Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-05-08

Sums for Religious Purposes
Enormous Power Which He Now
Yields.
Today the world is in the grasp OF
J. Pierpont Morgan. He was content
at one time to own only land interest,
but now the sea and the land alike are
his.
John Pierpont Morgan is an iron
man. He has few Of the Characters
tics that ordinarily make one man tie
to another. His ambition ever since
he was 10 years old has been to be a
master of men. That he has reached
his ambition is shown by the fact that
today he has control not only of acre
upon acre of real estate, but of the
very sea itself.
John PierpOnt Morgan is an Amer
lean. The English fear him and the
Germans fear him. With him it is
perhaps a financial question, but the
Americanism of the man is side by
side with his finance. Men who know
him say that he is the truest American
that one can find in the circle OF the
very rich. They say that if by any
possibility he could do something that
would bring him millions and yet be
against the interest of the United
States he would say: 'GNo, I'll have
none of it.
John Pierpont Morgan is good
oLr Sc mi
who has the courage of Episcopal con-
victions. He never has made any
secret of the fact that his religious
benefactions should be given to the
church in which he thoroughly be-
lieves. It was once said by the rector
of st. Georges church, New York
City, that he was ashamed to ask from
the pulpit contributions for any of the
church's charitable concerns because
the members of his parish, and John
Pierpont Morgan in particular, had
given so much and so literally at all
times.
+ Is of American Percentage.
Mr.. Morgan was born in Hartford
Conn, April IT, 1887. 1t is ordinarily
believed that Mr.. Morgan is of English
parentage. He is not. lie is an Amer
lean Of many generations. His father
was JuniUs Spencer Morgan, and his
grandfather was Joseph Morgan.
Joseph Morgan was the sturdy old
yankee who fought under General
Washington, and, when the liberties
of his country were assured, returned
to his farm near the village of Hart
ford, and. like Cincinnatus, was con-
tent with a pastoral life
When travellers became numerous
along the road that passed by Joseph
Morgan's farm they were accustomed
to ask him for a nights lodging.
Eventually the farmhouse became a
tavern, AID JOseph's grandfather, John
Pierpont Morgan, was once filled with
the ambition to become a hotelkeeper.
Mr. Morgan doe rot like to have that
matter reGerT - today He got over
his ambiti"1 very quickly. and started
out with =" idea that he was going to
make hi2ac9 lf not only wealthy, but
wealthie" than most. He seems to
have succeeded.
Mr.. Morgan apparently has been
able to combine an unerring CONNER
cial and financial instinct with an in
Satiab >iOve of the beautiful in art
and nature. From the Morgans came
the financial side of his life and from
the PierpOnts came the artistic side
John PierpOnt, the grandfather on the
mothers side. would today be called a
crank. He was an uncompromising
abolitiCnist at time and in a COM
munity when and where abolition ideas
were not popular.
Joha Pierpont has been called time
after time brilliant but erratic.- In
John Pierpont Morgan there appears
to be in financial matters something
OF the brilliancy that marked his
grandfather.
Spends Much Time With Family.
The man who today holds the world
in the hollow of his hand is not partic-
ularly approachabIe. He loves his
family and wishes when he is away
from the business end of things to be
with them and with them only. Mr..
Morgan's summer home at Cragston.
just below West Point, is one of the
most delightful places in the country.
lie goes there and to a certain extent
lsolates himself The only companion
ship that he seeks is that of the cadets
at West Point, whom he asks to come
down and visit him about once in two
weeks. He occasionally takes the en-
bryo soldiers out on his steam yacht,
and hard work he has to get permits
sion for them to leave the shore.
A statement of Mr.. Morgan's bene-
factions will show his leaning toward
the Episcopal Church. 1t is true that
he gave s1,000,000 to Harvard, out it
is said by friends of Mr.. Morgan. that
he gave this large amount to Unitar-
ian college because the college once
mad asked to be its chaplain Rev.
Phillips Brooks, rector of Trinity |
Church, Boston
Here is list of Mr.. Morgan's recent |
gifts:
New parish house and rectorv
for st. Georges church s3D0 Oon |
For st. Georges church work
among the poor. 100000
New York trades training
school -. ......... 100000
ST TOhn'S Cathedral f,pd -oo 49,