City Readers Digital Historic Collections at the New York Society Library
William Constable (01/01/1752 - 05/22/1803)
Also Known As: William Kerin Constable
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Borrowing activity from 9/7/1789 to 2/20/1803.
Borrowing activity from 9/7/1789 to 2/20/1803.
William Constable, a merchant and land speculator, was born in 1752 in Dublin, Ireland and educated at Trinity College (Crimmins 100; Smith 114). In 1781, during the American Revolution, he was an aide-de-camp to General Lafayette (Lane 392). He settled in Philadelphia after the American Revolution and in 1784 moved to New York City. He established William Constable and Company in May 1784 with William Morris and Gouverneur Morris; it was renamed Constable, Rucker and Company when John Rucker joined later (Barrat 178; Morris 329-330, 352). The firm outfitted the first American ship to trade with China and India (Metropolitan Museum of Art). He was also involved in land speculation in the South and in Western New York, and spent 1792 to 1795 in Europe where he sold large tracts of land from his purchases in New York State (Crimmins 144-145; Barrat 178). By the early 1800s he was one of the largest landowners in New York State (Burrows and Wallace 449). A business he was in with his brother, Library member James Constable, went bankrupt in 1801 and he lost most of his landed interests ("Constable-Pierrepont Papers"). He served as director of the Bank of New York and president of the St. Patrick's Society of New York in 1789 (Smith 114; Hurd 472).
Constable's father was physician John Constable (Crimmins 101). He married Ann White in 1782; they had seven children (Barrat 178; Hurd 472). His daughter Anna was married to Library member Hezekiah Beers Pierrepont.
Constable died in 1803 and was buried in St. Paul's churchyard in New York City (Smith 114).
Constable's father was physician John Constable (Crimmins 101). He married Ann White in 1782; they had seven children (Barrat 178; Hurd 472). His daughter Anna was married to Library member Hezekiah Beers Pierrepont.
Constable died in 1803 and was buried in St. Paul's churchyard in New York City (Smith 114).
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