The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-19
ROCKEFELLER IN A ROW
he Hits Hard the Town v here
He Was Born.
so TOWN FIGHTS BACK
ROCkefeIIerS Were Nothing to
Brag on in Morals.


ion OF Hichdeld, his biz thp.ace. It Is GER
tain, the people OF Richne-d say. that
they are not proud Of Mr. Rockefeller.
1t is freely admitted that l:ickf5rd was
most ungo6Iy pace in 1S5e, when the
Standard Gil nagnate was born. and
was nothing 10 brag Of from the view
point Of morality Tor many years there
after, especially that part Of it called
Michigan Hill. where there was a colony
Of Reckefellers. The deeds Of men tive
long after them, and it Is asserted that
certain Of the Rockefel4ers have left
their impress upon the community.
The oldest citizens scratch their heads
and try, they say. in a spirit OF fairness
70 recall something uplifting 10 Richford
proceeding from q Rockefeller, and fail
John . treated with silence a nappeal
upon him 10 help with a little money in
order that Rich1ord only church might
be completed. As counter 10 this he
sent to his namesake, John Rockefeller
Jacob. z cast-on suit OF evening clothes.
as John was Z charcoal burner and small
farmer the dress Suit was a puzzle To
him = never seen such a suit as that"
said John. 1t was mighty fine and must
have cost a lot Of money, but 1 ain'U got
no call 10 wear a spike-Jan coat. Guess
I'd scare the stock + they see me "a il
1t Is thought that the northumberland
may have remembered his cousin John in
a previous condition, when John was
something CO q social figure on the eOuu-
tryside- In former days he was a fiddler
at rural dances and was especially in bad
door with the Temperance poole. In later
years he Joined the church. and while he
remained poor. he became most upright
citizen, and is now regarded with con
sideration by Richf0rd folk
Jake" Rockefeller, father Of John, the
fiddler. was one OF the 5oliest souls that
ever lived In RichfoId- He has been dead
only a few years. his language, regard
less OF the presence of women or the
clergy. was said TO De amazing in tone
and expression, and no ore could equal
his capacity for tile drink that cheers.
II Jake" was IL q way ascardal y the
truly good. ne was stin greatly liked for
he was always IN good hJu1or. was kind
hearted and most open-handed. The yer
dict today is that he was his own worst
enemy. lie left none behind Inn when
he went to his grave.
According TO authentic accounts the
wife Of lake" was foster mother to
john d. and William Rockefeller. and yet
Jake and his wife died IN poverty, and
their son John lost his l.ttle farm because
he could not lift from It a debt of $500
Ralph 2. Smith Of this place. now 50
years old and alert of mind. has many
recJuectiors Of William y. Rockefeller,
father of John D. Another man with
fund Of anecdotes OF the ROckefellers is
DiocIotian Sears. who stiii lives nine miles
from Richfoud, near SPeedsviie He IS
s53 years old, and. barring deafness, i in
flkll possession Of his faculties He was
q man grown wien PITY as John ..
father Is always referred
to. appeared at Rt-hford. and knew him
as well as any man IN the section. The
elder Rockefeller was q wauderer and
born specuiator. Ills manner OF life
fmystihed the simple country folk. who
were led TO call him Devil Eiii, and To
guess at his possible occupation once
when he had been away from home for
more than two years, without word
coming from hlrn, it vas believed that ne
had bzen caught up with" but he finally
returned. dressed il richer clothing than
haC ever before been seen IN Rjchforc
wearing diamonds. and ether gems, driv-
ing team Of handsome horses 10 a rev
vehicle and his pockets bulsiag with
money
he arst went TO the general store of
Chauncey /. Rich. where he paid bin
Of 81 30 contracted by his family during
his long absence and where he showed
roll OF bills Of larSe denomination II
also paid = long bal at AIr. Rawle}.s store
over the way. Then he looked up his
family.
There were two occasions in particu-
lar" said Mr. Smith 10 a reporter Of the
New York World last week. when ny
attention was particular yattracted 70
John D. Rockefeller nral his brother vii
lam. two ->ears his Junior. ! vas ayouth
and was over III Michigan LII 70 bring
home pair Of oxen bought from Mrs.
Cscfrsy hoczeteIier. Ola Godfrey Rookie
Teller was the father u billy" ana the
grandfathsr Of John d. re had had bust
ness reserves in Great Darlington Mass,
and was brought from ;aere Il Michigan
HE by Bib broken man The
Rockefeners inherited M OF their bust
ness shreW encss from their grandrl0ther,
for Godf7ey was an insignificant fellow
both IN appearance ana in mind. while
his wife was a woman of line business
eense. she was tie head Of the family
"Hiv never drank. but lis father was
q heavy drinker. The old foiNs lived
about half nile fccra 'Riny's' house. and
.Iliy's broth 2 Jake lived nearby. When
1 went after the oxen was detained
about JW0 hours ~ Jakes and I had
good visit Joan and ms little brother
came in Go nss- remember ever 10 have
seen more pitiabl. neglected children
Their clothing was Old and tattered. and
they looked dirty ao1 hungry. On that
occasion their aunt ue15cd their cloth
ing. I'D them ana tbsa cut each Of them
a pair e. m5-tens out II fuii-C-oth, "a
wooilen ho.nesoua. The youngsters We're
delighted with lhe Iciy,ens. and went away
clean and happy.
Many months later 7 was at Jake s.
also after q yoke cf oxen. when the chill
dren we're again al the house. receiving
the attentions of their aunt She was kind
to them, 22G took the place CT their
mother. a most excellent woman. bgt one
wha bore too heavy a burden az thar time
properly 10 look after he- children. Her
husband vas aNly for long periods, and
she had TO look afle- their farm q sixty
acres and try 80 u,as2 * pay their OK
penses. She dii not know at what time
the storeileePers in the village raisht shu5
down on her credit, ana she worked very
hard She, toe. VAS - good business wo-
rSaR. inhesis.ng hex abili,y fem her IA
ther. john Dawson. who vas a foremost
man a. MoTavia, thirty miles Eorth %
here
Biz Ro-ksfsHer. tie father ~ the