Frederic James de Peyster (February 5, 1839 – May 10, 1905) was an American soldier, lawyer, and member of New York Society during the Gilded Age.[1]
Early life
Frederic James de Peyster was born on February 5, 1839, in New York City. He was the first of five children born to James Ferguson de Peyster (1794–1874)[2] and his second wife, Frances Goodhue (née Ashton) de Peyster (1805–1871).[3] His father was a widower of Susan Maria Clarkson, with whom he had one child, Susan Maria de Peyster (1823–1910), who married Robert Edward Livingston (1820–1889) of Clermont.[4][a] Through his half-sister Susan, he was the uncle of Goodhue Livingston, the prominent New York architect.[5] Frederic was the only child from his parents marriage to marry and have children.[5]
After being admitted to the bar, de Peyster practiced law in New York for many years. He was associated with the firm Tremaine & Tyler.[7] From his father, he inherited a significant fortune, enabling him to avoid being "tied down to his professional duties, and much of his time has been spent in the interests of charity."[1]
On October 10, 1871, Frederic was married to Augusta McEvers Morris (1851–1911),[12] a daughter of William Henry Morris (1810–1896) and his second wife, Ella (née Birckhead) Morris.[d][13][14] Her half-brother was Augustus Newbold Morris.[15] Together, they had a home at 11 East 86th Street in Manhattan and were the parents of:[5]
Helen Van Courtlandt de Peyster (1872–1923),[16] who married Dr. George Augustus Lung (1862–1921)[17] in 1908.[18]
Frederic Ashton de Peyster (1875–1951),[19] who married Alice Abercrombie-Miller (1885–1965),[20] daughter of James Abercrombie-Miller, in 1908.[21][e] They divorced in 1934 and he married Louise (née Slagle) Todd in 1939.[19][f]
Frances Goodhue de Peyster (1876–1935),[8] a philanthropist.[8]
Augusta Morris de Peyster (b. 1877), a philanthropist.[23][24]
De Peyster died in Lakewood, New Jersey, where the family vacationed,[33] on May 11, 1905.[1] He was buried in his family's vault in Trinity Church Cemetery.[34] His entire estate was left to his widow and five children with his widow receiving 3/8ths and each child receiving 1/8th.[35]
Descendants
Through his eldest daughter Helen, he was the grandfather of George Livingston de Peyster (b. 1909),[7][h] who married Shirley Tucker Hull (1918–2014)[36] in 1942.[37][38] Through his son Frederic Ashton, he was the grandfather of Alice Townsend de Peyster (b. 1910), who married James Todd Jr.; Frederic Ashton de Peyster Jr. (b. 1911); and Helen Van Courtlandt de Peyster (b. 1913),[7] who married Erica A. von Raits; James Abercrombie de Peyster, who married Dorothy Shelby Sims, the daughter of Princess Irbain-Khan Kaplanoff.[21]
References
Notes
^His father's first wife, Susan Maria Clarkson (1800–1823), was the daughter of General Matthew Clarkson and sister-in-law of Peter Augustus Jay.
^Through this uncle, his father's younger brother who was also named Frederic de Peyster (1796–1882), he was a first cousin of Gen. John Watts de Peyster (1821–1907)
^Alice's sister, Edith Abercrombie Miller (1883-1954), was married to lawyer, banker, golfer, and philanthropist Walter Tuckerman (1881-1961).
^Louise was the widow of James Todd and the mother of James Todd Jr., who married Frederic's daughter, Alice Townsend de Peyster, in 1933. His first wife Alice remarried to Count Bohdan K. de Castellane, a member of the Polish branch of the de Castellane family of Europe.[22]
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)
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