THE OLD MERCHANTS OF NEW YORK CITY
        Second  Series

By  Walter Barrett, Clerk
     1863

     MERCHANT  DESCRIPTIONS

       CHAPTER  10
CLERKS

      I write about clerks, to give my experience. Fathers are generally
willing that their sons or connections should do without salary for three or
four years to have them acquire a knowledge of business. Almost all of the
great merchants prefer to take boys from out of the street or from the
country___New England boys especially___and give them $50 or $75 the first
year. The merchants want aid_____they prefer a boy without any friends or
rich relatives. The reason is obvious: a boy from the country will work like
a hero___do anything he is told to do___acquire a thorough knowledge of
business___become a confidential clerk, a partner, and never have alliances
outside of the great house that has brought him up. A  man like the late
Gardner G. Howland, doing a business of millions, when he gives a check to
one of the boys in the office to go to the bank and get the money for it, or
his coat to take to the tailor's to be mended, has no time to argue the
matter with the boy, that the one is a legitimate order to a clerk and that
the other is a servant's duty, as he would be told by an aristocratic city
boy. The country boy would do what he is told, if it were to black his
employer's boots, and never think of such a thing as doing what he ought
not. Such a series of years of faithful obedience is rewarded by a perfect
knowledge of business, unity of purpose, and a partnership.  This is the
reason why nine out of ten of our principal American merchants are New
England born. They enter the counting room to get their bread and get ahead.
The New York boy of "prospects," enters it because its genteel___if nothing
is given him to do.

      I would say that there is nothing impossible in this world___at the
same time very few merchants wish to take a young man of eighteen as a
beginner.

      There are always a large number of applicants of friends of the larger
merchants. Probably Goodhue & Perit, and the Howland and Aspinwalls have
each to decline, annually, a thousand such applications from wealthy parents
and friends, who are willing that their young connections should enter the
counting-room. Fourteen to sixteen years of age is their favorite limit. An
uncorrupted boy from a New England district school, in ordinary times, is
much more likely to get a foothold in a large counting-room than any other,
and he can tell his own story better than a thousand letters of
introduction, if he deals directly with the merchant. An applicant of three
days' residence would be successful, while a three months' residence would
be fatal.

SCHUYLER  LIVINGSTON (re: a business transaction)

      The late Schuyler Livingston was generally supposed to be a very
liberal man. So he was when it was his interest to be so. He was not always
just. In one case he acted the part of an unjust man to two young and
unfortunate merchants.

      In a former chapter I have alluded to the fact that about thirty years
ago, General Jackson sent out a merchant named Edmund Roberts to make a
treaty with Japan, Muscat, and Siam. Mr. Roberts succeeded in making a
treaty with the two last named nations, but failed with the former. He went
out on a second expedition, and died. Judge Amasa J. Parker, one of the
purest and best, as he is one of the most sagacious democrats of the state,
married a daughter of Mr. Roberts. At the death of the diplomatist, Mr.
Parker, Who was then a Member of Congress from the Delhi district, published
a book at the Harpers. It contained the life of Mr. Roberts, and many
valuable papers connected with the expedition he made by order of President
Jackson.

      Based upon the information conveyed by Mr. Roberts, a commercial house
in this city opened a trade with Muscat and the Imaum. This continued a long
time. Among other matters, some very valuable presents were sent to the
Imaum himself. One agent of this New York house resided at Zanzibar Island,
and another at Muscat. The Imaum is himself not only a priest, but indulges
in merchandising when he finds a good opening . He loads one of his own
ships in the early part of 1840, and sends her to New York, consigned to
this house, that had been doing business with him for some time. The New
York house had failed, and the consignment of the Arab ship and cargo passed
into the hands of Barclay & Livingston, who made a nice thing of
it____perhaps $5,000 or $6,000. Did the house of B. & L., who would have
been puzzled to have told in what part of the globe Muscat was located,
divide the commission, or make any return to that young house of Scoville &
Britton, who had toiled and spent money for years to work up that trade? Not
a dime. Schuyler Livingston told Mr. Britton, the only partner who was in
the city at the time the Imaum's ship arrived here, to kiss his____foot. Mr.
Britton long ago left mercantile business, and met with the greatest success
in another line; he being the head of the house in this city of Britton &
Warner, bankers.

      That was not all. The "Sultance" brought presents from the Imaum to
the president of the United States, and also to Scoville & Britton, his New
York Correspondents. An Arab chief returns present for present. The
President of the United States had sent the Imaum valuable articles, and he
sent back Arab horses to him. Scoville & Britton had frequently sent
presents to the Imaum, among other things a Colt's rifle and pistol mounted
in ivory, and several other fire arms. In return to S. & B. the Sultan sent
camels-hair shawls and certain articles. Barclay & Livingston never had sent
the Sultan any presents, but they got his, and poor Scoville & Britton never
received one of them. Mr. Livingston claimed that the presents belonged to
Barclay & Livingston, as consignees of the vessel. Power is right, and there
was never any redress, nor never will be in this world. Satan in the other
may say: "Schuyler, that was a clever dodge of yours in 1840____keeping
those Arab shawls."  As the Sultan is dead, he can explain that they were
intended for his friends___his correspondents___those who had made him
presents in 1839, and not for a couple of names the Imaum had never heard
of, but who became consignees of the vessel, because they were the agents of
Lloyds, London, and by consent of Lloyd L. Britton.

CHARLES  HENRY  HALL

      Charles Henry Hall, the old book-keeper of Thomas H. Smith & Son,
became of great note afterwards. In 1822 he kept at 44 John street, and in
1824 he lived at 576 Broadway. The simple number, standing by itself, would
not attract attention. It conveys the idea of a dwelling-house on
Broadway___nothing more. But in 1823 it meant an entire block far up town,
bounded by Prince, Crosby, Houston, and Broadway, now occupied by the
Metropolitan hotel, Niblo's theatre, Smithsonian hotel, and half-a-dozen
other places. Standing alone in the centre was a two-story double house, No.
576. I see it now as it was then. In the rear were the most superb stables
ever erected. The building was very large. Over the stall of each horse was
his name painted. The property belonged to the Van Rensellaers of Albany,
who had leased it to Mr. Hall. Here he resided until 1829, when in the
Spring of that year, Charles Henry Hall moved himself, his family, and his
magnificent horses to Harlem. His business office he kept at 20 Nassau
street.


      Charles Henry Hall was brought up by Murray & Mumford. I have his
writing before me of 1805, large, clear and distinct. This house was started
before 1786, as Murray, Mumford & Bowen, at Crane wharf, foot of Beekman
street. They did an immense business in 1791. Bowen went out, and Murray &
Mumford continued the business at 73 Stone street. Old John B. Murray was
the head of this house. John P. Mumford was the other partner. They were the
heaviest merchants of the period, and dealt heavily in teas. Robert Aldrich
was a clerk with them in 1797. They brought up many young men. James Watson
was with them in 1805, and was a fellow clerk with C.H. Hall. At the close
of this year, the house was dissolved, and in 1806, John P. Mumford, one of
the partners, carried on the business in his own name. He was assisted by
his son, Peter J. Mumford. The store was at 42 John street. But of these
Mumfords, I shall make especial mention in a future chapter.

WILLIAM  NIBLO

      The house and ground was rented by William Niblo, who up to that time
had kept the Bank Coffee House, corner of Pine and William streets, in the
rear of the Bank of New York. It was a famous place. All the principal
people of business dined and gave dinner parties there. Niblo opened it
during the war in 1814, and made it very popular.

      I think Mr. Niblo had been once in the employ of Daniel King. At any
rate, he married his daughter. King was a noted publican of his day. As
early as 1799 he kept a tavern at No. 9 Wall street; he kept in the same
spot as late as 1811. In 1815 he moved his tavern up Broadway, near Prince
street. In 1816 he moved down to 6 Slote Lane, near Hanover square. He kept
there several years, or as late as 1820, when he moved up to Varick street,
where he kept a boarding house. I think he died about 1825.

      When Mr. Niblo leased the Hall house up at 576, he intended to keep a
branch of his downtown hotel. His customers were among the very first class
of citizens. He was not disappointed. Within a week after the upper town
house was opened, it was filled with eminent merchants and their families,
who preferred such a residence to house-keeping. Among this class, was
Archibald Gracie, Jr. and his family. He had recently married Miss Elizabeth
Bethune (1828) of Charleston, S.C. Niblo pursued a modest career for a few
years, when some one suggested that he should open a sort of garden for the
higher classes,____ as "Vauxhall," that extended from the Bowery to
Broadway, above Fourth street, was too far out of town, and was too common
also. Niblo adopted the idea, and small alcoves with tables inside, and
plenty of flower pots, were introduced as a feature. The next improvement
was to move Hall's old stable building around to a more central part of the
"garden," and then it was altered into a theatre, almost open at the sides.

      The first performance of note was Herr Cline's. He was a brother of
F.S. Cline, the actor. He is now living somewhere in this city, I believe,
and has long been forgotten, except his name. There has been an immense
improvement since those days. Mr. Niblo's theatre is a feature, and the
hotel Metropolitan still more so.

      There is one feature that has been lopped off long ago. In former
years, Old New Yorkers would sit in the bar-rooms and adjacent spots, and
talk over old New York. Most of them are dead. One of them I met not long
ago, alive, fresh, and with as smiling face and genial manners as he had
thirty years ago, and not a bit older. I allude to Edward Sanford, who holds
a responsible position in the bureau of the city inspector, Colonel Delevan.

      At Niblo's coffee house a society of merchants went regularly. It had
a president and other officers, and its members were the most prominent
merchants in the city. Of the society I shall write in one of the succeeding
chapters.

      There are many merchants who have succeeded in this city, acquired
fortunes, and moved away, leaving nothing but their names. Others come here
from abroad, make fortunes and die, and their families move away.

 JOSEPH  HOPKINS

      Of the latter class was Joseph Hopkins, an Englishman, who was a crony
of John J. Glover; John Ellis, Thomas Buchanan, all English, and William
Wilson, the Scotch merchant, of whom I have said something in former
chapters.

      Mr. Joseph Hopkins is a name well known to our readers. The old
"Pewter Mug," now being torn down, was for many years identified with the
name of Joseph Hopkins___"Major Joe,"  "old Joe,"  "Major"  "our Joe", and
other familiar cognomens. He went to the land of gold many years ago, and I
hope is rich. I am not aware that Joseph Hopkins of the Pewter in 1848, is
any connection of Joseph Hopkins, the old merchant, of whom I now write. He
was an Englishman, and commenced business in this city after the
Constitution was adopted in 1787. He opened his store at 213 Queen street
(that is, the 221 Pearl street of to-day, near Platt street.)  At 221 Pearl
street he lived and did business until 1803, when he died there. His widow
continued it until 1807, when she went to No. 36 Beekman street, where they
had formerly resided in 1798, until in 1801 he built a fine brick store.
His dwelling had previously been at 36 Beekman street, and I think he owned
it, as in 1808____four years after he died___his widow moved back to it.

JOHN  J.  GLOVER

      John J. Glover was next door at No. 223 Pearl. He also bought the lot
and erected a brick house, but long previous to the erection of the three
below him. William Ellis lived on the opposite side of Pearl street, at No.
218. His brother John Ellis lived next door to Mr. Hopkins, at 219. He built
a house also.
     The three houses No. 217, 219 and 221 were after the same models, and
in 1801 were regarded as superior to any dwelling houses in that or any
other section of the city. Stephen B. Munn, lived at 226 Pearl, almost in
front of these houses.

MERCHANT  STORES

      It was the custom of those days to have the stores of the merchants on
the first floor and in front of the dining or sitting-room. Up stairs was
the drawing-room. It occupied the whole front of the house. Back of that was
the bed-room of the merchant and his wife. The sleeping room of the children
or other members of the family were on the third or attic floor.

      Along in that vicinity were several Quaker houses. Richard R. Lawrence
was at 251;  Richard T. at 269:  John and Isaac at 207:  John B., the
druggist, at 199 and 245;  Jas. Parson & Sons were at 267;  the Bownes,
Robert, Robert L. and Robert H. were at 252 and 256 Pearl;  William Hicks
was at 276;  Clendening, Adams & Co., at 209, and the Franklins were
scattered all along Pearl from 227 to Franklin square. Sixty years ago there
were sixteen firms of the name of Franklin.  Where are they all now?  There
was Samuel at 279;  Thomas at 282;  Franklin, Robinson & Co.,  William
Franklin & Co., at 309;  Franklin, Newbold & Co.;  Henry Franklin & Co. at
227;  John Franklin Jr.,  337;  there was Abraham, Herny P., William and
Matthew.  Martin W. Bull, who was a clerk with Peter A. Schenck & Co., in
1804, is an old family here.

      There was one of them, Francis, who was a translator of languages in
the commencement of this century, and the first that I know of having
existed here.

      I have one of his 1806 cards:

                                  FRANCIS  BULL
                               No. 24 William Street
Thankful to his friends and the public for past favors, informs them that he
continues translating the following languages:

German,  Dutch,  Irish,  French,  Spanish,  Portuguese,  English, and
Italian, and vice versa, with correctness and dispatch.

He settles accounts, ever so intricate, for masters of vessels and
others___all on the most moderate terms.

      He did that business only a few years, and I think he died about 1810.

MICHAEL &  THOMAS  BULL

      There was an old house as early as 1795, "Michael & Thomas Bull," that
did a very heavy business in this city for many years. They went out of
business about 1800. Soon after, William G. Bull used to sell teas annually
in this city. At that time he went out as supercargo to China every year,
and was more or less interested in the venture. He was in this city as a
merchant many years; in fact, he was regarded as the best judge of teas in
the United States, until he died a few months ago. Another branch of that
family were engaged in the saddlery business as early as 1806, and they have
continued it ever since.




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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