Chapter XXII

When I forget any thing about an old merchant, I insert it as it comes to my mind. All that the reader of this work has to do is to refer to the Index, at the end of this volume. I have already written something about the Biningers. Here is more. A son of Jacob Bininger certainly did marry the daughter of a high ex-official at Paris. Abraham B. married Miss Draper, a daughter of Lorenzo Draper, by his first wife. He was formerly dry goods importer, and appointed consul at Paris by John Tyler, when President. Lorenzo is brother to William and Simeon Draper. Both of the latter brothers married daughters of John Haggerty.

Mr. Abraham Bininger had a brother William, whose history, unfortunate and romantic, would form the ground work of a tale to rend the hearts and bring tears to the eyes of the most hardened and unsympathising of merchants.

William Bininger was a noble fellow. He was educated at Nazareth, Penn., and was intended to be a Moravian minister. He was a glorious soul. His prospects were bright, when in a sad hour he fell in love with a charming, beautiful girl, who lived in Liberty street, just around the corner from the Bininger store in Broadway. She had but one fault—she was poor. The mother of the youth, who was Mrs. Harriet Burger Bininger, herself the daughter of the aristocratic clam-digger Burger of Staten Island, did not consider the match a suitable one, and she deliberately went to work to break it up. She swore it should never be, and she kept her oath. William Bininger was as noble a fellow as God ever allowed to breathe. But he wished to be an obedient son—to mind his parents. Disgusted with maternal interference, he bade farewell to his lady-love and embarked for Europe. Dispirited and disheartened, he died of a broken heart in a port of France. His body was placed in a pipe of old Cognac brandy, the cask was marked A. B. & Co., New York, and shipped by a vessel bound to this port.

The vessel in which the melancholy package was shipped was wrecked off Barnegat, but the pipe and its contents were picked up on the Barnegat beach, and eventually reached Bininger & Co.

Before he died, William made his will, and gave every dollar that he was or would be worth (for it was before his father Jacob died) to the beautiful but poor girl to whom he was attached. His fortune, so willed away, was then worth about $100,000; it would now be worth $400,000. So soon as the mother received the news of his death, and of the will, she was fearfully angry. Previously, she never would acknowledge acquaintance with the poor girl her son loved; but as soon as she became the heiress of her son, she sought her out, invited her to their magnificent residence in Chambers street, where Jacob Bininger lived in splendid style, and coaxed and wheedled the young lady to take $20,000 and relinquish all claims upon the Bininger property.

The first Miss Bininger, Agnes, married Richard Clark, who was once a dry goods merchant, and latterly a Third Ward constable, in which high official capacity, he died. He was the father of Abraham Clark, one of the present firm.

Martha, another sister of Jacob Bininger, married a Frenchman, Andrew Gautier. He was a well known broker down town. When he died, his widow married Isaiah Mankin, a merchant in Baltimore. He was concerned with W. W. Todd of this city, the great salt merchant, in a line of coasters between the two cities. Old Abe Bininger bought for him a house in Baltimore, and the widow Mankin still owns it.

Rebecca married Nathan Sands of Orange county, and was mother to the sarsaparilla Sands, A. B. & D. Sands in Fulton street, druggists. Old Nathan Sands was a Quaker preacher.

Jacob Bininger left three daughters. Harriet married Doctor Smith, a son of Professor Smith of the Medical College. Charlotte married David Wagstaff, a grocer in Courtlandt street near West street.

Mary Catherine (since dead), married John B. Dash, now of the firm of Wolfe, Dash & Spencer, a great hardware house, No. 38 Warren street.

A very old concern is that of John B. Dash. Long before the year 1801, old J. B. D. kept a large hardware store on the south-west corner of Liberty street and Broadway, and next door to where old Abe Bininger bought a store for $11,000. Old Mr. Dash lived above his store for many years. It was John B. Dash & Son up to 1824, when the old gentleman died. He was a Moravian, and belonged to the Moravian church in Fulton street. It stood one door east of Dutch street. A marble store now stands upon the old site. In the rear, Mr. Dash was buried. His family was buried there also. When the Moravian church was moved up to Houston street, the bones of the older Dash were put in a box, carried up to Houston street, and placed under the steps of the new edifice. The bones of the young Dash were also removed thither Mrs. Dash, although a strict Moravian, refused even after to go to the Houston street church, as she said she would not walk over her husband's bones.

J. B. Dash, Jr., kept up the old firm in the old store, corner of Liberty street and Broadway, as late as 1830. The whole family became wealthy by the rise of real estate, originally belonging to the elder Mr. Dash.

The third J. B. Dash became a clerk with Wolfe, Spies & Clark.

The origin of the house was before the War of 1812, when J. D. & Cristopher Wolfe went into the hardware business in Maiden Lane, opposite to Clark & Brown's old coffee house. C. & J. D. Wolfe were on the corner of Gold street. J. D. Wolfe married a Miss Lorillard, and he now lives in Madison avenue, and is supposed to be worth four or five million dollars.

Christopher lived in Broadway, opposite the New York Hotel, for many years. When the house dissolved, it formed two new concerns. One was J. Wolfe, Bishop & Co., and the other Wolfe, Spies & Clark. The firm remained in the old stand, and the latter moved to Pearl street, near Maiden Lane. Mr. Bishop also married a Miss Lorillard, and is extremely rich. Wolfe, Spies & Clark, changed to Wolfe, Dash & Co., and is now Wolfe, Dash & Spies, No. 38 Warren street. The other firm is still Wolfe, Bishop & Co., in Maiden Lane.

Old Hoffman, who owned the "Swallow," and was connected in the Hudson Steamboat Company, with Daniel Drew and Isaac Newton, married a Miss Dash, a daughter of old John B. Dash. He has been dead many years. So has Mr. Newton. Daniel Drew yet lives. He will never die until he has obtained sole control and possession of the Erie railroad. He is a great schemer, and has had a wonderful success. Originally a barefooted cattle drover, he has kept traveling until he has acquired immense wealth. He made a great deal of money while he kept the "Bull's Head" house. His assistant was Robinson, who married his daughter. Mr. Drew, when he left hotel keeping, started Robinson in the same business. They are now Drew & Robinson, wealthy brokers in Wall street.

Bradish Johnson was formerly one of the firm of William M. Johnson & Son. He was born on a sugar plantation just below New Orleans. It was bought by his father in 1810, and was called the Bradish plantation. It is now owned by Bradish Johnson. Old Johnson had four sons and one daughter. He was captain of a ship that traded to New Orleans for many years. He always went by the name of Captain Johnson, even when a planter, and also when a merchant. The old captain was a glorious, whole-souled man. He had not one mean idea in his composition.

In 1822 or 1823 Captain Johnson removed to New York city, and here established the distillery business. It is still continued by his son Bradish. The latter was educated for the law. In 1831 he graduated from Columbia College, and commenced studying law. He was admitted to the bar; but his father, the captain, had become old and feeble, and Bradish not having any great fondness for the legal profession, abandoned it, in order to enter into business with his father. They were then doing a moderate business, and their distillery was in Seventeenth street, between the Ninth and Tenth avenues. The old captain was a far-seeing person. When he came to New York he perceived that the city was increasing in the most astonishing manner, and that in a very few years it must equal, if not surpass London. He acted upon this idea, and whenever and wherever he could buy real estate he did it to the utmost limit of his means, especially in the section where the distillery was located, and also in the Sixth avenue. Old Captain Johnson started two of his sons in the rectifying business, in connection with the distillery. In the latter he took in Mr. Lazarus as a partner. When the old gentleman died he left two sons, who were rather gay as well as fast. They never missed a race on Long Island, and owned the finest yacht and fastest horses that money could buy. They retired from the business. Bradish Johnson continued on, under the firm of Johnson & Lazarus. They have the largest whiskey distillery in the United States. The concern sold "swill" to feed a thousand cows, and rented the stalls. It was this house that Frank Leslie pitched into so unmercifully, with pen and pencil, not many years ago.

The distillery and grounds of Johnson & Lazarus occupy two blocks. Michael Tuomey was brought up by Johnson & Sons.

Bradish Johnson married a Miss Lawrence. She was a sister of the wife of the late Wm. E. Wilmerding, of the firm of Haggerty, Austin & Co. once, and who lived many years in Dey street, on the lower side, about eight doors from Broadway.

Johnson & Lazarus have recently established a sugar refinery. It is equal to Stuart's, and in a few years will be the heaviest in the United States.

Bradish Johnson had a brother named Henry. He was located on the sugar plantation near New Orleans, and died two years ago, leaving in his will the plantation to Bradish, and the two hundred and fifty negroes to themselves; that is, at the expiration of three years these negroes were to be called together, and the will was to be read to them.

They were all to be emancipated and sent to Liberia free of expense to themselves, and each negro was to be furnished with sufficient provisions to last him one year after he arrived in Africa.

When Bradish heard the contents of the will he proceeded at once to New Orleans and to his plantation. He called the negroes together, told them they need not wait for the three years to expire, that its condition could be complied with at once, and that those who wished to go to Africa could do so then.

There were further conditions in the will. Those who did not go to Africa could remain on the plantation, and were never allowed to be sold or removed.

The question was put and a vote was taken whether to go or stay. Not one negro voted to go to Africa. They all begged to remain on the place where nearly all were born and had been brought up. Mr. Bradish Johnson consented. He allowed them Saturday to do their own work, in addition to Sunday. He allowed each one so much ground to cultivate. So matters have worked. Most of the negroes have profited so well by this privilege that the greater part of those slaves could now purchase their own freedom were they so minded.