THE OLD MERCHANTS OF NEW YORK CITY
        Second  Series

By  Walter Barrett, Clerk
     1863

     MERCHANT  DESCRIPTIONS

       CHAPTER  22




      There have been some illustrious merchants in this city___men who have
added to its wealth by their extended business operations___to its fame by
their individual efforts, standing out in bold relief above all others.
Those who in the last century have done most, have been rewarded least, and
names that would adorn any city or nation, are now almost obscured or
forgotten.

JOHN  PINTARD

      I looked today at a Directory for 1862. I found there:

               "Pintard, Phaebe, widow John,  h.30  Canal."
               "Pintard, Samuel, seaman,  h. 3 Birmingham."

      I know these are neither kith or kin of the proud old mercantile race
of Pintards, that have flourished in this city almost 200 years, and that I
am going to write about today.

      All the males of that great merchant race lie in a vault in the church
of St. Clement in Amity street, between Sullivan and MacDougal streets. John
Pintard, of whom I shall have much to say, and to whom the word illustrious
applies, as much as to any man that ever lived, was an only son of John
Pintard, and the younger left no males of the race. He had two daughters.

      How few of the hundreds of thousands that live in this city now can
answer this question:  "Who was John Pintard?" Yet no man did more or as
much to raise the character of this city. He was in everything. He was born
in it, when it contained but a few thousands. Yet nearly sixty years ago he
foresaw its future grandeur, and I have before me as he wrote it at the
time, the very paper left by him. Here it is:

          STATISTICAL.______By the numeration of the inhabitants of this
city recently published, the progress of population for the last 5 years
appears to be at the rate of 25 per cent. Should our city continue to
increase in the same proportion during the present century, the aggregate
number, at its close, will far exceed that of any other city in the old
world, Pekin not excepted, as will appear from the following table. Progress
of population in the city of New York computed at the rate of 25 per cent.
every 5 years.

1805       (75,770)
1810       (95,715)
1815     (110,390)
1820     (147,987)
1825     (184,923)
1830     (231,228)
1835     (289,035)
1840     (361,293)
1845     (451,616)
1850     (564,520)
1855     (705,650)
1860     (882,062)
1865  (1,102,577)
1870  (1,378,221)
1875  (1,722,776)
1880  (2,153,470)
1885  (2,691,837)
1890  (3,364,796)
1895  (4,205,995)
1900  (5,257,493)

      From this table it appears, that the population of this city, fifty
years hence, will considerably exceed the reputed population of the cities
of Paris and London. Cities and nations, however, like individuals,
experience their rise, progress, and decline. It is hardly probable that New
York will be so highly favored as to prove an exception. Wars, pestilence,
and political convulsions, must be our lot, and be taken into calculation.
With every allowance, however, for the "numerous ills which life is heir
to," from our advantageous maritime situation, and the increase of
agriculture and commerce, our numbers will in all probability, at the end of
this century, exceed those of any other city in the world, Pekin alone
excepted.

      From the data here furnished, the politician, financier, and above all
the speculator in town-lots (a subject to our shame be it spoken, which
absorbs every generous passion,) may draw various and interesting
inferences.

      Is not that wonderful?  How can we reconcile it that a man possessing
such wonderful sagacity___convinced, too, in his own mind that he was
right,___that the city would be a mine of gold to speculation,___that he
should not have availed himself of his knowledge, but should have died
comparatively poor, having lost a great deal in the fire of 1835___about
nine years previous to his death. Yet so it was. He left the speculation in
town lots___"which absorbs every generous passion," as he expresses it___to
others. And men roll in wealth, and are surrounded by every luxury, because
they did buy town lots, and from no other cause.

      Few knew that John Pintard was a merchant. Yet he was so, and a most
able merchant. He was one of the most famed in his day, and would have been
one of the most wealthy but for his confidence in others. I hardly know how
to begin with John Pintard, and with such a sketch as will render him even
one part in a hundred of his just dues. The Pintard family was Huguenot,
original immigrant being Anthony Pintard, who settled at Shrewsbury,
Monmouth Co.,, N.J.

      Our John Pintard was born in New York, May 18, 1759. Three weeks later
his mother died, and the next year, in 1760, his father, John Pintard, sen.,
died leaving the little human boat to navigate alone before he was a year
old. The father, John Pintard, was a merchant of the old school. He owned
vessels___he commanded, and was supercargo of his own vessel, and was on a
voyage to the West Indies when he died at Port-au-Prince. Another John
Pintard, who was grandfather of our John Pintard, was Alderman and assistant
of the Dock Ward in this city for ten years___viz., from 1738 to 1747. The
Dock Ward was a little fellow. It was bounded by Broad to what is now Water
street, (the water came up to it in those days)___Wall from Broad to
William, and William down to the Water at the Old Slip. Besides the streets
I have named it had but these, viz., Garden (now Exchange,) Prince (Beaver,)
Duke (South William,) Mill, and Dock (Pearl) streets. I fancy in that
district, not many people sleep at night even now. In 1757 John Pintard, son
of the alderman, married the lovely Miss Cannon. She died shortly after
giving birth to John Pintard, Jun. She was the daughter of John Cannon___a
great merchant of the city about those days. The family was Huguenot also:
and John C. was brother to the famous "Le Grand Cannon" of Canada notoriety.

      After the death of his parents, the child John Pintard, in 1760, was
taken by his uncle, Louis Pintard, to bring up. As soon as he was old enough
he was sent to the famous grammar school of the Rev. Leonard Cutting, at
Hempstead, Long Island. Mr. Cutting was a remarkable man, and a great
disciplinarian. He was the grandfather of the present Francis B. Cutting,
one of our eminent lawyers. Mr. Cutting said that John Pintard was the best
Latin scholar in his school. He was there three years. From the celebrated
school of Mr. Cutting, John went to the college at Princeton, and was nearly
prepared to graduate, when the war of 1776 broke out. He was ready to take
his degree. At this time the entire college was ready to enlist. The
professors became captains, and enlisted companies of soldiers. The
professor of mathematics raised a company, and it was immediately started
for New York City. He forbid John Pintard joining it; but he did,
notwithstanding, and smuggled himself off with it to New York. Before he
left Princeton, he drilled soldiers every day. He went back with his company
to Princeton, and received his degree, notwithstanding his disobedience in
going to New York. After he left college, he went to the residence of Louis
Pintard, at New Rochelle, where he had a country residence, as well as a
counting-room in New York City. When the troops came in the vicinity, he
went to Norwalk, Connecticut, where he had relatives. After being there a
short time he was sent for by his uncle, Louis Pintard, who had been
appointed by General Washington as commissary for the prisoners in New York
City. He gave his nephew, John Pintard, the appointment of deputy, and for
years he did the entire duties of the office held by his uncle. Dr.
Boudinot, a brother-in-law, was commissary general of the American army.

      It was the duty of young John Pintard to procure articles for the
prisoners, and to relieve them as much as possible. It was known that 11,500
prisoners died on board the British prison-ships. How many died in the
prisons in this city never will be known. The sugar house in Liberty street,
torn down a few years ago, was one. The provost prison (the Quaker church in
Pearl street, between Franklin square and Oak street, erected in 1775, of
brick, and torn down in 1824) was used as a hospital. In that gloomy and
terrific abode many of the principal citizens were confined. In December,
1777, the state of the prisoners became so horrible that the prison doors
were opened in order to disgorge their wretched contents. The poor prisoners
started to go to Jersey and the country for relief, but they were so weak
from disease and famine, that many fell dead in the streets before they
could get to the boats on the river side.

      When John Pintard was released from his duties, and from witnessing
horrid outrages upon prisoners, in 1780, he went to Paramus, N.J. where
resided Col. Abraham Brasher, a great "Liberty boy" in his day, and also a
distant connection of Mr. Pintard.

      That Abraham Brasher was a member of the first Provincial Convention
that assembled in the exchange in New York, April 20, 1775, for the purpose
of choosing delegates to represent the colony of New York in the continental
Congress. Old Philip Livingston presided.  Col. Brasher was also a member of
the second and third New York Provincial Congress, as well as the first. He
was also a member of the Convention of the State of New York, held in 1776
to 1777.

      At the residence of Col. Brasher, Mr. Pintard met Eliza Brasher, a
daughter of the patriotic colonel. They became engaged, and in 1785 they
were married. A more splendid couple never approached the marriage altar. He
was a very handsome man, and she was the very loveliest girl in the land.
Her hair was black and massive, and done up on the cushions of that day,
made her  look magnificent___this, too, combined with the most lovely face,
made her,___as she was for many years___a charming woman. He, too, looked
well, with his powdered hair, blue coat, standing collar, and handsome
person. If our girls in 1863, would adopt the style and mode of dressing the
hair one hundred years ago, they would look a thousand times more lovely
than now. Pity the girls " don't see it!"

      After 1782, John had gone to clerking it again with his uncle Lewis,
who was doing a heavy East India business, and was among the first to go
into that trade largely after the war closed in 1782. Before that, in 1685,
King James issued an order prohibiting all trade from New York colony with
the East Indies.

      Lewis Pintard continued business during the war, although on a limited
scale. He was one of the original incorporators of the Chamber of Commerce
of this city, granted by George III, in 1770, and incorporated by the New
York legislature in 1784. John Pintard remained with his uncle, Lewis, until
after he married; then he started upon his own account, at No. 12 Wall
street. He went into the East India trade, and bought or built the ship
"Belgiosa." He owned the ship "Jay," and she was among the first vessels
that brought cargoes from China. In 1789, he was so popular that he was
elected assistant alderman of the East Ward, and was re-elected until 1782.
The East Ward took in Wall street, below William; and in 1788 John moved
from 57 King (Pine) street to 43 Wall. The East Ward was next to the Dock
Ward, and ran up William street as far as Golden Hill (John,) and down to
the water. He gave up the aldermanship when he was elected to the
legislature, in 1790. It held its session in New York city in those days (as
they should do now) and began in January and ended in March. John Watts was
speaker of the fourteenth session, when Mr. Pintard wasa member. But a
calamity was coming upon him at that time, that was to end all political as
well as commercial success for a few years. He was a happy man in the year
1786 to 1791. His eldest daugher (Eliza Noel) was born in 1787. In after
years she married Doctor Davidson, of New Orleans; went there and died. A
second daughter (Louisa) married Mr. Thomas L. Servoss, an eminent merchant
of New York City.

      In 1782 John Pintard, who did not owe a dollar in the world___who was
rich by property inherited from his grandfather Cannon___who was doing a
heavy and successful business, put his name on the back of notes drawn by
his friend William Duer, for over a million of dollars. Mr. Duer lived at
that time at 12 Partition street, (Fulton street now from Broadway to the
North river.) He had married the Lady Kitty, daughter of the celebrated Earl
of Sterling. Mr. Duer was the bosom friend, and the agent and manager of
Alexander Hamilton, who then lived at 57 Wall street, only a few doors below
Mr. Pintard. It was about the time the debts of the United States were
funded according to a scheme of Hamilton. Everybody had confidence in Duer,
for he was supposed to be a great financier. He was operating enormously in
these stock operations. But he failed, and poor John Pintard was the great
sufferer. He gave up all he had to pay these indorsements___ships, houses,
cargoes, furniture, library, everything, but it was not a drop in the
bucket. Then he moved from this city and went to Newark to live. In 1791 he
had been appointed one of the commissioners for erecting bridges over the
Hackensack and Passaic rivers, and also to survey the country between
Powel's Hook (Jersey city now) and Newark. I have the map and report he
made, before me now. That work was done in February, 1791.

      That year he was doing another work. Who that passes the American
Museum of Barnum, with a thousand flags, etc., ever dreams that John Pintard
planted the acorn that grew up to be the oak? Barnum has no idea of the
history of it. What connection can there be between Tammany Hall and
Barnum's museum? Yet, Tammany Hall started that museum!  I have before me a
document, dated May 1, 1701. It is headed " AMERICAN  MUSEUM, under the
patronage of the Tammany Society, or Columbian order."

      The Corporation granted a room in the City Hall for its use, to be
open every Friday and Friday afternoon.

      "Any article sent on those days, or to Mr. John Pintard, No. 57 King
street, will be thankfully accepted."

      John Pintard was the secretary of that "American museum," and Gardner
Baker was keeper. It went along very successfully for some years. In 1808,
it was the sole property of Gardner Baker, and was called Baker's American
museum; then he sold it to Doctor Scudder and he kept it; the building then
used to be at the back of the City Hall, up in the third story, and it was
Scudder's American museum. Then the immortal Barnum bought it. Once John
Pintard loaned Scudder a large square block of crystal; Scudder sold it with
the "other things" as if it was his own. I have watched that block (it used
to stand in the corner) for about thirty years. I believe Mr. B. Took it up
to Iranistan, when he had that place.

      I will go back to the Pintard indorsements of William Duer's notes.
The creditors were unmerciful. They followed Mr. Pintard into New Jersey,
and they incarcerated him in the Newark jail for fourteen months, for debts
not his own. He read immensely while in jail, and when forty years old
concluded to study law. He passed his examination, but found that he could
not make a public speaker, and gave it up. His powers of conversation were
very great, but he was excessively modest, and could not speak in public. In
1797 he took the benefit of the act in Jersey, but found that it would do
him no good, and he came to New York and afterwards took the benefit of the
general bankrupt law of the United States, in 1800.

      The exasperated creditors never let up the drawer of the notes. Mr.
William Duer was put into jail in the city, and finally died on the jail
limits. He was the father of William Duer, president of Columbia college,
and also of Judge John Duer, both of whom have died within a few years.

      William Duer was a rominent man in the Revolution. He was in the first
Provincial Congress, and was one of the committee to draft a constitution
for the "State of New York." He hailed from "Charlotte county" in New York.

      Old William Duer would have succeeded in all his great financial
operations, but for an accident and an unjust charge. When Alexander
Hamilton was Secretary of the Treasury, in 1791, he frequently used
Government money for secret purposes, known of course by president
Washington. This money was given to William Duer to buy up Government debts,
or other purposes as the agent of Hamilton, and was charged to Mr. Duer.
When Oliver Wolcott succeeded Hamilton, a large sum was found charged to
William Duer. The clerk who made the discovery at once announced that
William Duer was a defaulter to the government. The news went to New York.
Mr. Hamilton made the matter straight in a few days, but not before the
credit of Mr. Duer was damaged, and he became a ruined man.

      About 1800, Mr. John Pintard came back to this city from New Jersey,
and went into business. Not being a Sachem of Tammany Hall, I have no right
to look at their sacred records, but I am aware that John Pintard was a
brother of high standing. He was the first Sagamore of the Society. On the
evening of the last Monday in April, 1791, at the annual election of
officers of the Tammany Society, held at their Great Wigwam, in Broad
street, the following brothers were duly elected, viz: Sachems___John
Pintard, Cortland Van Buren, John Campbell, Gabriel Furman, Thomas
Greenleaf, Josiah Ogden Hoffman, William Mooney, John Onderdonk, Anthony
Post,
Jonathan Post, William Pitt Smith, Melancthon Smith, Ebenezer Stevens and
James Tylee.  Treasurer___Thomas Ash. Secretary___John Swartwout. At the
annual meeting of the Council of Sachems of said society, the following
brothers were duly elected, viz: May 21, 1791, Josiah O. Hoffman, Grand
Sachem;  James Tylee,  Father of the Council;  DeWitt Clinton, scribe of the
Council.  John Pintard has been a Grand Sachem.

      The following also was written by John Pintard, "On Thursday last
(May, 1791) was celebrated by the sons of Tammany, the anniversary of the
Tammany society or Columbian order. The day was ushered in by a Federal
salute from the battery, and welcomed by a discharge of thirteen guns from
the brig 'Grand Sachem,' lying in the stream. The society assembled at the
Great Wigwam in Broad street, five hours after the rising of the sun, and
was conducted from there in an elegant procession to the brick meeting house
in Beekman street. Before them was borne the cap of Liberty; after following
seven hunters in the Tammanial dress, then the great standard of the
society, in the rear of which was the Grand Sachem and other officers. On
either side of these were formed the members in tribes, each headed by its
standard bearers and Sachem in full dress. At the brick meeting house an
oration was delivered by their brother Josiah Ogden Hoffman, to the society
and to a most respectable and crowded audience. In the most brilliant and
pathetic language, he traced the progress of the liberty we enjoy, and
thence elegantly deduced the origin of the Columbian order, and the society
of the Cincinnati. From the meeting house the procession proceeded (as
before) to Campbell's grounds, where upwards of two hundred people partook
of
a handsome and plentiful repast. The dinner was honored by His Excellency
the Governor (old George Clinton,) and many of the most respectable
citizens."

      No wonder old Tammany prospered in those days. Why were those
ceremonies dropped? Where are all those worthies now? The old Wigwam in
Broad street is gone. The "brick church" is no more, " Campbell's grounds"
are covered with lofty buildings, and___Well, well, it does us good to wake
up those pleasant memories.  That brig "Grand Sachem?" I have an idea that
she was owned by John Pintard, and was sold to pay his unfortunate
indorsements for William Duer, who left his family well off, if he did die
"on the jail limits."

      In the above procession Mr. Pintard was a prominent object. He was
dressed in the full tog of old Tammany, but not an article was upon his
person that was not American. The very buttons of his coat were made of
American conk shell, set in buttons of American silver.

      In the above procession Mr. Pintard was a prominent object. He was
dressed in the full tog of old Tammany but not an article was upon his
person that was not American. The very buttons of his coat were made of
American conk shell, set in buttons of American silver.

      When our splendid old Sachem and merchant got back into the United
States again from New Jersey, where he was locked up in jail fourteen
months, he went into the book trade and auction business___that is,  he sold
books at auction. He was a born book-dealer; he was fond of them; liked to
handle them, overhaul the contents, and make them useful. I have an idea
that those who know David T. Valentine in these years, know such a man as
John Pintard was in his palmy days. No one seemed to have thought John
Pintard a wonderful man in his day, yet now what think those who know who
and what he was?  So, too, it will be with Uncle David, when he has passed
from among us, and other generations look on what he has done to preserve
the past: he will be honored and appreciated, though I hope his children
will not be allowed to almost starve in their old age. It is a sin and a
shame, and a disgrace, that in this city of wealth, the children of those
who have been its greatest benefactors should have to worry and struggle for
a home.

      But to return to John Pintard, whose name and what he has done shall
be better known before I have finished this chapter. In 1801 he was at work
in the city once more, and had his family at No. 31 Dey street. I think he
had tried brokerage a year or two, but not with much success.

      After his return his uncle, Lewis Pintard, bought The Daily
Advertiser, and gave John one quarter interest in it, and his son-in-law,
Samuel Bayard, another quarter. Old Lewis eventually died at Princeton,
leaving his only daughter. From some cause or other Mr.John Pintard did not
long continue an editor. About 1802 he went to New Orleans, then just
annexed to this country, and regarded as a wonderful place. Mr. Pintard went
there determined to try a new career. He remained out there several months,
and gathered very valuable statistics; but he did not like the place, and
returned to his favorite city.






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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