THE OLD MERCHANTS OF NEW YORK CITY
        Second  Series

By  Walter Barrett, Clerk
     1863

     MERCHANT  DESCRIPTIONS

       CHAPTER  32

MOSES  ROGERS

   Moses Rogers was a grand old merchant. He was in business as early as
1785. His place was at 26 Queen Street. In 1782, he formed the house of
Moses Rogers & Co., at No. 206 Queen street. His partner was William Walter
Woolsey, his brother-in-law. In 1793, the firm  was changed to Rogers &
Woolsey. When Queen street was changed, it became 245 Pearl. Meanwhile Moses
Rogers lived at 272 Pearl as late as 1795.

      Moses Rogers married Sarah W. Qoolsey about 1780, daughter of Benjamin
Woolsey, who was father of W. W. Woolsey_____a famous New York merchant and
brother-in-law of Mr. Rogers. They had several children. One was Benjamin
Woolsey Rogers, who was born the 18th May, 1775. Another, Archibald Rogers
and a daughter, Julia Ann, who married F.B. Winthrop, a brother of John
Stille Winthrop. F. B. Winthrop was of the house of Winthrop, Rogers &
Williams, about 1820. Moses Rogers was early a member of the Marine Society,
in 1780. In 1793, he was a member of the Society to relieve Distressed
Prisoners. It is difficult to understand at this time, how there should be a
regular society to relieve prisoners in old New York. Yet, so there was, and
it was a humane society, that numbered the first merchants of New York among
its members. It lasted many years, and the venerable and reverend Dr. John
Rodgers was president of it.

      In those years we had a jail, and our fellow-citizens who could not
pay their debts outside were locked up in the debtor's prison in the Park.
This society mitigated the hardship by giving the prisoners decent food and
fuel: about 150 persons were constantly locked up. The jail, I believe,
allowed no fire, and only bread and water. The humane society furnished wood
and soup to the extent of 16,000 quarts annually.

      Two years later Moses Rogers was one of the jury on the trial of John
Young, an actor, who had killed the sheriff's officer in the Park. The
latter was going to arrest Mr. Young, and take him to the old jail that
stood where the Hall of Records now is. Young shot him. He was then arrested
in good earnest, and locked up in the Bridewell, that stood on the Broadway
side of the present City Hall. He was tried, and the jury found him guilty.
He was hung on the high hill east of where the Tombs now is, and on the
ground now bounded by Broadway, Benson and Leonard streets. The military and
all the citizens turned out to see the fun.

      In 1793, Moses Rogers was one of the most active members of the
Society for the Manumission of Slaves. So was his brother-in-law, William
Dunlap, the Celebrated historian, who had married a Miss Woolsey. W.W.
Woolsey, his wife's brother, was the secretary of this society. Moses Rogers
was a director of the United States Branch Bank in this city, in 1793. At
that time he lived at No. 272 Pearl street; it was near Beekman street, a
large house, with a hanging garden extending over the yard and stable. He
was a governor of the New York Hospital from 1792 to 1799. In 1797 he was
one of the principal managers of the City Dispensary. He was treasurer. That
same year he was elected a director of the Mutual Insurance Company, and he
continued to be so until 1807. In 1798, the firm at No. 235 Pearl was
changed to Woolsey & Rogers. I think that year old Moses Rogers went out of
the concern, and that his son, B. Woolsey Rogers, took his place. The old
gentleman then went into the sugar refining business. He took for that
purpose the old sugar house in Liberty street, No. 42. It was used as a
prison in the war. It stood, until within a few years, adjoining the Dutch
church, now used by the Post-Office. The firm was Moses Rogers & Co. He kept
in the sugar refinery until 1806. At that time he lived at No.  7 State
street. That grand  house with pillars stood as late as yesterday, and
Valentine's Manual of 1859 has a capital engraving of it. It was built by
Moses Rogers. He occupied it as late as 1826. His son, B.W.., lived next
door at No. 5, in 1826, and after his father died he moved to No. 7 and
lived there until 1830, when the house was taken by G.G. Howland. The family
still own it.

BENJAMIN WOOLSEY  ROGERS

      In 1804, Mr. W.W. Woolsey retired, and the business was carried on
under the firm of B.W. Rogers & Co., at 235 Pearl street, until 1826, when
it was changed to Rogers, Taylor & Williams. Mr. Taylor was Jeremiah H., a
brother of Knowles Taylor. He had been a clerk with B.W. Rogers for some
years. The other partner was Timothy Dwight Williams. This house lasted only
until 1830, when B.W. Rogers continued it in his own name, as he had
commenced it in 1804, for one year, and then he moved his place of business
to No. 4 Fletcher street, where Jeremiah H. Taylor had commenced business on
his own account.

      This house, conducted by father and son, existed over forty-six years,
and for forty-two of those years it was in the same store. So it has been
with the three great mercantile houses founded by the brothers Moses, Henry
and Nehemiah. They believed in the proverb, that a "rolling stone gathers no
moss." Old Moses was a vestryman of Trinity church from 1787 to 1811, and
his son, B. Woolsey, was the same from 1821 to 1826. I have already
mentioned that old Moses was a governor of the New York hospital for seven
years. His son was governor from 1818 to 1855, and some portion of that time
was assistant  treasurer.

      The first wife of B. Woolsey Rogers was a daughter of William Bayard,
His second wife was a Miss Elwyn. Her mother was a daughter of the famous
Governor Langdon, of New Hampshire. She married Mr. Elwyn, of an old wealthy
English family. Each of the daughters of B.W. Rogers, Eliza and Sarah,
became the wife of W.P. Van Rensselaer. His brother, Archibald Rogers
married Miss Pendleton, a daughter of old Judge Pendleton and sister of the
Judge Pendleton who died a few days ago. One daugher of Moses Rogers married
Francis B. Winthrop. Archibald  Rogers died about ten years ago. He left
several children.

      One daughter married a Mr. Livingston, who is concerned in the Havana
line of steamers. B. Woolsey Rogers had three sons. Elwyn died many years
ago. The second son was Woolsey, who married Miss Hoffman. He is dead. The
eldest son, William Bayard Rogers, is still living. The heaviest importers
in the
hardware trade fifty years ago, were B. W. Rogers and W. W. Woolsey. When
Moses Rogers and his son B.W. Rogers resided in State Street, their
neighbors were John B. Coles, Wm. Neilson, Henry Overing, Jonathan Ogden,
William Bayard, General Jacob Morton, and Corrie's public garden.  B.
Woolsey Rogers died in 1859 or 1860, in this city

LYDE  &  ROGERS

     I have already
alluded to the house founded by Henry Rogers in 1785, of Rogers & Lyde. In
1793 it was changed to Lyde & Rogers, and their store was at No. 209 Queen
street. The partner was old Edward Lyde, who was very rich. He married a
daughter of Governor Belcher, of Massachusetts. He was every inch a
gentleman. He was in business as early as 1777. He occupied No. 200 Queen
street for a store, and paid for it $240 per annum: Same store now rents for
$1400. When Queen was changed to Pearl, the numbering was changed, and it
became No. 229 Pearl street, same building though. In 1797 the firm became
Lyde, Rogers & Co. I think Edward Lyde, Jr., was taken into the house that
year. In 1807, Edward Lyde, Jr., went out of the concern, and started
business at No. 230 Pearl street, opposite the old store. The old house was
continued on under the style of Rogers, Son & Co. At that time Francis B.
Winthrop was taken into partnership.

HENRY  F.  ROGERS

      The son was Henry F. Rogers. Old Henry Rogers lived at No. 42
Courtlandt street for a great many years. In 1811 the firm became Rogers &
Winthrop, at the same old store, No. 229 Pearl street. A sister of Henry F.
Married Daniel Remsen, of the firm of Peter Remsen & Co. Henry F. married
for his first wife a daughter of Fitch Rogers, of Stamford. So did John S.
Winthrop, and there were two sons, John S. Jr., and Henry. In 1818 the firm
became Rogers, Winthrop & Co. I think J. Symth Rogers, a son of old Henry,
became a partner. He married Miss Winthrop, a daughter of Gov. Winthrop, of
Boston. The firm kept in the same old store until 1821, when they moved to
No. 56 South street, and went into the commission business. In that year
Henry F. Rogers became a partner of Robert Gracie at No. 56 South street,
under the firm of Rogers & Gracie. Robert was the youngest son of old
Archibald Gracie, the great New York merchant, who died in 1829. He married
Miss Neilson a daughter of Wm. Neilson, a great merchant half a century ago,
and afterwards a leading man in marine insurance companies. Robert Gracie,
who probably commenced business on his own account in 1821 with Mr. Rogers,
is a very remarkable man. He is yet alive, and has for forty odd years
plodded on steadily, working like a beaver, industrious as a bee. Faithful
to every duty, never tiring, of an unquestioned integrity, he ought, if
wealth is any reward for a faithful service, to be worth many millions. He
had one son by his first wife, named Archibald Gracie; I saw him when he was
a baby, some thirty years or more ago, and have not seen him since. I have
alluded to him in a previous chapter as having married a Miss Dashwood, her
mother was a Ludlow, and his second wife was a Miss Gibbs. Robert Gracie,
for his second wife, married the accomplished and beautiful daughter of John
B. Fleming, an old merchant. A quarter of a century ago, she and her sister,
Mrs. William Gracie, were two of the most beautiful girls in the city of New
York.

      Robert Gracie was once a great church goer, and a leading man in the
St. Thomas church, where the bones of his father lie in one of the vaults
close to Broadway. His was the first funeral I ever attended in my life.
Rogers & Gracie continued in business until 1826, at 64 Pine street. The
firm was then changed to Gracie & Co., but Henry F. Rogers I think continued
the company for many years after.  In 1820, Gracie & Co. moved to 20 Broad
street. It was the third or fourth store that was erected in Broad street.
The entire street was filled with dwelling houses, and occupied by our
principal people up to twenty-five years ago. A store was a rarity. Now, a
dwelling house is the novelty in the street. Gracie & Co. did a very heavy
business in choice wines and English beer and porter for many years. In his
time he educated many clerks. Among them was John S. Winthrop, Jun., a son
of the old member of the firm of Rogers, Winthrop & Co. John, Jun., was
afterwards a clerk with Prime, Ward & King. He afterwards married in North
Carolina, and resided South. Richard K. Anthony was another clerk of Mr.
Gracie. He was one of the old Dutch Anthony family. Their names are among
the early Dutch records in 1644. The father of Richard Anthony was one of
the principal tellers in the United States Branch Mint in this city for a
great many years. I think Richard Anthony became a partner of Gracie & Co.
in the wine business, but I am not certain. He still carries on the business
in Liberty street.

      Mr. Henry F. Rogers married, for his second wife, Miss Maxwell, a
sister of Mrs. George Douglass. He died in 1862.

JOHN  ROGERS

      There was in this city, after the Revolution, a John Rogers, who was a
merchant of extensive business, and highly respectable. His residence was at
7 Beaver street, and his store was in Hanover square. He had two sons. One
named John Rogers, Jun., who was born 19th June, 1787. Another son was
Pixton Rogers, who was born 15th December, 1789. The latter is yet alive,
and lives at 17 Washington square. Old John Rogers was an eminent merchant
in his day, and very much respected. He was a member of the Marine Society
in 1784.

      John Rogers died at 7 Beaver street about 1800. His widow continued to
reside there as late as 1809. George Pixton Rogers eight years ago paid
taxes on real estate, $329,000. His chances are good for being one of the
seven to whom the Tontine property will fall. He was one of the nominees. I
have been frequently asked, who, out of the 203 names nominated, are alive.
As near as I now recollect, George P. Rogers, born 1789; Gulian C.
Verplanck, born 1786; his sister, Mary Ann Vernlanck, born 1793; William
Bayard, born 1791. His sister Maria, born 1788; Miss Frances Buchanan (Mrs.
Thomas Pearsall), born 1779; John A. King, born 1788; Charles King, born
1789. There are others  yet alive; I think about thirty-five of the
nominees.

UNFORTUNATE  MERCHANTS

      In one of my chapters I alluded to unfortunate merchants of a high
class, and their desperate fortunes. Frequently, after having assigned every
dollar to creditors, they, perhaps at an advanced age, are exposed to the
evils of the worst species of poverty. True, the city provides for such, at
the almshouse on Blackwell's Island. I heard of one of them there to-day,
who, but a few years ago, was one of the largest houses in the city and his
partner was a descendant of one of the old Dutch Governors. This merchant
did a large business, and added to the wealth of the city. The city will not
let him starve, but will feed and home him for a few months, and then find
him, free of cost, a pauper's coffin and a grave.

      There are many in the same situation at this hour. I personally know
of such.

THE  CHAMBER  OF  COMMERCE

      It is a black shame to merchants that it is so. The Chamber of
Commerce of this city is a remarkable body of men. It is getting quite
democratic, and they are extending their admission to everybody who buys or
sells, whether it be ships, tea cargoes, old rags, or clams. The members
offer resolutions upon every subject. At one meeting, they pass a
resolution, thanking the Arctic Ocean for something that it has done. At the
next, they "Resolve to do honor to "John Bright, or Bill Jones, or Jack
Ericsson, or Commodore Wilkes, or somebody else. The chamber is eternally
recommending somebody, or something to somebody, or "gratefully
recognizing," or "Placing on record." The last effort of this kind was on
Wednesday last, when they pitched into the "Monitor" as follows:

          Resolved:  That the floating battery "Monitor" deserves to, and
will be forever mentioned with gratitude and admiration.

      If the "Monitor" after surviving the hard whacks of the "Merrimac" can
survive the soft soap of the Chamber of Commerce, it will stand up against
any thing. Certainly, the coolest thing that was ever done by any outside
corporation, was passing such resolutions as the following:

        Resolved, That the Chamber of Commerce, expect that the Government
of the United States will make to Captain Ericsson such suitable return for
his services as will evince the gratitude of a great nation.

       Resolved, That a copy of these resoduly certified, be forwarded to
Captain Ericsson and to the President of the United States.

      "The Chamber expects that the President &c., " is good.
There is a report in town that the private Secretary of the President was
ordered to telegraph to the Chamber of Commerce to mind its own business. If
John Smith, who was made a member of the Chamber of Commerce last week,
pleases, I would suggest, that the next time the body meets, he should offer
the following resolutions:

      Resolved, That the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York
gratefully recognize, and desire to place on record, their profound sense of
the obligations under which they rest to former merchants in this city, and
who are now in the Alms House at Blackwell's Island, or in more desperate
fortunes and worse off than if they were there.

      Resolved further, That the five principal stereotyped speakers of this
Chamber be appointed a Committee to seek out such cases___to buy old clothes
for them___ to provide cheap but respectable lodging for the said Old
Merchants at the Globe Hotel, price seven shillings per week, or one
shilling per night, and that arrangements be made for a free lunch in
Chatham street for old broken down merchants generally; and that the
President of the United States be requested to Appropriate some part of the
$150,000,000 raised to "carry on the war," to the support of some of these
Old Merchants, who have contributed in former years to make New York City so
imperial, so great, and so wealthy, that she is now able to bear the burden
of these millions while they are without a cent in their pockets.

      Resolved further, That a permanent fund be established for the support
of Old merchants, by this Chamber of Commerce, we individually bearing in
mind that by the Providence of God, some of us, in our old age, may be
reapers in the field that we now benevolently sow for others.

      Merchants of other years since that Chamber was established, in 1770,
have seen most striking changes, Misfortunes may come to all. It is possible
for the richest to become poor. Astor may fill a plain pine box, if God so
wills it. Neither Mr. Astor, nor any other rich man, would feel the loss of
a few dollars appropriated to the relief of unfortunate, but honest,
deserving merchants, who may become poor, helpless and ____beggars,  in this
great mart of commerce, where they once were princes. Sailors have their
"Sailor's Retreats," or "Snug Harbors," There are "Blind Asylums," there are
"Deaf and Dumb Institutions," there are "Orphan Asylums," there are "Mad
Houses,"___"Asylums for Lying-in Women," "Associations for the Relief of
Aged and Indigent Females," for "Colored Orphans," "Homes for Indigent
Christian Females," etc. There are hospitals for men and for women. There is
a "Society for the Relief of Destitute Children of Seamen," and there is a
home for the broken-down prostitute in the Magdalen societies, but no home
provided for the once worthy but now poverty-stricken old merchant, and his
loved ones.

      If the Chamber of Commerce should build a palace for its broken-down
ones, God will bless it. Dying old merchants and their families will bless
it. It will be a practical deed. It will be caring for its own glorious
list. It will be a deed worth recording by men and by angels in 1862.

      The Chamber of Commerce of the city of New York ought to be respected
throughout the world. The way it goes on now, makes its proceedings as
tasteless as dishwater, and its "Thanks" and receptions as common as at
cheap eating houses.

      I glory in the probable fact, that when "WalterBarrett, Clerk," goes
to his grave, the newspapers that publish his obituary may speak of him as
one of the exceptions to Chamber of Commerce lions, and say "Mr. Barrett was
never 'honored', 'noticed,' 'forever mentioned,' 'resolutionized,' or
'received' by the Chamber of Commerce among the promiscuous mass of 1862 who
were, and consequently passed through the world without being rendered
supremely ridiculous."




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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