Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-23
THEY WERE TWENTY-oNE
what Some Well known Men of
Today Were Doing M that
Time.

Joseph q. Cannon was busily engaged in
studying aw in his twenty-first year, and
for several years thereafter. Following an
education in the conimon schools and In
law, he was admitted to the Illinois bar.
Long before his twenty-first year, John
d. Rockefeller was we'll established In
business, and had given evidence OF his
genius for organization. He went 20 Cleve-
land when 16 years old and obtained his
first position. Two years later he was en-
gagged in an oil commission house. At Fl
he was partner in the commission house of
Clarke & Rockefeller, where he had been
established for more than two years.
James ]. Hill was educated with the idea
Of becoming a physician. His father death
compelled him to enter business, when he
obtained a position in a country store at
the age of IS. Later he moved to St. Paul,
and in his twenty-first year was engaged
as shipping clerk in that city. with the
Mississippi Packet mpany.
First as a school teacher then a printer,
Hudson Maxim, fought his way against
unusual odds. By the time he a reached
his twenty-first year he had become a
printer and publisher of subscription books,
and in selling these he Travelled about the
country. His spare moments at this period
were spent in experimenting with high ex-
plosives.
A few months before reaching his major
ity, Theodore Perry Shonts was graduated
from Monmouth college. Illinois. His first
position was in a bank in Iowa. and his
tw~enty-first birthday found him a clerk
porting aver the ledgers of the bank.
Shortly afterwardNhe was selected to stand
ardize and systematize the methods of
bookkeeping.
From his first job at 81 a day, William
e. Corey advanced rapidly in the great
Carnegie Steel works at Pittsburg. His
tw~enty-first year was spent in perfecting
! the famous Carnegie reinforced armor
plate. Shortly afterward he was appointed
superintendent of the plate mills.
Charles M. Schwab started to earn his
living as a farm hand Next he became the
driver OF a coach. and later a clerk In
a grocery store. At 10 he became a civil
engineers assistant at 81 a day. At q
young Schwab was working hard in the
field with an engineer corps. Five years
later he was appointed chief assistant of
the division engineer and under his direc-
ton the famous plant at Homestead was
built.
Leaving school when but 8 years old
Robert Collyer was forced to work in an
English factory. Later his great physical
strength determined his occupation. and
he became a blacksmith. At the age Of
p he was working at this occupation
spending his leisure hours in study. Five
years later he emigrated to America and
entered the ministry.
Born on a farm in a remote part Of iii
nois. John Finley started at an early ag,
to work his way through school. At 2
he had entered Knox college at Galesburg
He supported himself at this time by work
ing as a compositor in a local printing OF
flee. In the last year OF his college cours,
he became principal OF his old high school
An orphan at the age OF 8, Thomas F
Ryan was cared for by his grandmother
and at an early age sought employment
Z His first position was with a dry good
commission house in Baltimore. He ma,
saved enough money by his 18th year 4
come to New York. He entered bushes
activity and became a member OF tn
Stock exchanges IN his oath year.
; L. E.. Loree began his career In his I9tl
year as chairman with a corps o
civil engineers. In his 21st year h
became transit man with the snginee
/ corps in the United States army. shOrtl,
5 afterward he CHANGED TO be in the vtcinit,
: OF Johnstown at the time OF the great fIooI
and was put In charge OF reconstructin
the railroad. He has ever since been know
as the man who made good al Johns
town"
The study Of law was engaging the tim
OF Joseph H. Choat In his s1st yea
and for several years thereafter. H
was graduated at "a from Harvard wit
Phi Beta Kappa hOnOrs, and entered tn