Theodore G. Northrup at 96
Takes Dancing Lessons and Invites 500 to Xmas Party
Somewhere out in the lake dotted State of Michigan a man of 40 years, Theodore G. Northrup, fell ill unto death in his cooper shop. Later in a sanitarium the doctor shook his head, and said, "It is no use.” Fifty-six years later this same Theodore G. Northrup is the author of a book and teacher on the "Philosophy of Life,” and he. plans for his 96th birthday on Christmas Day. He has sent out 500 invitations to friends to come and enjoy open house with him from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Christmas Day at- the Hotel Breslin, Manhattan.
Last year Mr. Northrup planned a similar Christmas, and invited all the people in New York who were 95 for that was his age then. He searched the city for one who was able to help and around: Most of them were bedridden with folks waiting on them. Next he combed the city for those of 90 years. He offered to send taxis for them and take them home but not one of them came.
Only four years ago Mr. Northrup left his busy office in the Singer Building to take life easy.
“The first thjng I can remember." he said yesterday,
"was a trip on the Erie Canal. We were moving from from place to somewhere in a canal boat, and I thought the mule was so funny pulling away all by himself up there on the bank, and we were in the boat.
When I. was 15 we moved to Michigan, and I lived there, for 50 years and later built up a system of five cooperage factories; my employees included 10 men in the Jackson prison."
Rising abruptly from his chair he strode towards a library table and brought a large carved ' box that rested there.
"That was carved for me with a jackknife by one of the prisoners. He. made it to give to me, but I knew he needed money when he got out and so I insisted on him taking $25 for it. I got along fine, with those.men up there in the prison.
If they Worked overtime I always paid: them extra, and they turned out as good a quality of work as did the free men.”
"No, I am not a college graduate ," he replied to a query. "I never went to school for more than a year and a half in all my life; part of that was in New York State and part in Michigan."
The first book that he published was called "Northrup’s Religion and Business."
On the sponsor, committee backing up Mr. Northrup in this work of teaching are such names as Chauncey M. Depew, Judge Elbert H.Clary, Hudson Maxim, Charles M.Schwab, Frank La Forge and others equally prominent.
Before the first of th e year Mr. Northrup plans to be well along in a series of dancing lessons, which he is now taking. He declares that instead of growing older he is growing younger by knowing how to apply the laws that govern the body; and that he will be 96 on Christmas Day. In accordance with this there will be 30 candles burning on his birthday cake. Mr. Northrup has a daughter, Mrs. Osborne of New Rochelle, and a son in Dakota.
From: THE BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE. NEW YORK, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1924.
September 1, 1917 (NY Times)
February 24, 1917 (NY Times)
July 13, 1918 (NY Times)
Northrup's Religion and business~ 1925
Northrup's How to make good~ 1923
Religion and business: the undreamed-of possibilities which man may achieve through mastery of self ~1921
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