Museum Collections

Abraham De Peyster was the son of Johannes De Peyster (b. 1626), and was one of the most prominent citizens of New York. He became mayor of New York in 1691 and after the turn of the century he temporarily held the offices of president of the council, chief justice, and treasurer of the province. This statuette was the model for the life-size statue which Bissell made for Bowling Green. The following biographical sketch was provided by David William Voorhees, Papers of Jacob Leisler, Department of History, New York University: De Peyster, Abraham (1657-1728), Jacob Leisler business partner; born New Amsterdam, son of Johannes De Peyster [q.v.] and Cornelia Lubberts, bapt. Dutch Reformed Church, with Abraham Delanoy, father of Peter Delanoy [q.v.], and Delanoy's wife, Marritje Lubberts, sister of De Peyster's mother, as sponsors, July 8, 1657; cadet in New Orange milita, 1673; in Amsterdam to work in the family firm in that city, 1675-1684; married cousin Catharina de Peyster, daughter of Pierre de Peyster and Gertrude van Dyke, Sloterdyke, Holland, Apr. 5, 1684; elected New York City assessor, Oct. 13, 1684; commissioned ensign of the militia, Sept. 10, 1684; joined New York City Dutch Reformed Church by certificate from Amsterdam, Dec. 5, 1684; militia captain, 1685-1689; New York City alderman, 1685; appointed alderman in Dongan Charter, Apr. 27, 1686.