The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-18

running down false clues as to the where abouts of Rockefeller, ST. John D. Rock efeller refuses to discuss the subject and the other children are almost as retIcent. Frank Rockefeller says he knows his fathers whereabouts, but will not reveal the secret until the proper time.
 When l make John D. true life his tory kLown,' said he, "and explain the facts about father, this country will be too warm for its richest citizen"
 The elder Rockefeller was a wild chap, a gambler and a lady-killer. He was a horse dealer and quack doctor, conviv!al but close -mouthed. He made money easily but never told how he made it. The father trained his tall, thin-lippcd son to be smart" The father gave John D. the first thousand dollars he ever had with the injunction: Hang onto this for I will get it back from you if l can" But he never got 1t back. He gave his son other thousands to help him in business, thus disprovng the accepted story that John D. Rockefeller began life in poverty,
 When Miss Ida NJ. Tarbell was writ ing the history of Standard oil all that she could find out about John D. Rock efellers father made less than page In McClures Magazine. It follows:
 "The first word heard of the Rocke- feller family in Richford, Tioga county, N r., where John D. Rockefeller was born, was in the early 30s, when hls grandfat ther, Godfrey Rockefeller, moved to that community from Mud Creek, Mass There are still alive in Tioga county many men and women who re- member Godfrey Rockefeller.
 "It Is not q pleasant description they give Of him-a shftless tipster, stunted in stature and mean in spirit, but held to certain decency by a wife ot such strong intellect and determined character that she impressed hersen uhloreetapiS on the community.
 "Godfrey Rockefeller had not been long in Richford when he was followed by his eldest son-William A. Rockefeller a man of 23 or 24 years of age. There seem to have been other Rockefeilers, Tor the family was sufficiently numerous and consplcuous to cause the farm In west hill. rear Rlchford, where they settled. |. to be dubbed Rockefeller Settlement : name 1t still bears "It Is with William A. Rockefeller, father of John. that we have to do here. There Is enough which is authentic to he aleaned about him to form picture of a striking character. l. civilian A. Rockefeller was tall ana | powerful man, with keen, straightforward eyes. a man in whom strength and fear lossness and joy in life, unfettered by education or love of decency, ran riot. 'The type is familiar enough in every farming settlement the type or the coun- trv snort who hunts. fishes. gambles, races horses and carouses in the low ant mean ways which the country alone a affords. He owned q costly rifle and was a famous shot He was q daredevil with horses He had no trade-spurned the farm. Indeed he had all the vices save one-he never drank. He was q famous trickster. too; thus, when he first reach ed Richford he is said to have called himself a peddler-a deaf-and-dumb ped dler-and for some time he actually sue ceeded in making his acquaintances in Richtord write out their remarks to him on A slate. Why he wished to deceive them no one knows Perhaps sheer mis- chief. perhaps a desire to hear things which would hardly be talked of before a stranger with good ears
 ..It was not long after he came to Richford that he began to go off on long trips-peddling trips, some said. Iater he became known a quack doctor. and his absences were supposed to he spent selling a medicine he con- cocted himself Irregular and wild as his life undoubtedly was. his strength and skill and daring. his frankness, his careful dress-for he paid great at tention to his clothes well as the .aystery surrounding the occupation