Frederic de Peyster

Frederic de Peyster (born in New York City, 11 November 1796; died in Tivoli, New York, 17 August 1882) was a New York City lawyer.

Biography

His father, named Frederick and also born in New York City, was a nephew of Arent DePeyster, and fought for the British crown during the American Revolution. After the war, his father emigrated to St. John, New Brunswick, but later returned to the United States. The son graduated from Columbia in 1816, and was admitted to the bar in 1819. In 1820 he was appointed master in chancery. He held the office until 1837, when his judicious investments had so increased his inherited fortune 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 de Peyster's addresses were published in pamphlet form, for example The life and administration of Richard, earl of Bellomont, governor of the provinces of New York, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, from 1697 to 1701: an address delivered before the New York Historical Society, at the celebration of its seventy-fifth anniversary, Tuesday, November 18th, 1879.

His wife was Mary Justina Watts, who died in 1821. His son John Watts de Peyster was a New York City author and philanthropist. Another son, Frederic De Peyster, Jr., served as an officer in the New York Militia during the American Civil War.

Frederic de Peyster is the namesake of De Peyster, New York.

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: 

Further reading

• McKito, Valerie H. From Loyalists to Loyal Citizens: The DePeyster Family of New York. (Albany: State University of New York Press, 2015). xii, 248 pp

de Peyster family tree

Johannes de Peyster Sr. (c. 1600–c. 1685) Abraham de Peyster (1657–1728), Mayor of New York City Catherine de Peyster, married Philip Van Cortlandt, son of Stephanus Van Cortlandt Pierre Van Cortlandt (1721–1814) Abraham de Peyster (1696–1767), Treasurer of the Province of New York, married Margaret Van Cortlandt, daughter of Jacobus Van Cortlandt James Abraham de Peyster (1726–1799) Capt. Abraham de Peyster (1753–1798), married Catherine Livingston, granddaughter of Philip Livingston Frederick de Peyster (1758–1834) James Ferguson de Peyster (1794–1874), married (1) Susan Maria Clarkson (1800–1823), daughter of Matthew Clarkson; married (2) Frances Goodhue Ashton (1805–1871) Susan Maria de Peyster (1823–1910), married Robert Edward Livingston (1820–1889) Goodhue Livingston (1867–1951), an architect, married Louisa Robb (1877–1960), daughter of James Hampden Robb Frederic James de Peyster (1839–1905), lawyer, married Augusta McEvers Morris (1851–1911) Frederic de Peyster (1796–1882), lawyer John Watts de Peyster (1821–1907), military officer, married Estelle Livingston John Watts de Peyster Jr. (1841–1873), Union Army officer Johnston de Peyster (1846–1903), New York State Assembly member Pierre Guillaume de Peyster (b. 1707), married Cornelia Schuyler Arent DePeyster (1736–1822), British military officer Pierre Guillaume de Peyster (1745–1807) William Sheriff de Peyster, married Mary Roosevelt, niece of Nicholas Roosevelt Cornelia de Peyster, married Jacob R. Van Rensselaer Johannes de Peyster (1666–1719), Mayor of New York City, married Anna Bancker, sister of Albany mayor Evert Bancker Johannes de Peyster III (1694–1783), married Anna Schuyler, daughter of Albany mayor Myndert Schuyler Anna de Peyster (1723–1794), who married Albany mayor Volkert P. Douw Maria de Peyster, married Gerard Bancker Gerard Bancker (1740–1799), surveyor and politician William de Peyster, married Margaret Roosevelt William de Peyster Elizabeth de Peyster, married Charles Willson Peale (1741–1827), painter Franklin Peale (1795–1870), Philadelphia Mint officer Titian Peale (1799–1885), naturalist Catharina de Peyster, married Hendrick Rutgers (1712–1779) Henry Rutgers (1745–1830), Revolutionary War hero, namesake of Rutgers University Elizabeth de Peyster, married New Jersey provincial Governor John Hamilton Maria de Peyster, married New York City Mayor David Provost