THE OLD MERCHANTS OF NEW YORK CITY
        Second  Series

By  Walter Barrett, Clerk
     1863

     MERCHANT  DESCRIPTIONS

       CHAPTER  28


JOHN  McVIKAR


      Among other of the olden time merchants, is one to whom I have often
alluded, and who is the founder of a family, whose name is interwoven with
the prosperity of the city____John McVikar. He was a merchant of the last as
well as present century. The manner in which he came to this country is as
curious as his subsequent successful mercantile career. He was Irish born,
John and Nathan were sons of an Irish gentleman of moderate estate, and he
lost his first wife___their mother. He afterwards married a second time, to
give a mother to his boys. She was not different from the general run of
step-mothers, and the home ceased to be a home to them. Under those painful
circumstances, John, the eldest brother, determined to abandon it and try
his fortune in the Western hemisphere. He told his younger brother that if
he succeeded in New York, whither he was bound, he would send for him.

      He came to New York at about the age of seventeen years. He had an
uncle already established in this city, and he was under the special
guardianship of Daniel McCormick, of whom I have written so much. The
familiar address to him of "John," in after life by the old merchant, often
awakened the surprise of strangers. John was fortunate. He did succeed, and
he sent for Nathan, who came out, and they established themselves in the
city. I have already alluded to him as being among the founders of the St.
Patrick's Society, when such men as William Edgar, Hugh Gaines, and Daniel
McCormick belonged to it, in 1792, At that time Mr. McVickar was established
and doing a leading business under his own name at 27 Queen street (Pearl)
He commenced in this city in Maiden Lane, No. 39, before 1786. In 1793 he
was elected a director in the Bank of New York, and continued to be
re-elected annually until 1810. In 1795 he was made a director of the Mutual
Insurance Company. At the same time he was a director in the United
Insurance Company, of which his friend Nic. Low was president, and so was
until 1809. At that time he lived in 228 Pearl street, his old place, and
kept his place of business at 2 Burling Slip. He was vice-president of the
St. Patrick's Society in 1797. In 1798 Nathan got here, and the firm was
John & Nathan McVickar. In 1801, the style was changed to John McVickar &
Co. John moved from 228 Pearl street to 231 Broadway, and Nathan went to
housekeeping in the house John left. In all this time John had continued a
director in the Bank of New York. In that year he was elected a vestryman of
Trinity Church, and held it until he died in 1812.

      Among the leading traits of the character of John McVickar may be
noted that nice sense of commercial honor which gives to the merchant his
highest dignity and leads to the noblest use of wealth. He was marked
accordingly by generous aid to deserving young merchants in trouble so much
so that it became a common speech on Change in disastrous times "Well! who
is McVickar going to help today? In building churches and aiding the clergy,
he was always prominent___on the "Dongan Domain" Staten Island, he both gave
the land and built the church.

      Of this large Domain coming down from Dongan, the first Governor of
the Province, one legal claim still remain to the heirs of McVickar, viz:
the original reservation to the Lord of the Manor, of "all Ponds, water
courses and mines." Such reservation being expressly named and provided for
in all the early deeds.

      At his late seat at Bloomingdale, he was one of the original founders
of St. Michael's church, and during the occurrence of the yellow fever in
the city, he provided for the family of Rev. Dr. Hobart his clergyman, a
safe country retreat.

      As a merchant he was marked by sound judgment and large views. In
addition to his regular business of importation, he was a large ship owner,
and one of the earliest in the direct trade with China from the port of New
York. His favorite ship "Betsy," Captain Carberry, was familiarly known.

      Though himself without classical education, he highly valued it for
his sons, and prized and patronized the best schools. Columbia College
received the next son. One, Archibald, enjoyed the farther advantage of an
English University training, and all in turn had the benefit of a European
visit for health or pleasure.

      In 1804, he revisited for the second and last time, his native land,
accompanied by his son John, born in America___a circumstance which in these
days of alien laws, in England led to a singular controversy with
government___the office refusing to regard the father as lien, and McVickar
insisting that as an American citizen he was an alien, and demanding that he
should be included in all the penalties and restrictions that rested on
such,___a proof of patriotism, we may add more unquestionable than many that
now pass for such.

      In his visit to Ireland, so familiar was his name and reputation in
commercial circles, that it was jokingly proposed that the Lord Lieutenant
should confer on him the dignity of knighthood, as a benefactor to Ireland.

      The two brothers John and Philip Hone, afterwards so prominent in the
city were trained from boyhood in his counting-house, and then established
in business. John Hone in after life often acknowledging that he owed all
his success to the unlimited credit opened for him in London by John
McVickar, with his correspondents, more especially with the great house of
Phyn, Ellice & English.

      Old John McVickar had a country seat out at Bloomingdale, where he
used to spend a great deal of his time in summer, after he retired from
business, and while he lived at No. 6 Vesey street. That was a large
mansion.

      The old merchant John was one of the most sterling men in the city.
His firm did a general commission business___receiving vessels and cargoes
from all parts of the West Indies as well as from Europe. In addition, his
house dealt heavily in Irish goods. John McVickar & Co. were the heaviest
importers of Irish linen into the New York market. Every vessel from Belfast
brought them heavy invoices. They never sold less than a case of their
linens. The store of old John, where he did business so many years, was on
the right hand side of Burling Slip as you go from Pearl to Water. It was
about in the rear of where a bank is now located. In these times, we can
form no idea of the vastness of the Irish linen trade sixty years ago. It
was all old fashioned made, spun and wove by hand in Ireland, and of course,
there was no machinery as now. It was the great article of trade. Here we
had no such goods. The highest of our manufactures then was old "tow cloth."
We had no cotton, or woolen goods made here. No sattinets, and the numerous
fabrics of American manufacture were made in a thousand factories. So for
this small village in the olden times, Irish linen was a great article of
trade.

      All the buyers used to go to old John himself, or if not in, to the
brother Nathan. Clerks were not deemed the right persons to buy of. The
buyer thought, of course, he could get better bargains of the principals;
and their say, too, as to prices was final, while with the clerks it was
not. Old John was not above his business. Sometimes, he would take out his
watch and look at it. " I am to meet the board of directors at the bank,
won't brother Nathan do? If brother Nathan would not do, although such an
answer was rare, then brother John would do the selling until the customer
was satisfied, for he regarded good sales as one great element of success in
the career of a leading merchant, and he was always the salesman when at
home. He was rather tall, somewhat sharp featured, and looked like a
foreigner. An early portrait of him supposed to be by Copley, gives the
impression of a fine and resolute will, yet gentle heart.

      In those days, the great merchants like John McVickar & Co., always
sent the goods home to the store of their customers, free of expense. Only
goods bought at "vendue" were carted home at the expense of the buyer.

THE  VAN WAGENENS

      McVicar & Co. in 1803, and for some years afterwards, had among their
clerks Hubert Van Wagenen, Jr., who afterwards became very celebrated in
this city. Hubert, Jr., was a son of Hubert Van Wagenen, of the firm of G. &
H. Van Wagenen, ironmongers. For years they kept their store in Beekman
Slip. The "G," of the firm was Garritt H. Van Wagenen.

      Hubert, Jr., was placed with Messrs. McVickar & Co., to learn business
thoroughly, but he afterwards joined his father Hubert, and they carried on
business at 241 Pearl street, under the firm of H. Van Wagenen & Son. The
old Hubert lived to be a very aged man. Hubert Jr., was a very religious
man, and for years attended at St. George's church in Beekman street, with
his interesting family. Few men were more universally respected than the Van
Wagenens.

THE McVICKARS

      I now return to John McVickar. He married a Miss Ann Moore. She was a
daughter of John Moore, of Long Island. She was born 1761, and was sister to
Patience, who was Lady
Dongan, having married John Carleton Dongan. They had nine children____seven
sons and two daughters.

      James was the oldest. He was a merchant and a partner in the house of
J. McVickar, Stewart & Co. He married Euretta a daughter of William
Constable, and his son John A. McVickar, M.D., is still a resident of this
city, and has a large practice.

      Archibald McVickar the second son of merchant John McVickar was a
lawyer in the city. He married Catherine, a daughter of Judge Brockholst
Livingston. Archibald, after he graduated at Columbia College, New York,
went to England finished his education at Peterhouse College, Cambridge.
Archibald McVickar, of whom I have written, was a lawyer in Wall street,
having married the daughter of Hon. B. Livingston, Judge of the supreme
court of U.S., until 1816.

      John, the third son, was a professor and clergyman. He married Eliza,
daughter of the celebrated Dr. Bard who was president of the first Medical
College. He is still alive and has several children. One is a much esteemed
clergyman, William McVickar.

      One son named Bard, I have alluded to in the first series of of Old
Merchants.

     The fourth son of old merchant John McVickar was named Henry. He was a
merchant and was lost overboard coming from Europe. He was one of the finest
young men in New York, very handsome and a great favorite. In 1814 Henry
McVickar started in business at No. 55 Pine street, and the next year took
in a partner, and the firm was H. McVickar & Co.

      Edward, the fifth son, married Matilda, a daughter of William
Constable. He has chiefly resided in northern New York, but spends his
winter in the city.

      Nathan was a merchant and in business with his father. He died
unmarried. He was a young man of great promise and brilliant talent.

      Benjamin, the seventh son, was a physician. He married Isaphene
Lawrence, a daughter of Isaac Lawrence, the president of the U.S. Bank in
this city. He was very well off, but became mixed up in some way wish the
speculations of his brother-in-law, William Beach Lawrence, and lost a large
amount of property. I think he moved out West. He was a very clever (English
clever) man. In fact so were all the McVickars that came from the old John
and Nathan stock.

      Doctor McVickar is still living, and has a large practice in this
city.

      Eliza McVikar married William Constable, a son of old merchant
William, and settled at Constableville, Lewis County, New York.

      Augusta, married William Jay (Judge Jay), the youngest son of Governor
Jay, the friend of Washington.

      Eliza, Edward, John and Benjamin are the children living of the elder
John McVickar. His grand children are very numerous, and are intermarried
with the first families in the United States.

      In 1798 to 1802 John was a Governor of the New York Hospital.

      John McVickar, in 1805, became one of the Directors of the Western and
Northern Coal Company. About this time, 1806, the first ladies of New York
city began to discover that there was a great field open for their aid in
relieving suffering and misery, and they commenced to band together in
organizing societies. The first was the Orphan Asylum. It was founded in
March, 1806. Mrs. McVicar was one of the trustees, and associated with her
were Mrs. Bethune, (Divie Bethune's wife,) Mrs. Fairlie (wife of the Major),
and other leading ladies. They appealed to the  public, and started off with
the bold declaration, that no institution so much merited the aid of the
well-inclined as this,____to feed and clothe the infant bereft of father and
mother. They said:  "We believe charity in this country consists more in
finding employment for the needy, than in supporting them in idleness."

                " Pity, I own, to the distrest is due;
          But when the afflicted may themselves relieve,
            The fault's their own if they will suffer on."

      The next year a Society was started for the "Relief of poor Widows,"
of which also Mrs. McVickar was a first manager, and so such female good
works have gone on almost sixty years in our midst.

      In 1809 John took into partnership his son James and a Mr. Stewart,
and the firm was "John McVickar, Son & Stewart," at the old stand, No. 2
Burling slip. But both son and John, the father, lived at 231 Broadway,
while the old Nathan lived at 20 Dey street. In 1810 Mr. John McVickar moved
to No. 6 Vesey street. I think he gave up business in 1811, to his brother
Nathan, and the firm was McVickar & Stewart, until 1812. In that year John
McVickar died. His widow removed from No. 6 Vesey street back to the old No.
231 Broadway. The firm dissolved, and Nathan resided at 24 White street.

NATHAN  McVIKAR

      Mr. Nathan McVickar had acquired a large property, and was much
respected. After retiring from an active and successful business, though a
bachelor all that while, he concluded to marry. His choice was directed to
Miss Catherine Bucknor, the daughter of a West India gentleman, who came out
here before the Revolutionary War on a visit, and while here married Miss
Goelet, a daughter of old Peter Goelet, of whom I have written so much. By
this marriage Nathan connected himself with some of the oldest and best
families in the country. The Goelets were Huguenot refugees, and were by
marriage allied to many of the titled exiles who at that period made this
country their home. Mrs. Nathan McVickar was a sister of one of the most
remarkable men of the day. I allude to William Goelet Bucknor.

      The sister that married Nathan McVickar is alive yet. Nathan lived at
No. 52 Walker street until 1827, when he died in that house. His widow
resided there some years after.

      Nathan left several children. One was named Nathan, but I believe only
one of them is now living, William H. McVickar. He married a daughter of
Thaddeus Phelps, an eminent merchant in the city. Miss Phelps was one of the
most beautiful girls in the city. William H. McVickar, of the old Nathan
stock, is an active, energetic business man, and has acquired a large
fortune in  business, and is very much respected and esteemed.

WILLIAM  GOELET  BUCKNOR

      William Goelet Bucknor was a dashing, go-ahead, clever man, worth a
thousand old fogies in a gay city. He made things fly. I remember him as
well as if I had only seen him yesterday. He was a prince of a man. He was
slim in size, but as wiry as a cat. He was an uncommon man. He commenced
business at No. 54 Wall street, just after the late war. In 1816, old Nathan
McVickar lived at No. 52 Walker street, and William G. Bucknor lived next
door to him, at No. 50. These numbers were about half way between Broadway
and Church street. At that time that range was the most fashionable part of
the town. I think William G. Bucknor did business in New York nearly twenty
years. I alluded to him some time ago, when I published his name among the
list of those who founded the Board of Brokers about 1816. I think he
continued in business at No. 44 Wall street until 1836. If I am not
mistaken, he then went West. He married a Charleston lady, and had sons and
daughters. One of the latter I believe married Mr. Hurry, a broker in Wall
street. Wm. G. Bucknor has been dead some years. He died in this city. His
widow lives with her daughter.

THADDEUS  PHELPS

      I have many Old Merchants that I have partly written sketches of, and,
sooner or later, they will be printed. Among them is old Thaddeus Phelps,
the father of Mrs. McVickar above mentioned. He was a splendid merchant. He
was one of the founders of the early packet lines, and was a great shipper
of cotton and other produce to Europe. He had one of the best heads that
ever sat on a man's shoulders. His smile was perfectly fascinating. To see
him halt on those crutches, and hear some of his pleasant words, was worth
remembering. He was a man of extraordinary ability, and a merchant of a
sagacity such as we do not see in these days often. I do not know that my
sketch of him, when it appears, will do him justice; but if it does, even in
part, it will be worth reading.


Source:  The Old Merchants of New York City
Author:  Walter Barrett, Clerk           Second series
Publisher:  Carleton, Publisher, 413 Broadway
Entered according to the Act of Congress 1863
             _____________________________________

    Researched, Prepared and Contributed by Miriam Medina
                  For the Brooklyn Information Page


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