John Pintard
John Pintard | |
---|---|
Born | John Pintard, Jr. May 18, 1759 |
Died | June 21, 1844 | (aged 85)
Spouse | Elizabeth Brashear |
Parent(s) | John Pintard, Sr. Mary Cannon |
Relatives | Antoine Pintard, ancestor |
John Pintard Jr. (May 18, 1759 – June 21, 1844) was an American
Biography
He was a descendant of
He attended the College at New Jersey (which later became Princeton University), but left school to join the patriot forces when the British arrived at New York.[2] He went on various expeditions to harass the enemy. He returned to school briefly and received the degree of A.B. in 1776. He served as deputy commissary of prisoners at New York under his uncle Lewis. His duties were to examine and relieve the wants of the prisoners. On November 12, 1784, he married Elizabeth Brashear, daughter of Colonel Abraham Brashear of Paramus, New Jersey.
Pintard had inherited a legacy from his maternal grandfather, John Cannon, and this allowed him to go into the
In 1803, John Pintard went to New Orleans to seek his fortune but decided not to settle there. He filed a very favorable report of the French colony to Albert Gallatin, secretary of the treasury, and minister to France James Monroe, a relative by marriage to his wife's aunt. Pintard's report was instrumental in convincing Thomas Jefferson to purchase the Louisiana Territory. He served as first city inspector of New York City for many years after 1804,[4] and was authorized by the corporation of New York to issue fractional notes during the War of 1812.
John was secretary of the Mutual Assurance Company from 1809 to 1829. From 1819 to 1829 he served as Secretary of the
In 1832 he was in
On February 19, 1805 he began the efforts which became the present free school system in New York. He was also active in the movement that resulted in the building and completion of the Erie Canal.[7] John Pintard surveyed the plans for the streets and avenues in upper New York City. A deeply religious man, he was one of the chief supporters of the General Theological Seminary and helped found the American Bible Society, which he always called his "brat." He was vestryman for the Huguenot Church of New York City for thirty-four years and his translation of the "Book of Common Prayer" from English to French is still used today. In 1822, the degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by Allegheny College.[8]
Pintard was an active Freemason, serving as Master for his Lodge in New York.[9]
Perhaps his greatest contribution to American society, however, was his role in establishing the modern popular conception of
According to Dr. Niels Henry Sonne, former director of the library, John Pintard also was a patron of the library of the General Theological Seminary in New York, and helped establish their first collection of books.[10]
Blind in his later years, he died at the home of his daughter, Louise, in New York on June 21, 1844.
References
- ^ according to p 102 of "Letters from John Pintard".
- ^ Harrison, Richard A. John Pintard (Class of 1776, in Princetonians, 1776-1783 (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1981), 424-229.
- ISBN 0-201-62463-X.
- ^ Lamb, Martha J. (Martha Joanna); Harrison, Burton (May 5, 1877). "History of the city of New York : its origin, rise, and progress". New York : A.S. Barnes – via Internet Archive.
- ^ American Antiquarian Society Members Directory
- New York Times. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
Unlike most upper-class residents, John Pintard, the respected civic leader who was the historical society's founder, remained in the stricken city. ...
- ^ a b "Knickerbocker Santa Claus". St. Nicholas Center.
- ^ "John Pintard Witness to the Revolution by Kerry J. Davidson, Sr".
- ^ Bicentennial Commemorative Volume of Holland Lodge No. 8, Published by the Lodge, New York, 1988
- ^ Sonne, Niels H. John Pintard and the Early Years of the General Theological Seminary Library. New York: s.n.], 1961. Reprinted with revisions from the Bulletin of the General Theological Seminary, v. 47, no. 1 (February, 1961).
Further reading
- "Letters from John Pintard to his Daughter", Vol I, p 102
- John Pintard (Class of 1776, in Richard A. Harrison., ed., Princetonians, 1776-1783 (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1981), 424-229.
External links
- Media related to John Pintard at Wikimedia Commons