WEALTHIEST MAN IN THE SOUTH
In the category of "things found while looking for other things"
is this 1881 newspaper article about a hoarder of
Confederate currency. The web site it came from isn't well
organized or maintained, so I've taken the liberty of copying
the text verbatim to preserve it in case the site goes away.
The address of the web page is:
http://www.oldekinstongazette.com/confedmn.htm
Bushels Of Confederate Money
Kinston Journal
December 1, 1881
A Griffin, Georgia correspondent of the Atlanta Constitution
writes as follows concerning Mr. J.W. Corbin, a citizen of
Griffin:
Some years ago he took a peculiar notion that Confederate
money and bonds would some day be worth something; so
he went to work and bought them up in large quantities,
paying cash for a considerable amount and bartering meal
from his mill for the balance. He gave a bushel of meal for
a thousand dollars, and many a wagon load of that food has
been hauled away from his door.
Many people, of course, regarded the notion as rather cranky,
but to those Mr. Corbin have no heed, going right along and
buying every dollar he could take and scrape. There is really
no telling how much Confederate money he has. Those who
know, or seem to know, say he has between seven and eight
million, beside several hundred thousand dollars in bonds.
When asked at a bank how much his bonds were worth he
replied: "Well, I have $125,000 in one box, and that isn't all,
by a lot."
And so he has gone right on this way for years. He has had
letters from all over the country, and he has bought the stuff
right and left, from far and near. As already stated, no one
knows just how far exactly his freak has extended, and he
may have $50,000,000 for all I know.
Mr. Corbin is considerably stirred up by the recent demand
in London, and seems satisfied he is on the right track to an
immense fortune. He is not considered at all shaky in the upper
story by his friends, though they cannot, of course, understand
his strange fascination about Confederate money. He has
always been considered a solid citizen, and is in good
circumstances now, but will be the wealthiest man in the South,
if his dream is ever realized."
Wayne Homren, Editor
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