William Constable (01/01/1752 - 05/22/1803)

Also Known As: William Kerin Constable
Reader
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).
 Works Cited
William Constable Library Average
Circulation records from 1793-1799 are lost.
Books by subject area
As classified in the 1813 Library Catalog.

Check out duration
Circulation Activity
Books by subject area
Check out duration
William Constable Library Average
Full Title Author Volume Date Out Date In Rep. Fine Ledger
Transcribed: Description of ChinaJ. B. GrosierVolume 19/7/17899/14/1789
Transcribed: Description of ChinaJ. B. GrosierVolume 210/5/178910/26/1789
Transcribed: Smolletts EngdTobias SmollettVolume 41/4/17901/25/1790
Transcribed: Every man his BrokerThomas Mortimer3/8/17903/12/1790
Transcribed: Priestly on AirJoseph PriestleyVolume 13/12/17903/17/1790
Transcribed: "Joseph PriestleyVolume 23/17/17903/31/1790
Transcribed: "Joseph PriestleyVolume 33/31/17904/2/1790
Transcribed: "Joseph PriestleyVolume 44/2/17904/9/1790
Transcribed: "Joseph PriestleyVolume 54/9/17905/3/17906d
Transcribed: Priestlys LecturesJoseph Priestley5/3/17906/16/17904d
Transcribed: Kaims Gentleman farmerLord Henry Home Kames4/1/17914/13/1791
Transcribed: Mills on CattleJohn Mills4/7/17914/13/1791
Transcribed: Youngs Rural EconomyArthur Young4/13/17914/16/1791
Transcribed: Kaims GentlemanLord Henry Home Kames4/16/17915/10/1791
Transcribed: Marshalls agricultureWilliam MarshallVolume 25/10/17914/16/1791
Transcribed: Youngs east tourArthur YoungVolume 16/21/17918/18/1791
Transcribed: "Arthur YoungVolume 28/20/17919/6/1791
Transcribed: "Arthur YoungVolume 39/6/17919/19/1791
Transcribed: "Arthur YoungVolume 49/19/179110/12/1791
Transcribed: Wests PindarGilbert WestVolume 110/12/179110/19/17912/1d due
Transcribed: Noumes husbandry10/19/179110/22/1791
Transcribed: Philip 2nd (Watsons)Robert WatsonVolume 112/5/17912/8/17927/4d
Transcribed: Per. PickleTobias SmollettVolume 13/20/17923/22/17924d due
Transcribed: "Tobias SmollettVolume 23/22/17923/23/1792
Transcribed: "Tobias SmollettVolume 33/23/17923/24/1792
Transcribed: "Tobias SmollettVolume 43/24/17924/2/1792
Transcribed: Paynes N HistoryJohn PayneVolume 19/13/18009/15/1800
Transcribed: Bracken's FarrieryHenry BrackenVolume 22/16/18023/5/18026d
Transcribed: Bracken's FarrieryHenry BrackenVolume 12/16/18023/5/18026d
Transcribed: Life Catharine IIJ. Castéra; William TookeVolume 19/2/18029/14/1802
Transcribed: "J. Castéra; William TookeVolume 29/9/18029/21/1802
Transcribed: "J. Castéra; William TookeVolume 39/21/180210/9/1802
Transcribed: Philosop. PhilaAmerican Philosophical SocietyVolume 510/30/180211/22/1802
Transcribed: Varieties LiterVolume 111/30/180212/18/1802
Transcribed: Drakes L HoursNathan DrakeVolume 112/18/18021/8/1803
Transcribed: Montigu's WorksCharles de Secondat baron de MontesquieuVolume 51/31/18032/8/1803
Transcribed: Montigu's WorksCharles de Secondat baron de MontesquieuVolume 21/31/18032/8/1803
Transcribed: Montigu's WorksCharles de Secondat baron de MontesquieuVolume 41/31/18032/8/1803
Transcribed: "Charles de Secondat baron de MontesquieuVolume 32/8/18032/11/1803
Transcribed: "Charles de Secondat baron de MontesquieuVolume 12/11/18032/20/1803
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