The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-06-23
Senator Hannas Estimate Of John D. Rocketeller-Er
cerpts from Ida W. 7a,beHs Character Study
of the Wily Millionaire in the July
McChure's Magazine.

ABOUT our mllllOnalres and to murmur
of tainted money
Rockefeller, Miss Tarbell thus states
her reasons for undertaking an analy-
sis of the character Of sthe most i'm
portant man in the world.''
John D. Rockefeller, measured by
our national ambition, is the most sue
cessful man in the world-the man who
has got the most Of what men most
want. How did he get it, the eager
youth asks, and asking, strives to imi-
tate him as nearly as ability and pa
thence permit. Thus he has become an
lnspirer Of American ideals, and his
methods have been crystallized into a
great national commercial code.
Nor is this all. Mr.. Rockefeller
distributes money in charity and in en-
doWments. If not our first, he is GER
talnly our second philanthropist; the
standard All over the land those who
direct great educational, charitable and
religious institutions are asking, sCan
we not get something from HING Re-
celvlng his requests, they become at
Least. the tacit supporters Of the thing
Tor which he stands-that is, John D.
Rockefeller exercises a powerful con-
trQl over the very sources Of American
intellectual and religious inspiration.
MIR. Rockefeller's Origin.
Now, man who possesses this
| kind of influence cannot be allowed to
live in the dark. The public not onlv
has the right to know what sort Of a
man he is; it is the duty Of the public
to know; How else can the public dis
owes to itself and to the. future to keep
the springs OF it's higher life clean?
,.,. Typically American. ~
says Miss Tarbell, lit is typlcaily
American. He sprang from one Of those
migrating families which, coming to
this country in the seventeenth cen
fury, has moved westward with each
generation seeking a betterment of con
first great product of restless family
The first word heard Of the Rockefel.
Ter family in Richford, Tioga county,
New York, where John D. Rockefeller
was born, was in the early thirties,
Teller, moved to that community from
Mud Creek, Mass. There are still
alive in Tioga county many men and
women who remember Godfrey Rookie
Teller. It is not a pleasant description
they give Of nina shiftless tippler
stunted in stature and mean in spirit
but held to certain decency by a
wife Of such strong intellect and de.
termined character that she impressed
herself unforgettably. on the commu
1 nifty. ~
| e-fns The Millionaire's Father ssas
Il "Godfrey Rockefeller had not beer
:. long in Richford when he was followed
4 by his eldest son-Wi]liam A. Rookie
III follor-o mon Of % or 81 vaars IF aUo
It is with William A. Rockefeller, faith
er of John, that we have to do here
There is enough which is authentic to bt
cleaned about him to form picture Of
striking character. William A. Rock
efeller was a tall and powerful maj
. with keen, Straightforward eyes, {
man in whom strength and fearlessness
, and Joy in life, unfettered by education
, or love Of decency, ran riot. The typ
: is familiar enough in every farming set
; Element, the type Of the country sport
: who hunts, fishes, CANDLES, races horse
: and carouses in the low and mean way
: which the country alone affords. II
: owned costly rifle, and was famous a
shot. He was a daredevil with horses
| He had no trade-spurned the farm. In
! indeed, had al the vices save one-h
never drank.
irregular and wild as his life un
doubtedly was, his strength and skill
y and daring, his frankness, his careful
i dress, for he paid great attention t.
his clothes, as well as the mystery SUI
rounding his occupation which kept hir
looking so prosperous, made him ia
-. vorite with the young and reckless anc
+ trips he met in Moravia, n. y, tn
daughter Of prosperous farmer, Eliz
$ Davidson. It is said that the girl ma,
;, ried him in the face of strong Oppositlo
by her family. However that may b
e it is certain that about 1887, William A
n n Rockefeller brought Eliza Dawson t
. the Rockefeller settlement as his wife
second Of whom-the record Of his brit
;, is dated July 8, 1839-was named job
,. I'm iS43 William A. Rockefelle
IS moved his family to farm near M
;, ravia, Cayuga county. The reputatio
- he had built up in Richford as
8 sporting man was duplicated in M!
; all that was reckless and wild in til
!, community, and was elassed by the r.
Il spectacle and steady going as da1
gerous character on whom no dout
much was fastened that did not belon;
It may be for this reason, as well {
) because of his frequent long and una
s counted-for absences, that he is sti
~ CldSSSu pOpuidl1J LII INOIdV1d DIS VI
Is of the gang who operated the "unde
i ground horse railroad '-and ran o
ly horses from various parts Of the cou
8 try. There is absolutely NO proof
l. this, but the conviction and sentent
n. to the state prison, in 1850, Of thrl
Of his closest pals for horsestealin
10 coupled with his bad reputation, mao
l. many of his disappearing neighbo
Of fix the crime equally on him, and tods
IN old men in Moravia nod their hea,
IS sagely and say, He was to smart to
caught.'
HE is now over 90 years old and
living in humble seclusion in Iowa.
Glimpse Of Rockefeller's Youth.
IA "When William A. Rockefeller to,
Va his family to Ohio, his oldest son, Jol
49, Dawson, was lad of IA years.
rsI quiet, grave boy by all accounts, q
- ing steadily and we'll the thing he W
80 set at. Up to this time his trainil
-. - had been that Of the ordinary count
~ AZ boy. He had gone to district schc
- few months Of the year, and the re
=. Of the time had worked and played
% a boy ordinarily does in count
.. settlement. It is quite probable til
es it was Mrs. Rockefeller's infuen
u which persuaded her husband to sc,
ne John to school in Cleveland soon aft
e, The boy spent quiet year in t
IN town studying diligently. 50 his form
ugs hoolmaster has testified, his only o,
side interest being in the Bapt
church and Sunday school---to which
4 lol I, L. IT