Chapter XXI

Few persons are aware how intimately and how extensively are interwoven the fortunes, the business, the social life and destiny of our leading merchants with those of Europe, Asia, and even Africa. Our great merchants do not make any noise. Many of them are less known here than in the great cities of London, Liverpool, Paris, Amsterdam and St. Petersburg.

One of the most extraordinary men of his day was Dominick Lynch. He was a merchant of wines—an extensive importer and a connoisseur in all nice things. He was a perfect gentleman, and thirty-two years ago, was the envy of all the ambitious youths of New York. Whatever Dominick Lynch said was "good," must have been. He was the most fashionable man in New York. His taste of wines was exquisite, and he made mere common clay pay for his own unequaled wisdom and judgment.

Dominick had a brother named James. The latter was a lawyer, and had his office at No. 5 Wall street Court. Not many citizens will remember that court, and yet what a wonderful place it was. It had a pump in it, and the finest water in the city. It ran through the buildings of the old New York Insurance company, (next to the present Bank of New York) from Wall to Pine street, and on the latter street came out next to the old Bank Coffee House, on the corner of Pine and William streets, then kept by William Niblo.

James Lynch resided in the Court, and lived in the Sixth Ward. He afterwards became a Judge. One of his daughters married the Count Tasistro, and the latter was exposed by Dominick Lynch, who was a perfect living dictionary of the European as well as American peerage. Another brother was Henry Lynch, a famous man in Wall street, who had an affair of honor with Colonel Webb, and who was challenged by Mr. Tasistro and posted by that gentleman for refusing to fight.

Dominick Lynch kept a very large wine store in William street, three doors from Wall, and opposite the Merchants' Exchange. In 1829 he was burned out, and a splendid stock of wines was consumed. I was at that fire, and never did the firemen of New York suck such delicious wines as then.

The fire did not burn up Dominick Lynch. He was more energetic after than before the fire. He commenced in 1830 his importations of the great Lynch's "Chateau Margeaux." A man was nobody in those days if he had not subscribed for a box of that almost inaccessible wine to any body but Lynch. The subscription lists for three hundred cases contained all the principal people of New York. The cases were about three feet long and four feet round, and contained four dozen quart bottles. A smaller size contained four dozen pints. The price, I believe, was about $75 per case.

Then Lynch's "Sauterne" was another great wine, delivered upon subscription lists. He had great success also with Lynch's "Lucca Oil." It commanded an unheard of price. Mr. Lynch had it manufactured in some part of Italy after his own idea; it was put up in "bettys," and was really an oil that our first families used as if it had been strained honey. Dominick Lynch coined money; he spent it, with the freedom of a prince. He was a high liver, gave royal dinners, and went into the best society. He was an extraordinary judge of wines.

He had a lovely family of daughters, and bought a place on Staten Island, next door to the Pavilion Hotel at New Brighton, where he lived until he died in 1844. He never saved anything, and consequently died poor. Of his daughters, two married naval commanders, one the celebrated Commodore Wilkes; another married William Watson, a lawyer, who died last winter. One married Julius Pringle of South Carolina. One married a Mr. Luqueer of Brooklyn. One son was a distinguished naval officer. Another who was once our Deputy Surveyor is now a distinguished lawyer at Rome, N. Y. Another of the daughters married Stewart Maitland, of the firm of Maitland, Phelps & Co.—once Maitland & Co., Maitland & Kennedy, Maitland, Kennedy & Maitland, and lastly Maitland, Phelps & Co. Another memorable circumstance in the history of Dominick Lynch, is the fact that Mr. Lynch brought to this country the first Italian opera troupe, of which Garcia, the greatest tenor then living, Angrisani, the greatest basso, and Malibran, the greatest prime donne, were members. Malibran was then only Signorina Garcia, but she married Malibran soon after her arrival here. Still another interesting fact about Dominick Lynch is, he was a very strong Roman Catholic, his father, also a Roman Catholic, having been the original settler of the town of Rome in this State, but all of his children have become Protestants.

The house of Maitland & Co. was founded before the American Revolution by Scotch supercargoes, and has existed under the above firms nearly one hundred years. At present there is no partner of the name of Maitland in that house, the late partner, James William Maitland, having died recently.

The Dumfries (Scotland) Courier of Oct. 30th, thus notices him:

Bequest to the Poor. The late William Maitland, Esq., New York, has bequeathed the sum of $250 to the poor of each of the parishes in which the estates of his father, the late Lord Dundrennan, were situated, viz: Berrick, Tonglan and Twyaholm, in the Stewartry of Kirkendbright, and West Calder in Mid Lothian. The legacies are directed to be paid "to the minister of the established Church of Scotland in each parish, to be distributed according to his discretion among the poor of all religious sects and denominations within the bounds of his parish."

Stewart Maitland who married Miss Lynch is a brother of the above named James, and a son of the late Lord Dundrennan. Stewart retired from the house of Maitland, Phelps & Co., upon the death of his father, the late Lord Dundrennan, and he now resides in Scotland with his lady, formerly Miss Lynch.

Lord Dundrennan was but a Scotch law bred lord, whose title was only a courtesy one, like that of Lord Jeffreys, and was not transmissible; consequently at his death it became extinct. Mr. Maitland, who was of the firm of Maitland, Kennedy & Co., removed from New York to Edinburgh about ten years since. The summer before he left an affair of his caused some talk in New York, and among gambling and mercantile people generally. In playing cards with a gentlemen Philadelphia black sporting adventurer, named Meredith, he lost one evening in Saratoga something over one hundred thousand dollars. Mr. Meredith was a brother of the Secretary of the Treasury, and held the appointment of measurer in our Custom House. Mr. Maitland, being a man of scrupulous ideas of honor, would have paid every dollar he lost, but his friends would not permit him to do it, and compromised the matter for a very small sum with Meredith.

Old David Maitland was of the house of Maitland, Kennedy & Maitland when it was in Front street. He was an old bachelor, but the father of the present house, and uncle to Stewart and James Maitland. Old David retired some years ago to his estates in Scotland, where he now resides. He was succeeded by Stewart (now in Scotland), who formed a copartnership with the now somewhat celebrated Royal Phelps, a very wealthy gentleman, who but then recently returned from South America. A Mr. Cumrie was also one of that firm.

He was succeeded by his brother James, as I have already stated. He was very much beloved and respected for his many amiable qualities. He married the daughter of James A. O'Reilly, Esq. During the early part of last summer he was seized with rheumatic fever, of which he died in the thirtieth year of his age.

His entire fortune, with the exception of about $20,000 in small legacies (as stated by the Scotch paper above), he bequeathed to his wife as residuary legatee.

On the retirement of Mr. Cumrie from the firm of Maitland, Phelps & Co., Mr. Robert Gordon, a former clerk in the establishment, was taken into the partnership, purely owing to his mercantile merit and good conduct.

When James William Maitland died, Benjamin F. Butler, the cashier of the house, became a partner. Royal Phelps married a South American lady, by whom he had one child, a daughter. The latter married, a few years ago, a Mr. Carroll, of Baltimore. Mr. Phelps himself was a clerk on the Pacific coast for many years.

Jacob and Herman Le Roy, who are mentioned in our last chapter, were sons of Daniel Le Roy, an old New York merchant, who died in September, 1791.

I am aiding all those who do not wish prominent merchants to be buried in oblivion forever. I am rescuing men and things from such a fate, and I have a right occasionally to ask assistance in my efforts.

Is there any one alive who can explain to me a matter of deep interest?

In 1791 the Tammany Society, or Columbian Order, established an American Museum. The object was to collect and preserve everything relating to the history of America,—likewise, every American production of nature or art; for which purpose part of the funds of the Tammany Society were appropriated.

The Corporation of the city so far favored the enterprise as to grant a room in the City Hall (the City Hall was in the rear of the present one), on a range with the library. The Museum was opened every Tuesday and Friday afternoon.

Articles could be sent there on those days, or to Mr. John Pintard, No. 57 King street (not the present King street), but Pine street that was called King street from 1728 to 1797, and previous to 1728 was Queen street.

The trustees of the Museum were William Pitt Smith, chairman; James Tyler, John R. B. Rodgers, Jacob Morton, Effingham Embree, William W. Gilbert, treasurer; John Pintard, secretary; Gardner Baker, keeper. At that time the Tammany Society had their great wigwam in Broad street. Now, what has become of that Museum? We have in our possession the

"LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM BELONGING TO THE TAMMANY SOCIETY, OR COLUMBIAN ORDER."

Number one to eight.—We have also a bit of several articles contributed to that Museum. What became of it?

We remember going to the old City Hall building, (back of the present City Hall), to Scudder's Museum. Was that the original American Museum established under the auspices of Tammany Society?

Is not that the same Museum bought by Phineas T. Barnum of Doctor Scudder, and by him called the American Museum?

What right had any body to sell the Museum of old Tammany Society, made up as it was, by presents?

Have not the heirs of old Samuel L. Mitchell, or any other person who presented the American Museum in 1791 with a specified article, a right to walk into Barnum's Museum, and seize that article if it is to be found there?

Are none of the trustees alive now? Are none of the Smiths, Tylers, Rogers, Mortons, Embrees, Gilberts, Pintards, or Bakers' descendants capable of giving us some information?

We have no doubt but that Barnum, by some hocus pocus arrangement, is the present possessor of the chosen jewels of old Tammany. What is his right to them?

The following is a copy of the laws alluded to:

1. Of the Election of Officers.—The trustees of the American Museum, as by law elected, shall, on the first stated meeting after their election, choose from out their number a chairman, treasurer and a secretary.

2. Of the Chairman.—The chairman is to preside at all meetings, to preserve order, to regulate the debates, and to state and put questions agreeably to the sense and intentions of the trustees. In the absence of the chairman, his place shall be supplied by one of the trustees, chosen pro hac vice.

3. Of the Treasurer.—The treasurer shall receive all moneys that may become due to the Museum, and shall pay the same, by an order from the chairman, which shall be his voucher. The treasurer shall keep a regular account of all moneys received and paid by him, as aforesaid. And once every year, or oftener if required by the trustees, he shall render an account to them of the stock in his hands, and the disbursements made by their order, and shall deliver up to his successor the books and all papers belonging to them, together with the balance of cash in his hands.

4. Of the Secretary.—The secretary shall take the minutes, and read all letters and papers that may be communicated to the trustees. He shall enter into a book, to be provided for the purpose, an account of all donations made to the Museum, together with the names of the donors. He shall take charge of and preserve all books, pamphlets and works presented to the Museum, or purchased by it; all curiosities, whether of nature or art, presented or purchased, and shall class and arrange them in their proper order.

5. Of the Meetings of the Trustees.—The ordinary meetings of the trustees shall be on the second and fourth Fridays of every month, from October to May, both inclusive, at six o'clock in the evening; on the fourth Friday of each of the other four months, at seven o'clock. No meeting shall be continued after ten o'clock. Five trustees shall constitute a quorum.

6. Of the Distribution of Money and making New Laws.—No part of the funds shall be disposed of but by regular motion, seconded and agreed to by a majority of the trustees present. And all orders for payment shall be signed by the chairman. No new law shall be made until the same shall have been proposed at one meeting, and agreed to by a majority of trustees (giving a quorum) present at a subsequent meeting.

7. Of a Keeper.—The trustees shall elect a keeper of the Museum, whose duty shall be to summon all meetings called by the chairman, to attend the same, and perform such necessary offices as may be required. He shall receive all presents made to the Society, and deposit them in the Museum, giving an account thereof to the secretary. He shall admit all members into the Museum, at such times as shall be apportioned for that purpose, and shall take care that no visitor shall remove or injure any of the articles belonging to the Museum. For all which services he shall be entitled to such compensation as the trustees shall see fit to grant.

8. Of access to, and use of the Museum.—The intention of the Tammany Society or Columbian Order in establishing an American Museum, being for the sole purpose of collecting and preserving whatever may relate to the history of our country, and serve to perpetuate the same, as also all American curiosities of nature or of art. In order to answer this end, it is evident that every article presented to or purchased by the Society, ought to be carefully deposited in the Museum, and never be allowed to be taken out of the same, lest it should be mislaid, and perhaps irretrievably lost. Nevertheless, in order to render the Museum serviceable to the great interests of the society, every member of the Tammany Society shall have free access thereto, through means of the keeper, and shall be permitted to examine all the natural or artificial curiosities and read all books, pamphlets and papers, and take extracts there from, as far as may suit his purposes, but shall not be allowed to take away anything whatever, out of the Museum, on any pretext whatever.

The Museum shall also be accessible to any other person not a member of the society, but who shall be introduced by a member, who shall be alike indulged and alike subject to the same regulations as the members of the Tammany society.

Although sixty-nine years have elapsed since that American Museum was started, I have no doubt but that I shall be able to pick up a good many of the books, documents, and curiosities alluded to above. They must be found somewhere. I mean to find out whether there was any legality exercised in their sale or disposal.

Every particle of interest that I can obtain from those of my readers who are posted in these matters, and who are descended from the old Tammany founders and members, I shall be thankful for.