CHAPTER XVII.
THE FAMILY OF GOULD.
Jay Gould had no social ambition whatever. He was the most domestic of men, and his affection and attention to his own immediate family was so deep as to apparently leave no place for outside social influences.
Mr. Gould was greatly stricken by the death of his wife, which occurred January 13, 1889, after a long and painful illness. When she died there were present besides her husband and Mr. and Mrs. George Gould, her sons, Howard and Edwin; her daughters, Helen and Anna, and her sisters, Mrs. Harris, Mrs. Noyes and Mrs. Dickinson. Mrs. Gould was practically unknown in society, for the reason that she seldom cared to go into the fashionable world. Her home was world enough for her, and she made it a happy one. She was the idol of her children. Many stories are told of the private charities of this modest woman.
A FAMILY GROUP.
It was in the winter of 1862 that Jay Gould married Miss Helen D. Miller, the daughter of Daniel G. Miller, of the produce and grocery firm of Lee, Dater & Miller. Miss Miller was then twenty-three years old and lived with her parents at 33 East Seventeenth street, now the site of the Century building. The house was one of those old-time mansions, few of which still exist in New York. In this house they lived for several years and here, on February 6, 1864, the first child, George Jay Gould, was born. Here also, Edwin, the second, was born two years later. Helen Gould, the oldest daughter, was born in 1870. Howard was born a year later. Their other children are Anna, who is now fifteen, and Frank, who is still a young boy.
George Jay Gould, the eldest son, instead of going to college went into business with his father, and has himself amassed a considerable fortune. He lived with his father until his marriage to Miss Edith Kingdon, once a member of the company at Daly’s theater, which took place several years ago. He has three children, two boys, Kingdon and Jay, and one little girl. After his marriage George bought the house, No. 1 East Forty-seventh street, adjoining the rear of his father’s home, from Amos Lawrence Hopkins. A passageway was built connecting the house with the Fifth avenue mansion. George Jay Gould lived there until about a month ago, when he moved to the house which he purchased from Jacob H. Schiff, at Fifth avenue and Sixty-seventh street. Edwin Gould then moved into the Forty-seventh street house. He is twenty-six years old and a graduate of Columbia college in the class of ’88.
Edwin Gould, the second son, was married October 27, 1892, to Miss Sarah Cantine Shrady, step-daughter of Dr. George F. Shrady, of No. 8 East Sixty-sixth street. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Robert Collyer, at the house of the bride’s father. The presents received by the young couple were very costly and numerous. Mr. Gould sent besides the diamond pendant which the bride wore at the ceremony, 200 pieces of silver in a fine oak chest. After a short wedding trip Mr. and Mrs. Gould took up their residence at No. 1 East Forty-seventh street.
Edwin, though not so widely known as his brother, has an active interest in many of his father’s enterprises. He is a director of the Western Union Telegraph Company and of the Manhattan Elevated railroad. He is very fond of athletic sports, and belongs to the New York Athletic Club. He has been a member of Troop A, but resigned when he was appointed Inspector of Rifle Practice.
Miss Helen Miller Gould is about twenty-three years old. She is an active church-worker and a member of Dr. Paxton’s church. To her interest in missionary work has often been attributed the minister’s meeting at Mr. Gould’s house and the millionaire’s gift of $10,000 for missions. Howard Gould is twenty-one years old, Anna is a schoolgirl, and the youngest, Frank, is thirteen years old.