The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-09-25
New York Contractor. Who Died
Wealthy. Ruled Natives Of
Far North.
SHIPWRECKED LIKE CRUS0E.
Story of His Adventurous Career
Suggests Effort by Kipling-
Built Up Fortune in
East.

REPI Bile SPECIAL
New York. Sept. 3I-Few men have led
stranger careers or fought their way to
affiuence under greater disadvantages
than did Simon Habermann. of late years
weli-known citizen OF Harlem. whose
funeral TOOK place from his former home.
No. 20 West One Hundred and Twenty
first street. In his seventy years OF life
HabeTmann had been a seaman in times
OF war and of peace. He visited almost
every country Of the globe. and for pc
riod of some weeks in his early days. it
is said. he was king OF an island in the
north seas.
Later he became n business man. ac-
cumuated money while in the employ of
Buddenseik the builder who served =
term of imprisonment for erecting houses
that collapsed. Habermann rose 10 wealth
after successive failures. until at the time
OF his death he was one OF the most eX-
ton OF the city. He had been married
three times.
SHIPWRECKED AT SEA.
Born in Bavaria. Habermann came to
this country when l. years old having
neither friends nor relatives here. He
obtained employment in a tin shop ard
learned the trade. Accommodating a few
dollars. he resolved TO seek his fortune. in
California. gong there by sea, but. as
sometimes happened in those days. he was
deceived by press gang and put
aboard n ship bound FOR Greenland. II
was a whaler. but the German boy did not
know what mad befallen him until he was
far out to sea
on the coast of Greenland the ship was
wrecked and all on board persisted except
Habermann and one other sailor. They
managed to reach an island. where they
remained TO- more than a month before 4
ship took them on II was during this
time. Haoermann used 10 say. that he was
made king OF the natives
Returning 10 the United States. Haber-
mann found the sea had taken strong
hold on him and he was soon on again.
this time TO South America After this
cruise. in 1s5s. he shipped aboard a Rus
sian frigate. which had been built in this
country, and went to St Petersburg. He
was gone. this time several years, and
Went all over the world.
MADE A FORTUNE.
Reaching America again At the outbreak
of the Civil War. he enlisted in the navy
as an able seaman and served until he
WAS captured on 4 monitor ana made a
prisoner OF war. He remained 2. captive
until the end of the war. and then lived
in idlencss until he mad exhausted his half
pay and som. 81 Oe gained as prize money
He then made another cruise. Mexico
being his destination. and in 1896 he went
TO Galveston Tex. where he started in
business as 4 tinsmiih. Losing his msney
in this venture he came back to New York
married and opened shop in Sixth ave
nue.. He met with some success and
started two branch stores. one in Second
and one In Eighth avenue. but domestic
troubl. ma lie MIN bankrupt and then he
became a roo.er for Buddenseik.
Finding opportunities for making money
in this occupltino Habermann became az
thrifty as he had been before proiigaI.
started some building operations of his
own and RAPIDLY grew wealthy. In the
meantime his first wife had died and he
had married again. II was not until he
had taken third wife, who survives him.
that he really settled down. and II was
largely due TO her influence that he pros
pered. He built more than 100 houses IN
Harlem. IL IS said. and left fortune esti-
mated at at least $;o.eco.