City Readers Digital Historic Collections at the New York Society Library

Thomas Burling, a cabinet and chair-maker, was born on October 2, 1746, in Westchester County, New York (Thompson-Stahr 259). He apprenticed with Samuel Prince, a cabinetmaker in New York City, in the 1760s, and was later involved in a partnership with his brother-in-law, furniture-maker Robert Carter. He left the city with his family during the Revolutionary War for Orange County, New York (Thompson-Stahr 263). He returned to the city after the war and received a commission from the First United States Congress to furnish the home of President George Washington at 3 Cherry Street (Van Cott 35-37). From 1789-1790, during the period of time when the federal government was located in New York City, Burling was privately commissioned to make furniture in the emerging Federal style for Washington and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, who visited his shop together in 1790 (Van Cott 37-39). He was active as a cabinetmaker from 1769 until 1802, when two of his sons took over his shop on Beekman Street (Van Cott 32). He was one of the organizers of the New York Society for the Manumission of Slaves, established in 1785, and was on the board of trustees of the New York African Free School (Williams 165-166; "New York").  

His parents were Ebenezer Burling and Mary Lawrence. His cousin was New York City clockmaker Effingham Embree (Thompson-Stahr 271). He married Susanna Carter on October 22, 1767; they had eleven children (Thompson-Stahr 283). 

He died on December 24, 1831, and was buried in the Friends Burial Ground in New York City (Thompson-Stahr 259).