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:

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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The E-Sylum: Volume 4, Number 14, April 1, 2001, Article 11

WEALTHIEST MAN IN THE SOUTH

Wayne Homren, Editor