Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1916-06-09
Montgomery County Miliionaire
Dead.
BORROWED $40 To Go WEsr.

From the Baltimore Sun of Tuesday.
Charlie" Grimes. who borrowed $40 in
1885 to 60 West from this city and from
that start amassed a fortune estimated at
many millions, is dead. The news reached
the Rennert Hotel yesterday, a letter from
Miss Gladys Grimes, 1877 South Moline
avenue, Pasadena, CAL, announcing the
facts was received by Edward Davis. man.
aeer Of the hotel. Mr.. Grimes was in this
city during the Democratic Convention four
years ago. and that was his first visit to
his native State since he left 1t almost a
pauper.
Newspaper clippings sent with the letter
showed that Pasadena deeply mourned
the loss Of their noteworthy resident.
mo man in Pasadena will ever leave
warmer friends" states one newspaper.
His cardinal principle in business was
the golden rule and there is probably no
mining property in the world which paid
to its original investors ereater.returns than
the Tom Reed mine, for it was President
Grimes Of the Tom Reed Gold Mine Com
pany who prevented every effort to freeze
out the men and women who had few
dollars invested. When he made his for
tune he turned over the old business to
faithful employees who had been with him
for years. He took his old books of ac-
counts and celebrated by burning them
and calling things square with scores of
working men in his debt"
When in this city in May, 1912. Mr..
Grimes declared that he was the happiest
man alive, and he was known thereafter
as the "happiest man in the world" He
was about S feet inches tall and weighed
close to 200 pounds. He never Haunted
his wealth, for he dressed plainly and al
ways declared that he was Woodworking
man and not sport He was affable and
always ready to aid anyone who was down
and out. He never turned his back on a
hard-luck story.
Mr.. Grimes was born September 20,
1853, his father, Charles H. Grimes, being
shoemaker at Brookeville. In Montgom-
cry county, Md, just across the line from
Howard county. He grew up in that Sec
ton Of Maryland and spent much time
around Ellicott City. Thirty-one years ago
he heard and read much Of the fortunes
made in the West. but it was one thing to
plan to find great quantities of gold and
another thing to get the money to reach
the Mines He was determined, though,
and. coming to Baltimore, he borrowed $40
and started out.
The next time his relatives heard Of him
was when he was clerk at cigar stand
at Pasadena. He accumulated enough
money at his work to open restaurant
and billiard room. He soon had snug
amount in bank and gradually began
investing in gold-mining enterprises.
When the Tom Reed mine was opened he
went into it heavily and soon had accu-
INFLATED $4,000 shares of the stock.
His manipulations Of the stock and the
directorate Of the Tom Reed Company soon
put him into the chair of president, and
the career Of the mine was bright after
that.
Mr.. Grimes was married October 8, 1889,
to Miss Florence E. Black, of Pasadena,
and she and her two daughters survive
him. He always kept in touch with his
relatives here. and when any Of them went
West he entertained them royalty. When
he was here last he went to the farm of
Mrs John Musgrove. Of Howard county.
his sister. and pretended he was wealthy
Westerner who wanted to buy the farm.
He offered her fabulous amount for the
place, and she. not knowing that he was
her brother, was about to accept when Mr..
Grimes made himself known.
Besides his mining interests, Mr. Grimes
was active In many lines Of business in
Pasadena. His funeral took place last
week In Pasadena.