THE MERCHANTS' MAGAZINE AND COMMERCIAL REVIEW. JUNE, 1864. MOSES TAYLOR. In continuing our sketches of those prominent merchants of New York whose lives and characters fitly exemplify the honorable traits of the class to which they belong, and whose careers afford to the young aspirant after mercantile wealth and honors, examples for imitation and encouragement, we have chosen for our subject this month a man who, in many respects, stands foremost among the active and intelligent business men of this community, and the lesson of whose life is full of interest and instruction. MOSES TAYLOR was born in this city on 11th January, 1806, and is, consequently, now in the fifty-ninth year of his age. He is descended, in the third generation, from an Englishman of the same name, who emigrated to this country from London in 1736. The love of city life, which is so marked and predominant a characteristic in the subject of our notice, was peculiar also to his great grandfather, and the latter, upon his arrival here from England, influenced as it would seem by personal predilections which were stronger than his national tendency toward a rural life, adopted New York city as his place of residence. In a copy of the New York Gazette, published in 1750, now before us, his place of business, which was also his place of residence, is advertised to have been "the corner house opposite the Fly Market." In 1751 he removed to Old Slip, but a few months afterwards he returned to his former locality, in which, pursuing with diligence an honest calling, he continued to remain during the residue of his life. It is, to say the least, somewhat remarkable that in this city, noted for the instability which characterizes as well its families as its material concerns, where one generation scarcely ever leaves any distinctive mark which connects it with another; where an all pervading spirit of changeableness obliterates the landmarks of former times, recent as well as remote; and everything that is old is sacrificed to anything that is new-it is, we say, somewhat remarkable, in a city where such influences prevail, that, a century after the eldest MOSES TAYLOR carried on his business at the "corner house opposite the Fly Market," a lineal descendant of his, of the same name, should, in the third generation from him, be carrying on his business within a stone's throw of the same locality, and by the practice of the same virtues which his ancestors possessed-by stability, persistency, directness, energy, intelligence, honesty, uprightness-have achieved a success so great, and established a character so untarnished, as to be recognised by all who know him, as one of the most distinguished of that body of high toned men who have given to the merchants of New York their world-wide renown. The youngest son of the eldest MOSES TAYLOR was the grandfather of our subject, and was born in this city in 1739. From middle life his manhood was passed in the troublous times of the revolution; and, upon the occupation of the city by the British forces, he removed with his family into New Jersey, where for a considerable period of time he continued to reside. That this removal was distasteful to him, and that he undertook it unwillingly, as conflicting with those preferences for a city life which he in common with all of his lineage seems to have entertained, indubitable evidence exists. But with him the obligations of duty were paramount to all considerations of personal comfort, and he was i mpelled to make the change from the desire of saving his children, some of whom were daughters, from the contaminating influences inseparable from the presence of the British soldiery here. The gew-gaws and frippery, the dissipation and idleness, as well as the grosser vices which crop out from an army of occupation, were abhorrent to his sturdy and straightforward nature, and he was determined that, so far as depended upon him, none of these taints should fall upon his family. During this residence in New Jersey, the father of Mr. TAYLOR was born. He was named JACOB B. TAYLOR, and, true to the predominant instinct which has indicated itself in each succeeding generation of his family, he cast his lot in the city, and spent his entire life there. Many persons now living remember Mr. JACOB B. TAYLOR. His spare and erect figure, his grave but open countenance, were as well known in the walks of business as the excellent qualities of his character were appreciated there. He was distinguished through life for his entire faithfulness, his scrupulous honesty, his unswerving truthfulness, and his untiring activity. Whatever he did was done conscientiously, whatever he asserted was absolute verity, and his zeal and industry were such that, it may be truly said of him, that, in whatever he undertook, he knew no such word as fail. These qualities attracted, as was natural, the notice and respect of the community in which he lived; and for many successive years, during a period when civic distinctions were conferred upon our worthiest and not upon our basest citizens; when such men as HONE, and IRELAND, and ALLEN, and others of equal eminence, sat in the city councils, he was Alderman of the Ninth and Fifteenth Wards. A reference to the records of those days will show with what fidelity he discharged his public trusts, and how well in him appeared "The constant service of the antique world It is no wonder, then, that Mr. TAYLOR feels, as he does, an honest pride in his progenitors; and that the inheritance of a good name, which he has received from them, is esteemed by him as of more worth than untold material riches. Indeed a good name is one of the most valuable of earthly possessions. It endures. To him who has it, it is rightfully a perpetual source of commendable pride and grateful pleasure. It mingles with his blood and character, and infuses into his nature such honor and dignity as are derivable from no other source. The possession of wealth may bring him who has it into prominent and public notice; and, whilst it lasts, may hold him there; but if it be unaccompanied by a good name, or worse, if it be associated with a bad one, the prominence which it produces becomes the bane of life, for the finger of scorn is harder to endure than the humblest obscurity. Take heed then, ye struggling aspirants after wealth and fame! If you would really enjoy, in full measure, the rewards of a successful life, keep your hands clean and your honor undefiled preserve a good name, lest it turn out that the riches which you acquire, however great they may be, become ashes in your grasp, and that the prominence which you attain to, serves only to render you a more conspicuous object of public detestation and contempt. The house in which Mr. TAYLOR was born stood at the corner of Broadway and Morris Street, and here he passed his earlier childhood; but in 1813 his father removed his residence to a house in Broadway, nearly opposite to what is now the New York Hotel, and continued to reside there until long after his son had taken his departure from the paternal roof. Doubtless the remoteness of this residence from the compact portion of the city-for it was then quite out of town-was the occasion of a habit which is still conspicuous in Mr. TAYLOR, and to the constant practice of which, during half a century, his vigorous health, notwithstanding his exhausting labors, is mainly to be attributed. We refer to his invariable habit of using his own legs for the purposes of locomotion. That practice has made him perfect in this respect may be readily seen by any one who will observe him, even at this day, as with quick and elastic step he darts through the crowds of Wall and South Streets; and is often experienced by some stiffer limbed acquaintance, who believes in omnibuses, but who sometimes vainly endeavors to accompany him in his daily walk down or up Broadway. The schools which he successively attended, during his boyhood, were those of PICKETT in Chamber Street, FORREST & SLOCUM in Church Street, and KELLOGG in Thames Street, and, as these were all nearly two miles distant from his father's house, and as his undeviating custom was to go to and return from them on foot, the habit of rapid walking, which he still keeps up, was then commenced. His school days were marked by the same energy and punctuality which characterized his subsequent life: he was never a truant; he shirked no duty; he left no work unperformed; but was ever prompt in his attendance, diligent in his studies, and faithful and thorough in the work which was imposed upon him at school. Although the character of his mind is practical rather than reflective, and exercises itself with the methods by which practical results are educed, rather than with speculations upon any mere abstract subjects, yet he possesses so vigorous an understanding that there is no reason to doubt that if his inclinations had led him toward the paths of scholarship, he would have attained to the same distinction in them as he has gained in the course of life which he actually pursued. But either his own choice, or those other potent influences which exercise a directing control over the purposes of men, determined that he should be a merchant and not a bookworm; and accordingly, at the age of fifteen, with such an education as the training of a common school affords to a boy of that age, he threw aside his satchel, abandoned the sports of boy hood, and, bidding adieu to his school mates, entered at once upon the serious business of his life. At first he entered the house of J. D. BROWN, but he remained there but a short time, and then became a clerk in the mercantile establishment of Messrs G. G. & S. HOWLAND. At this time, and indeed during the whole period in which Mr. TAYLOR remained in their service, the Messrs HOWLANDS were engaged in a very extensive and varied foreign commerce. Their correspondence and business relations extended to every part of the world; and the head of the house, Mr. GARDINER G. HOWLAND, a very energetic and intelligent merchant, was ever ready to enter upon new fields of commercial enterprise. They owned and employed many vessels, which sailed upon every sea and visited every shore. Freighted with assorted cargoes, made up of every variety of domestic and foreign article, they went forth upon their distant voyages and returned laden with the products of the countries which they had visited. To all parts of Europe, to India, China, the Mediterranean, to the West Indies, South America, the West Coast, to every quarter of the globe in fact, to which American enterprise had pushed its commerce, these mercantile adventures were carried; and the system of credits prevailing in those days, both in reference to the purchase of outward cargoes and to the payment of duties upon importations, helped to enlarge and amplify them, so that their scope was only equalled by their variety. It was in such a field young TAYLOR set to work. His industry and intelligence soon attracted the notice of his employers. Always cheerful, ready and zealous, quick, active and vigilant, it was perceived that he brought to the performance of his duties not only that steady application to the routine and details of business which is the common requisite of a good clerk, but that, beyond these, he comprehended the bearing and significance of the thing in hand, and was ever prompt to anticipate and prepare for the succeeding step. It followed, of course, that he had a great deal to do, for labor and responsibility will always be thrown upon those shoulders which are best able to bear them. But he did not object to this. The more work he had to do, the more diligence and industry he displayed; and he was never better pleased with himself than when he had successfully accomplished an onerous and burdensome task. Those young gentlemen who, now in their noviciate, are seeking to enter the road which leads to fortune, may learn a useful lesson from this example. Young TAYLOR, whilst he was a clerk, did not clamor for privileges or immunities or relief from toil; he was not intent upon amusement or relaxation or personal pleasures of any kind; nor did an additional burden fill him with dismay; but, feeling his employers interests to be his own, he diligently and faithfully promoted them so far as depended upon him, at what expenditure of labor or strength soever, and he stands to-day among the richest and most respected of the merchants of New York! As he rapidly passed through the various gradations of counting-house promotion, new spheres of duty and activity were opened to him, and additional demands were made upon his energetic and indefatigable powers; yet his quickness of apprehension, and his steady determination to be always "ahead of his work," rendered him equal to these demands. Indeed nothing gratified him more than to be able, as he most always was, to reply to his employers suggestion of work to be performed, is done, Sir." "It At the present time, the commerce of New York has attained to such vast proportions, that each particular branch of it constitutes, in many instances, a separate business of itself, and many of its operations and details are turned over to brokers and other agents who make them the objects of their special occupation. It is difficult, therefore, for the young gentlemen, who now pass a few hours a day in a counting-house, to realize the extent and variety of labor which, at the time when Mr. TAYLOR was a clerk, had to be performed by their predecessors. Each house had then to depend upon its own force and facilities for the performance of every thing which its business required, and the post of custom-house clerk, shipping clerk or salesman, in an establishment like that of the Messrs HOWLANDS, was no sinecure. The separate entry, under the old complicated system of duties, so as to admit of their ready disposal at home or under debenture, of cargoes embracing every variety of foreign product, invoiced in every variety of currency; the sale of these products; the purchase of outward cargoes in every detail of assortment; their repacking for convenient carriage, lading invoicing, insuring, &c., these and other details, now in a great measure entrusted to outside agents, involved an amount of labor of which a clerk of the present day can have no adequate idea; and yet they constituted a portion only of the every day duty of Mr. TAYLOR whilst he was with the Messrs HOWLANDS. It is not to be wondered, then, that the candle upon his desk was often burning beyond the time of night when the bells of old Trinity struck the "shutting up" hour of ten o'clock. The day was devoted to out-door workto vessel, wharf, custom-house and market. The night was employed in recording what had been accomplished during the day, and in the necessary preparations for the morrow. Notwithstanding these severe demands upon his industry, he yet found time to test the value of his mercantile education, by methods which not only confirmed the lessons that he had learned, but which also afforded some remuneration for the diligent faithfulness that he had bestowed upon them. With the concurrence of his employers, he frequently engaged in small adventures upon his own account. Guided by his own judgment, he would make up consignments, which he would entrust, under instructions, to the captains and supercargoes voyaging for the house (with whom he was always a favorite), and these, sold by them, and their proceeds invested in foreign products, frequently yielded him a double profit. Indeed so much judgment and foresight were displayed in these operations, and their details were so carefully and judiciously managed, that they may fairly be said to have been the forerunners of his subsequent mercantile success. They yielded him the capital which enabled him afterwards to enter upon his larger sphere of business on his own account. Always exact and orderly, he opened, at this early day, a set of books in which all of these adventures were recorded by "double entry." A friend who has seen these accounts informs us that they are models of neatness and accuracy; and we know that their owner regards them with especial pride, as he justly may, for they are the first records of a career, then commenced, which has been throughout its whole course honorable and successful. With such preparation, and after such experience, Mr. TAYLOR arrived at that period of life when, so far as he was concerned, its business and affairs were to be carried on by him upon his own responsibility, and for |