sturdy battles in the
early days. said a man who has been a
keen student and observer for years, the
other night.
Commodore Vanderbilt, three genera
tions back, began life as small farmer
on Staten Island" he continued. 'He
was also ferryman and a clam digger.
AT one time he was an innkeeper at New
Brunswick, N. J. His ancestors were
truck gardeners and small farmers about
New Dorp, S. T., where their graves are
to be seen in the old Moravian cemetery,
overlooked by the magnificent mausoleum
built by his descendants.
''The farm cultivated by his son, Will
liam H. Vanderbilt father of William K.
and Cornelius, is still owned and oper-
ated by the family. William H. was for
many years a small farmer, with an in
come of less than 200 a year The only
mention of the family in the city direc-
tory of 17S6 is this: oliver Vanderbilt,
shoemaker, 4 Water street.
TRADED IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
John Jacob Astor, the founder of this
family, emigrated from Waldorf, Germa-
ny, to England. There, by trading, he
gathered an assortment of musical in
struments, and with these emigrated to
America. He first began business here
selling guitars, violins, accordions, jews
harps and whistles, but soon dropped
that and went into the fur business. He
ing with the Indians for beaver skins.
and these he treated In New York for ex-
port.
"Soon he extended his operations and
became the leading furrief In America.
He foresaw the growth of New York and
invested his savings in land. Whole
blocks in this city he bought for less
than $780, He inaugurated the policy
which has since been followed by his
descendants to buy, but never to sell city
real estate. He was one of the richest
men in this country at the time of his
death.
1.-The amount of money represented in
the Burden jewel robbery would have
more than bought the original junk bust
ness from which the vast Burden iron
industries have grown. Up at Troy the
Burden furnaces extend now over a
large area. But this great business had
small beginning two generations back
when contracts for even the smallest
quantity of iron were not despised by
the founder of the family.
GOULD A HUSTLER.
Jay Gould, father of George Gould and
of the Countess Castellane, first appeared
in New York as small trader. He did
not make a success of this, and then he
turned land surveyor. He got out mar
! of Delaware county, which he sold to the
farmers. Then he went into the tanning
business, becoming. part owner of small
tannery in Pennsylvania.
Getting into dispute with his part
ner, he took forcible possession of the
tannery at the head of a gang he ha6
brought from New York, and he held
the place by force for several days.
suit was instituted against his heirs or
the part of a woman who claimed Gould
married her at Rouse's Point when he
was known as John J. Gould, surveyor
She was defeated, however, and after
ward convicted of perjury in the mat
ter The great fortune he left was ac-
quired late in life by bold speculation In
railroad properties.
There is no record of the Sloanes In
the early days of New York's history
But no list of the families prominent in
Soclety dC the present DAY would De COM
plete without reference to them The
Sloanes inherited a fine carpet business,
which was built up by an ancestor who
was as good a judge of Brussels or AK
minister as any in the city In his day.
This fine commercial institution they
have broadened and extended, until 1t Is
the leading carpet house In the city at
the present time w. D. Sloane married
daughter Of William H Vanderbilt.
AvaA DO h fnf - 80
ly. and genial. prosperous gentleman.