The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-24
HE WAS A MILhoNAIRE.

NaF. JEFFERSON Was One of the Wealth
lest Actors in America.
Mr.. Jefferson was undoubtedly the
richest actor in this country in recent
years. He was a steady accumuIator,
ana since he began to make more than
living as an actor he always saved
some OF the surplus. He never specu-
lated, ana his investments were all safe
anu pfontabIe ones. He was rated a
mllIlonalre, and it can be said in his
praise that he always made wise and
noble use of his money.
For many years Mr.. Jefferson made
his home at Hoboken, N. J., but in later
years he spent his winters, when not
professionally employed, in the south, and
ms summers at Buzzard's Bay, Mass.
His southern property, Orange island.
is an 5000 acre estate on the Bayou
Ieche. 1t was a semitropical forest
When ne purchased it, but he transform
ed 1t into an Arcadian garden. The
ground rises in an ellipse from the
cypress swamps. Half way up the rise
a long hedgeroW gracefully bounds the
lawn. Above is a huge octagonal white
one-Story house, crowned with a square
cupola. in the very center of a profus-
ion of giant oaks, from which hang long
sweeping trains of Spanish moss as del
icate as a brides veil.
Such were MIR. JefTerson's house and
grounds. Here he usually lived from
December to April, permitting no bust
ness cares to interfere with the role OF
southern gentleman, which he then de-
lighted to play. Bayou Teche is in the
Arcadian county of Louisiana, in the
midst Of the homes of the descendants
of the exiled "Evangeline" people, and
there, surrounded by a simple minded
and hospitabIe folk in blOuseS and
sabots, and who still retain the patois
of their fatherland, the famous actor
found a delightful pastoral landscape
and a never ending supply Of quaint
models for his brush, for he was an
artist of no mean skill. and might have
gained repute as a painter had he not
elected to be an actor.
Mr.. Jefferson spent several summer
vacations at Palm Beach, Fla, where
he died There he was a general Ia
yorite AS the sunbronzed fisherman
sat on the pier several spectators usu-
ally surrounded him, all enjoying his
kindly glance and genial smile. One
day he landed a fish seldom seen IN
those waters.
ITS a dogish!" he exclaimed.
"Then it's name must be Schneider,
was the quick response of one of the
special tors.
wei, we'll laughed the fisherman,
s'he is surely a very faithful fellow to
follow me away down here.
Mr.. Jeferson's summer home at
Fizzzard's Bay IS a charming cottage
patterned after the general design Of
an old colonial house. and known as
1.-THE Crows Nest" The life led at
1.-THE Crows Nest, in former years was
a simple and happy one. fishing, paint
ing, and the generous entertainment
of guests filling up the measure of the
masters time. Good Joe Jefferson, -
the Cape Cod fishermen called him,
and no one will question the soundness
and Justice of their discrimination.
Nj Jefferson was under the ordinary
height and slender in build, with face
which, lighted by pair of genial, win
ming eyes, beamed good nature. Those
brought in contact with him always
felt the benign influence of a pure and
noble soul. and no American actor was
ever more esteemed and beloved. He
was one of the most generous and
charitable of men, and his deeds OF
Kindness were as numerous as they
were unobtrusive.