Gould, Jay, 1836-1892

Variant names
Dates:
Birth 1836-05-27
Death 1892-12-02

Biographical notes:

Gould purchased Lyndhurst in 1880, using it as a summer home and country retreat.

From the description of Family papers, 1863-1905. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 155540352

Businessman and financier.

From the description of Papers of Jay Gould, 1873-1876. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 79453645

Financier, New York City.

From the description of Address book, [18--]. (New York University, Group Batchload). WorldCat record id: 58665136

Jay Gould (1826-1892) was an American financier and railroad entrepreneur.

Jason Gould was born May 27, 1836 in Roxbury, New York to Mary (Moore) and John Burr Gould. As a young man, Gould helped prepare maps of several counties in New York, Ohio and Michigan. In 1856, he wrote History of Delaware County, and Border Wars of New York, a work which explored the local history of the region. Around 1857, Gould opened a tannery in northern Pennsylvania. He soon began speculating in small railways. Gould and James Fisk joined the directorate of the Erie Railroad in 1867. Shortly after, the partners strategically named Peter Sweeney and William (Boss) Tweed directors. The two directors, particularly Tweed, were able to use their leverage in politics to arrange favorable legislation for the railroad. Gould was eventually forced out of the Erie Railroad corporation, but merely shifted his speculative interests to other business such as the Union Pacific and Missouri Pacific railroad, Western Union Telegraph Company, and the New York World .

Gould was married to Helen Day Miller with whom he had 6 children, George Jay, Edwin, Helen, Howard, Anna, and Frank Jay Gould. He died December 2, 1892 of tuberculosis at the age of 57.

From the guide to the Jay Gould Letters, 1866-1881, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)

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Subjects:

  • Business and industry
  • Capitalists and financiers
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Students
  • Families
  • Floriculture
  • Greenhouses
  • Municipal bonds
  • Railroads
  • Seed industry and trade
  • Street addresses

Occupations:

  • Businessmen
  • Capitalists and financiers
  • Entrepreneurs

Places:

  • New York (State)--Tarrytown (as recorded)
  • Tarrytown (N.Y.) (as recorded)

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