DE PEYSTER, Johannes - A Stan Klos Biography
DE PEYSTER, Johannes,
merchant born in Haarlem, Holland, about 1600; died in New Amsterdam (now the
City of New York) about 1685. The name was originally spelled "Peijster," "Peister,"
or "Pester." He came of a French Huguenot family that took refuge in the United
Provinces about the time of the massacre of St. Bartholomew. He immigrated to
this country on account of religious persecution.
During the brief period
in 1673'4 in which the Dutch regained possession of New Netherland, he took a
prominent part in the conduct of public affairs, and he was one of the last to
take the oath of allegiance to the British crown on the final cession of the
province to that power.
Notwithstanding this, he
still continued active in municipal affairs, under English supremacy, at
different times serving as alderman and deputy mayor, but refusing the mayoralty
on account of his ignorance of English. At the time of his death he was one of
the wealthiest citizens of the province. Of his sons (besides Abraham, mentioned
below), Johannes De Peyster filled the mayor's chair; Isaac De Peyster
was a member of the provincial legislature; and Cornelius De Peyster was
the first chamberlain of the City of New York, besides acting in various other
public capacities.
Abraham De Peyster
chief justice, and eldest son of the preceding, born in New York City, 8 July
1658; died there, 10 August 1728. He was a merchant, and amassed much wealth. He
was mayor of New York in 1691-'5, and subsequently became chief justice of the
province and president of the king's council, in which latter capacity he acted
(in 1701) as governor. He was also appointed colonel of the forces of the City
and County of New York, and treasurer of the provinces of New York and New
Jersey.
The mansion erected by
him in 1695, which at one time was the headquarters of Washington, remained
standing until 1856. It occupied the site now partly covered by the buildings
numbered 178 and 180 Pearl Street. The bell presented by him to the Middle Dutch
Church, in Nassau Street, a short time before his death, now hangs in the
Collegiate Church, on Fifth avenue and 29th Street, and is in constant use. His
eldest son, Abraham De Peyster, was treasurer of the province from 1721
till 1767.
Arent Schuyler
De Peyster, soldier, grandson of Colonel Abraham
Schuyler, born in New York City, 27 June 1736; died in Dumfries, Scotland, in
November 1832. He entered the 8th regiment of foot in 1755, served in various
parts of North America under his uncle, Colonel Peter Schuyler, and commanded at
Detroit, Mackinac, and various places in Upper Canada during the American
Revolutionary war.
The Indian tribes of the northwest were
then hostile to the British, but De Peyster, by his tact and the adoption of
conciliatory measures, entirely weaned them from the colonists. Having risen to
the rank of colonel, and commanded his regiment many years, he retired to
Dumfries, where he resided until his death.
During the French revolution he had a
large share in enlisting and drilling the 1st regiment of Dumfries volunteers,
one of the original members of which was Robert Burns, who dedicated to him his
poem on "Life," and with whom he once carried on a poetical controversy in the
columns of the Dumfries "Journal."
His nephew, Captain Arent Schuyler De
Peyster, an American navigator, sailed several times around the globe, and,
in a passage from the western coast of America to Calcutta, discovered in the
South Pacific a group of seventeen islands, which bear his name.
Abraham De Peyster,
soldier, nephew of Arent Schuyler De Peyster, born in New York City in 1753;
died in St. John, N. B., about 1799. He entered the British service, and rose to
be captain in the 4th, or "King's" American regiment, ranking in the loyal
militia as colonel. He was originally second in command at the battle of King's
Mountain, S. C. (7 October 1780), and succeeded to the command on the death of
Major Ferguson.
Captain De Peyster had been paid off on
the morning of the engagement, and, when a bullet struck him, a doubloon among
the coin in his vest pocket stopped its course. He was, however, wounded and
taken prisoner. At the close of the war in 1783 he was placed on the half pay
list, retired to St. John, N. B., and was one of the grantees of that City. He
also acted as treasurer of the province.
Frederiek De
Peyster, soldier, brother of the preceding, born in
New York City. While still a minor he commanded a company raised for the
protection of his uncle, William Axtell, a member of the council. He was
subsequently a captain in the New York (loyalist) volunteers. While he was
swimming a River on horseback in South Carolina, a bullet passed through both of
his legs and killed the horse. At the storming of Fort Montgomery in 1777, a
detachment of his regiment was the first to enter the works. Like his brother
Abraham, he settled in St. John, N. B., after the war, and received the grant of
a City lot. In 1792 he served as a magistrate in the County of York. He
afterward returned to the United States.
James De Peyster,
soldier, brother of the preceding, born in New York City; died in battle in
Flanders, 18 August 1793. He was captain lieutenant, or lieutenant commanding"
the colonel's company, in the 4th, or "King's" American regiment, entering the
service when nineteen years of age. In 1786 he was commissioned 1st lieutenant
in the Royal artillery, commanded by his brother-in-law, Colonel James. At that
time he had the reputation of being one of the handsomest men in the British
army. He was killed, near Menin, during the campaign in Flanders. The month
previous he had a remarkable escape from death at the siege of Valenciennes,
being buried alive by the explosion of a mine.
Frederiek De
Peyster, Jr., lawyer, son of Frederick, born in New
York City, 11 November 1796; died in Tivoli, New York, 17 August 1882. He was
graduated at Columbia in 1816, and admitted to the bar in 1819. In 1820 he had
been appointed master in chancery, and held the office until 1837, when his
inherited fortune had been so largely increased by judicious investments that he
was compelled to resign his office and devote himself to the management of his
estate.
He was at various periods a trustee of
the Bible society, and served on the boards of management of many charitable and
educational institutions, besides giving liberally to their support. He was at
different times president of the New York historical society, a founder and
director of the Home for incurables, and vice president of the Society for the
prevention of cruelty to children, founder of the Soldiers' home erected by the
Grand Army of the Republic, and a trustee of the New York society library.
In 1867 he received the degree of LL. D.
from Columbia, and in 1877 was elected an honorary fellow of the Royal
historical society of Great Britain. Several of his addresses have been
published in pamphlet form.
John Watts De Peyster,
son of the preceding, author, born in New York City, 9 March 1821. He was
educated at Columbia, but was not graduated on account of his health. In 1845 he
was elected to the colonelcy of the lllth regiment of New York militia, and, on
the military reorganization of the state, he was assigned to the command of the
22d district, and in 1851 was promoted brigadier general. In 1855 he was
appointed adjutant general, which office he soon resigned, but in April 1866,
was brevetted major general.
General De Peyster assisted in the
organization of the present police force of the City of New York, and is the
author of a series of reports in favor of a paid fire department, with fire
escapes and steam engines (1852-'3). He has been a voluminous contributor to
periodical literature, besides writing numerous works on military topics. Among
the latter are "Life of Field Marshal Torstenson" (1855); "The Dutch at the
North Pole" (1857); "Caurausius, the Dutch Augustus" (1858); "Life of Baron
Cohorn" (1860); and "Personal and Military History of General Philip Kearny"
(1869).
John Watts De Peyster, Jr.,
soldier, son of the preceding, born in New York, 2 December 1841; died there 12
April 1873. In March 1862, he left the Law School of Columbia College and joined
the staff of General Philip Kearny as volunteer aide, participating in the
battle of Williamsburg.
He for a time commanded a company of New
York cavalry, was afterward major of the 1st New York artillery, and still later
served on the staff of General Peck. He was then prostrated by fever, and, after
a severe illness of several months, returned to the field in the winter of 1863.
For his zeal, capacity, and energy, displayed in the Chancellorsville campaign
and in the battle of Fredericksburg, he was promoted to be lieutenant colonel
and colonel. He remained with the army until midsummer of the same year, when
his increasing weakness compelled him to resign.
Edited Appletons
Encyclopedia by John Looby, Copyright © 2001 StanKlos.comTM
DE PEYSTER, Johannes, merchant born in Haarlem, Holland, about 1600; died in New Amsterdam (now the City of New York) about 1685. The name was originally spelled "Peijster," "Peister," or " Pester." He came of a French Huguenot family that took refuge in the United Provinces about the time of the massacre of St. Bartholomew. He immigrated to this country on account of religious persecution. During the brief period in 1673'4 in which the Dutch regained possession of New Netherland, he took a prominent part in the conduct of public affairs, and he was one of the last to take the oath of allegiance to the British crown on the final cession of the province to that power. Notwithstanding this, he still continued active in municipal affairs, under English supremacy, at different times serving as alderman and deputy mayor, but refusing the mayoralty on account of his ignorance of English. At the time of his death he was one of the wealthiest citizens of the province. (If his sons (besides Abraham, mentioned below), Johannes filled the mayor's chair; ISAAC Was a member of the provincial legislature; and Cornelius was the first chamberlain of the City of New York, besides acting in various other public capacities.
Abraham, De Peyster chief justice, and eldest son of the preceding, born in New York City, 8 July 1658; died there, 10 August 1728. He was a merchant, and amassed much wealth. He was mayor of New York in 1691'5, and subsequently became chief justice of the province and president of the king's council, in which latter capacity he acted (in 1701) as governor. He was also appointed colonel of the forces of the City and County of New York, and treasurer of the provinces of New York and New Jersey. The mansion erected by him in 1695, which at one time was the headquarters of Washington, remained standing until 1856. It occupied the site now partly covered by the buildings numbered 178 and 180 Pearl Street. The bell presented by him to the Middle Dutch Church, in Nassau Street, a short time before his death, now hangs in the Collegiate Church, on Fifth avenue and 29th Street, and is in constant use. His eldest son, ABRAHAM De Peyster, was treasurer of the province from 1721 till 1767.
Arent Schuyler, soldier, grandson of Colonel Abraham Schuyler, born in New York City, 27 June 1736; died in Dumfries, Scotland, in November 1832. He entered the 8th regiment of foot in 1755, served in various parts of North America under his uncle, Colonel Peter Schuyler, and commanded at Detroit, Mackinac, and various places in Upper Canada during the American Revolutionary war. The Indian tribes of the northwest were then hostile to the British, but De Peyster, by his tact and the adoption of conciliatory measures, entirely weaned them from the colonists. Having risen to the rank of colonel, and commanded his regiment many years, he retired to Dumfries, where he resided until his death. During the French revolution he had a large share in enlisting and drilling the 1st regiment of Dumfries volunteers, one of the original members of which was Robert Burns, who dedicated to him his poem on "Life," and with whom he once carried on a poetical controversy in the columns of the Dumfries " Journal."
His nephew, Captain Arent Schuyler, De Peyster, an American navigator, sailed several times around the globe, and, in a passage from the western coast of America to Calcutta, discovered in the South Pacific a group of seventeen islands, which bear his name. Abraham, soldier, nephew of Arent Schuyler De Peyster, born in New York City in 1753; died in St. John, N. B., about 1799. He entered the British service. and rose to be captain in the 4th, or "King's" American regiment, ranking in the loyal militia as colonel. He was originally second in command at the battle of King's Mountain, S. C. (7 October 1780), and succeeded to the command on the death of Major Ferguson. Captain De Peyster had been paid off on the morning of the engagement, and, when a bullet struck him, a doubloon among the coin in his vestpocket stopped its course. He was, however, wounded and taken prisoner. At the close of the war in 1783 he was placed on the half pay list, retired to St. John, N. B., and was one of the grantees of that City. He also acted as treasurer of the province.
Frederiek, soldier, brother of the preceding, born in New York City. While still a minor he commanded a company raised for the protection of his uncle, William Axtell, a member of the council. He was subsequently a captain in the New York (loyalist) volunteers. While he was swimming a River on horseback in South Carolina, a bullet passed through both of his legs and killed the horse. At the storming of Fort Montgomery in 1777, a detachment of his regiment was the first to enter the works. Like his brother Abraham, he settled in St. John, N. B., after the war, and received the grant of a City lot. In 1792 he served as a magistrate in the County of York. He afterward returned to the United States.
James, soldier, brother of the preceding, born in New York City ; died in battle in Planders, 18 August 1793. He was captain lieutenant, or lieutenant commanding" the colonel's company, in the 4th, or "King's" American regiment, entering the service when nineteen years of age. In 1786 he was commissioned 1st lieutenant in the Royal artillery, commanded by his brother-in-law, Colonel James. At that time he had the reputation of being one of the handsomest men in the British army. He was killed, near Menin, during the campaign in Planders. The month previous he had a remarkable escape from death at the siege of Valenciennes, being buried alive by the explosion of a mine.
Frederie, Jr., lawyer, son of Frederick, born in New York City, 11 November 1796; died in Tivoli, New York, 17 August 1882. He was graduated at Columbia in 1816, and admitted to the bar in 1819. In 1820 he had been appointed master in chancery, and held the office until 1837, when his inherited fortune had been so largely increased by judicious investments that he was compelled to resign his office and devote himself to the management of his estate. He was at various periods a trustee of the Bible society, and served on the boards of management of many charitable and educational institutions, besides giving liberally to their support. He was at different times president of the New York historical society, a founder and director of the Home for incurables, and vice president of the Society for the prevention of cruelty to children, founder of the Soldiers' home erected by the Grand Army of the Republic, and a trustee of the New York society library. In 1867 he received the degree of EL. D. from Columbia, and in 1877 was elected an honorary fellow of the Royal historical society of Great Britain. Several of his addresses have been published in pamphletform.
John Watts, son of the preceding, author, born in New York City, 9 March 1821. He was educated at Columbia, but was not graduated on account of his health. In 1845 he was elected to the colonelcy of the lllth regiment of New York militia, and, on the military reorganization of the state, he was assigned to the command of the 22d district, and in 1851 was promoted brigadier general. In 1855 he was appointed adjutant general, which office he soon resigned, but in April 1866, was brevetted major general. General De Peyster assisted in the organization of the present police force of the City of New York, and is the author of a series of reports in favor of a paid fire department, with fire escapes and steam engines (1852'3). He has been a voluminous contributor to periodical literature, besides writing numerous works on military topics. Among the latter are "Life of FieldMarshal Torstenson" (1855); "The Dutch at the North Pole " (1857); "Caurausius, the Dutch Augustus" (1858): '" Life of Baron Cohorn " (1860); and "Personal 'rod Military History of General Philip Kearny" (1869).
John Watts, Jr., soldier, son of the preceding, born in New York, 2 December 1841 ; died there 12 April 1873. In March 1862, he left the Law School of Columbia College and joined the staff of General Philip Kearny as volunteer aide, participating in the battle of Williamsburg. He for a time commanded a company of New York cavalry, was afterward major of the 1st New York artillery, and still later served on the staff of General Peck. He was then prostrated by fever, and, after a severe illness of several months, returned to the field in the winter of 1863. For his zeal, capacity, and energy, displayed in the Chancellorsville campaign and in the battle of Fredericksburg, he was promoted to be lieutenant colonel and colonel. He remained with the army until midsummer of the same year, when his increasing weakness compelled him to resign.
