Today we have three men born in New York on this date. Two involved themselves in transportation, mostly railroads, the first industriously and honorably, the second was more of a predator. In 1998 American Heritage Magazine undertook a careful look at the great fortunes of America, adjusting for inflation and the size of the economy over time, and found that Cornelius Vanderbilt's $105 million in 1877 was the equivalent of $95.9 Billion in 1998, ranking third. Jay Gould's $72 million in 1892 was the equivalent of $42.1 billion, ranking ninth. (At that point, Bill Gates ranked fifth with $61.7 billion.)
The
third person, your obedient servant, has never been ranked on any list
of wealth, nor is it likely no matter how many of your friends sign up
for Twisted History. Many readers have asked, "Who are you?" and "How
old are you?" and similar questions. I'm a writer who loves trivia and
quotations, an active Lutheran (who happens to often worship with Episcopalean
friends at Saint Augustine's in the Woods), father of a 21-year-old, Amelia,
of whom I am rather proud. My wife of 15 years is named Larkin and is
a talented textile artist. Our home is in Clinton on the south end of
Whidbey Island, about 40 miles northwest of Seattle. At last count there
were 13 computers running here (Macintosh, Windows NT, and Linux) and
18 dictionaries on the shelf. I spend about three hours a day researching
and collating each issue of Twisted History. That covers the common questions.
Photo at right is a self portrait shot with a Nikon Coolpix 950, one
of a steady stream of cameras tested here.
Today is the feast of Saint Augustine of Canterbury. Unless you are associated with the Anglican church, this is not who you normally think of as Saint Augustine - that would be Augustine of Hippo, who lived two centuries earlier and who we will get to in August. This also marks the adoption of habeas corpus into English law and the first of the shameful Massachusetts executions of alleged witches.
1647 - Achsah Young of Windsor, Connecticut was hanged for witchcraft at Salem, Massachusetts, the first recorded American execution of a woman as a witch, 45 years before the 1692 hysteria in the same town.
1679 - The Habeas Corpus Act was passed by the British Parliament. Habeas corpus, Latin for "you should have the body," is a process for requiring a prisoner to be presented to a court to determine if the detention is lawful. It ensures due process of law, and was deemed important enough by early Americans that it is included in the US Constitution.
Feast of Saint Augustine of Canterbury, Pope Gregory I sent Augustine and 30 monks to reestablish Christianity in England, but they were frightened by wild stories of Saxon brutality and turned back. Gregory sent them again, they were met by King Aethelbert on the Kentish coast in 597 (four sites contend for the honor today), and given an old church and dwellings in Canterbury. Through diligence and a willingness to adopt popular (pagan) religious rites into Christian feasts and celebrations they won over most of England and Wales. Augustine died 26 May 605, the English church observes the feast on that day.
1794 - Cornelius Vanderbilt, US transport entrepreneur, financier - Born poor on Staten Island, left school at 11 to work for father, at 16 borrowed $100 from mother for a boat and offered transport to New York City for 18 cents a trip, at 17 he repaid it plus $1,000. Carried military freight in New York area in War of 1812, built three more vessels and earned nickname "Commodore." Went into steamships in 1818 as captain, underpriced monopoly operators on Hudson, prevailed in court when sued, wife operated hotel where his passengers had to stay. Developed fastest way across Central America, his New York to San Francisco line cut rates and ended up with most of the traffic. Sold off his boats before Civil War, went into rail afterwards. Rough but honest, worked hard. Died 4 January 1877.
1836 - Jason Gould, US surveyor, financier - Born at Roxbury, New York on a poor farm, worked for a blacksmith, then as store clerk, picked up surveying and between his 18th and 21st years was involved in surveying six counties in three states. During the same period he wrote two historical volumes. At age 21 he had $5,000 and went into the leather business, where one biographer relates he was "sharp to the point of knavery." In 1860 began speculating in rail stocks and bonds, leading to infamous battles with Cornelius Vanderbilt. "Jay" Gould and James Fisk played fast and loose with the companies they controlled, bought legislation with liberal bribes, created the Black Friday panic of 1869, and when they were tossed out in 1872 Gould was worth $25 million. Turned to western rails, forged the second transcontinental railway and made a few more bucks. Returned to New York, picking up the New York World, the elevated railway, and Western Union. Died of tuberculosis 2 December 1892.
1953 - G. Armour Van Horn, US writer, publisher - Born at Ithaca, New York, family moved to Minnesota where father taught music, then to Port Angeles, Washington in 1958. The mischievous Van Horn (using baptismal name which he no longer allows in public) was a poor student, his high school graduation was probably the easiest way to get rid of him rather than a measure of achievement. Worked in local radio, moved to Seattle 1973 and took up screen printing, freelance computer writer on Whidbey Island 1990 - 1998, primarily involved in Internet activities since.
That some should be rich, shows that others may become rich, and hence
is just encouragement to industry and enterprise.
- Abraham Lincoln
Fear of serious injury cannot alone justify suppression of free speech
and assembly. Men feared witches and burned women. It is the function
of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears.
- Justice Louis Brandeis
A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car, but
if he has a university education he may steal the whole railroad.
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt
I have been insane on the subject of moneymaking all my life.
- Cornelius Vanderbilt
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