Matthew Clarkson | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Clarkson byGilbert Stuart (ca. 1794) | |
| 7thPresident of the Bank of New York | |
| In office 1804–1825 | |
| Preceded by | Herman LeRoy |
| Succeeded by | Charles Wilkes |
| Member of theNew York State Senate for the Southern District | |
| In office July 1, 1793 – June 30, 1795 | |
| Preceded by | Philip Van Cortlandt |
| Succeeded by | Philip Livingston |
| Member of theNew York State Assembly forNew York County | |
| In office July 1, 1789 – June 30, 1790 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1758-10-17)October 17, 1758 New York City,Province of New York,British America |
| Died | April 25, 1825(1825-04-25) (aged 66) New York City,New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Federalist |
| Spouses | |
| Relations | John Clarkson Jay (grandson) |
| Children | 8 |
| Parent(s) | David Clarkson Elisabeth French Clarkson |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States of America New York |
| Branch/service | New York State Militia |
| Rank | Brigadier general |
| Battles/wars | Revolutionary War: • Battle of Long Island • Battles of Saratoga |
Matthew Clarkson (October 17, 1758 – April 25, 1825) was a colonial soldier and politician. Clarkson Street inGreenwich Village and the town ofClarkson inWestern New York were both named after him.[1][2]
Clarkson was born on October 17, 1758, at his father's residence onWhitehall Street inNew York City in theProvince of New York in what was thenBritish America.[3][4] He was the son of David Clarkson (1726–1782) and Elisabeth (née French) Clarkson (1724–1808). His brother, Thomas Streatfeild Clarkson, was the grandfather ofThomas S. Clarkson, the namesake ofClarkson University.
Clarkson was the great-grandson of Matthew Clarkson, who emigrated to New York and served as a patent official in the 1690s.[5] His father, Clarkson's great-great grandfather, was Rev.David Clarkson (1622-1686),[6] the English bornPuritan clergyman whose sermons included "The Doctrine of Justification is Dangerously Corrupted by the Roman Church."[5] Through his mother, he was descended fromPhillip French, the 27thMayor of New York City.[7]
At the age of 17, he entered the Army to serve in the Revolutionary War, first on Long Island, subsequently underBenedict Arnold.[3] He was atSaratoga and, later, on the staff of GeneralBenjamin Lincoln, was present at the surrender ofBurgoyne, atSavannah (1779) and at the defense ofCharleston (1780). He was also present at the surrender ofCornwallis.[4]
After the war, Clarkson was commissioned brigadier general of militia of Kings and Queens Counties in June 1786 and Major General of the Southern District of New York in March 1798.[5] For a time, he was engaged in merchant business with John Vanderbilt under the company Vanderbilt & Clarkson.[8] The firm was later closed and he worked with his brother at the firm S. & L. Clarkson & Co.[3]
When the war ended, Lincoln becameSecretary of War and Clarkson became his assistant. He served as aFederalist member of the13th New York State Legislature in theNew York State Assembly for one term from 1789 to 1790, where he introduced a bill for the gradualabolition of slavery in the State.
As a Regent of theUniversity of the State of New York he was presented at the court ofFrench KingLouis XVI. From 1791 to 1792, he served as U.S. Marshal. In 1793, he was elected to fill the vacancy, in place ofPhilip Van Cortlandt, as State Senator in the17th New York State Legislature representing the Southern District, which consisted ofKings,New York,Queens,Richmond,Suffolk andWestchester counties. He served until 1795 after being reelected to the18th Legislature, and resigning before he completed his full four year term.[9] He was also a member of the commission to build a new prison 1796-1797 and President of the New York (City) Hospital (1799).[10]
In1802, Clarkson was theFederalist Party candidate forU.S. Senator from New York but was defeated byDeWitt Clinton. He was President of theBank of New York from 1804, succeedingHerman LeRoy, and serving until his death in 1825.[11][3] He was succeeded byCharles Wilkes.[12]
Clarkson was one of the first trustees of New York's earliest savings bank established to serve laborers and the poor,The Bank for Savings in the City of New-York.[13] His son-in-lawPeter Augustus Jay was one of the bank's founders.
On May 24, 1785, Clarkson was married to Mary Rutherfurd (1761–1786), the daughter ofWalter Rutherfurd and Catherine (née Alexander) Rutherfurd and the sister ofU.S. SenatorJohn Rutherfurd.[6] Through her mother, she was the niece ofWilliam Alexander, Lord Stirling, and the granddaughter ofJames Alexander andMary Alexander Provoost. Before her death in 1786, they were the parents of one child together:[6]
His second marriage was on February 14, 1792, to Sally Cornell (1762–1803), the daughter of Samuel Cornell (1731–1781) and Susan (née Mabson) Cornell (1732–1778).[14] Among Sally's siblings were Hannah Cornell (wife ofHerman LeRoy) and Elizabeth Cornell (wife ofWilliam Bayard Jr.).[15] Together they had eight children, including:[16]
On April 2, 1819, the town ofClarkson was established by theNew York State Legislature and named in honor of General Clarkson. Although there is no evidence that he ever lived in Western New York, he reportedly owned a sizable amount of land there, and he gave 100 acres (405,000 m²) to the town,[18] the rest of his interest was placed in trust for his children.[19]
Through his eldest daughter Mary, he was the grandfather of:[20]John Clarkson Jay (1808–1891), a physician and notedconchologist,[21] Catherine Helena Jay (1815–1889), who marriedHenry Augustus DuBois (1808–1884),[22] in 1835.[20] Anna Maria Jay (1819–1902),[23] who married Henry Evelyn Pierrepont (1808–1888),[24][25] in 1841,[20] and Susan Matilda Jay (1827–1910),[26] who married another of his grandchildren, Matthew Clarkson (1823–1913), the son of David Clarkson,[27] in 1852.[20]
clarkson.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
