Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-06
CQNY|NCED0F IDENTITY
Minneapolis Man Sheds Light
on the Rockeicller-Leving-
slon Mystery
LIVINGSTON JOHN DIS FATHER
Man Who Knew the Doctor" in North
Dakota Furnishes Connecting Link
Frequently Received Standard Oil
Money-Land Deals Showed ReIa-
tIonsh,p.
tionsfip.

Money--Land Deals Showed ReIa-
tionship.
Minneapolis. Feb 6. Another link,
of evidence proving that DIR. William
A. Rockefeller of New York, father of
William Levingston' who farmed and
sold medicine of his own decoction
the same men. was obtained in Min
neapolia today.
George T. ToWle, now treasurer of
the Northwestern National Life lnsur-
ancr company of Minneapolis, but for
merry cashier of the First National
bank of Park River, who not only
transacted much OF "Dr. LeNing-
into his confidence as any man except
those of that small circle who pos
sessed absolute knowledge of his mys-
FERROUS life, declared today that he is
absolutely confident that DIR. Leving-
ston was DR. William A. Rockefeller.
DR. Levingston's former banker has
possessed this knowledge since the
publication in 1895, in McClure's mag
azine of photograph of William A.
Rockefeller, father of John ID. Rookie
Teller He recognized the photograph
recalled to his mind numberless incl
dents which, in the light of the proof
furnished by the photograph, left little
doubt that the two men We're one.
Dr. Levingston went to Park River
in 1881 and settled there on farm on
which he lived every summer for fif-
teen years. He got 100 acres under the
ead law. Later he bought an
other quarter section. which had been
by Donald Ross, but this
was not decided to him, but to Pierson
w Briggs, who was at that time pur-
chasing agent of the Standard Oil
company, anu II III. ALCN III s,H.ciA Hei"' ~
reality DR.. William A. Rockefeller, was
DR.. Lcvngston's son-in-law.
A young man, P. d. Briggs, the son
of Pierson W. Briggs. later joined DR..
at Park River. There was
no secret made of the young mans
identity. He was commonly looked
upon as a kind Of remittance man."
His wife. according to Mr.. Towle, died
on the Park River farm.
Standard Oil Dividends.
DR.. Levingston regularly cashed
dividend checks from the Standard Oil
thru Mr.. Towle. He fire.
quently told Mr.. Towle that John d.
and he We're great friends
and that Rockefeller had gotten him
the stock in the oil company. He Of
ten told anecdotes of men high in the
affairs Of the Standard Oil company,
the Flaglers and others.
Much of his talk was looked upon
at that time by the people around
Park River as unfounded and in keep
ing with his character of an itinerant
medicine peddler.
Robert Arnott. who a few years ago
purchased the farm on which DR.. Lev
ingston lived near Park River. says
that the deeds to it came to him from
John ID. Rockefeller and We're signed
by him.
Or Levingston was just the kind
Of man who would be John D. Rock
efeler's father said Mr.. Towle, to-
day HE would trade you out Of
your eye teeth. I am absolutely con-
WINGED that he was the father of the
oil king I have heard for years, from
4 friend in Freeport, H.. of the pri-
vate car which used to be hauled in
there at night and put on a siding
while it's passengers visited the home
Of DR.. Levingston. Always the car
mad vanished before morning came.
Mystery to Park River.
"My own conviction. however, is
most firmly based on those indefinable
Of the man which stand
tut in my memory just as plainly as
hey did twenty years ago He was al
ways a mystery to the people at Park
River.
"He came there as medicine ped
Her, yet he was obviously an educated
nan. He was a great hunter and a
Keen trader He would do almost any
hing for money, yet the farm was
mere toy and 1 don't think that it was
sver run for profit. He would come
here every summer and bring couple
If young men with him to do the.
work.
cit was impossible to penetrate the
mystery which he kept tight around
lis past life. Many of the people of
Park River tried to learn something
If it from him, but in vain. He was a
nan who kept everyone at distance.
otter he seemed to become confidential
With me- yet as soon as one tried to
,ush certain line of conversation fur
her, he would switch off suddenly at a
vide angle.
"He was careful dresser. Time
md again 1 would see him walking
bout the fields of his farm dressed in
roafcloth. Yet on the other hand he