General Notes

Source: Book, "The De Peyster Genealogy" by Waldron Phoenix Belknap, Jr
., 1956.
William de Peyster - sponsors, Willm Banker and Pierre d. Peisterr tot Ams
terdam, Katharina de Peister, Jn (BDC:338; ms.)
It may be noted that he was related by birth or marriage to the well-kno
wn silversmiths, Adriaen Bancker and Nicholas Roosevelt, as well as bei
ng connected, through his sister's marriage, with the Boelen family. His m
ark on gold or silver is not known.
A Whig in politics, like his Bancker and Rutgers relations, Willliam de Pe
yster was obliged to leave New York during the British occupation. His wil
l, dated Nov. 3, 1780; pro. Feb. 19, 1784, describes him as "...late of t
he City of New York , now residing at Albany " and "...in my Refugee Situa
tion"; mentions sons John, William, Gerard, Nicholas, Abraham, and Jame
s; daughters Anne and Margaret. To his daughters "two old silver tea-pot
s" and all household furniture; to my son William "my silver salt sellers
"; (to Abraham "my silver tankard." Execs.; sons William and Abrah
am W. de Peyster, and Egbert Benson
(NYHS: 12: 184; FW: No. 519).
William de Peyster's portrait is in possession of The New York Historic
al Society. It appears to have been touched up by a late eighteenth-centu
ry copy of the original. It may be pertinent to observe that there is sa
id to have been a fire in the residence at Bloomingdale of James W. de Pey
ster, No. 135, by whose descendant the picture was willed to the Society.