Anthony Lispenard Bleecker
Anthony Lispenard Bleecker | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | June 13, 1741 New Rochelle, Province of New York, British America |
| Died | April 26, 1816 (aged 74) New York City, US |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, businessman |
| Known for | Bleecker Street, Lispenard Street |
| Spouse |
Mary Noel
(after 1763) |
| Children | Anthony Bleecker |
| Relatives | Rutger Jansen Bleecker (grandfather) James W. Bleecker (nephew) |
Anthony Lispenard Bleecker (June 13, 1741 – April 26, 1816) was a distinguished merchant, banker, and auctioneer, regarded as one of the wealthiest figures in New York. He held positions as vestryman and churchwarden at Trinity Church Wall Street located in Lower Manhattan. Both Bleecker Street and Lispenard Street in Manhattan bear his name.
Early life
Born in New Rochelle, New York, Anthony was the son of Jacobus Rutger Bleecker and Abigail Lispenard.[1] His maternal ancestors included Anthony Lispenard and Antoine L'Espinard (Lispenard), a prominent Huguenot pioneer in early New York history.[2]
His brother, Major General Leonard Bleecker, maintained a close relationship with George Washington and played a role in founding the New York Stock Exchange through the Buttonwood Agreement.[3]
On his mother's side, his uncle Colonel Leonard Lispenard was a leading merchant and landowner in New York whose family allied through marriage with influential dynasties such as the Bache, Roosevelts, and Van Cortlandt family. Paternally, his grandparents were Albany Mayor Rutger Jansen Bleecker and Catalina Schuyler from the distinguished Schuyler family.
His nephew, James W. Bleecker, held the positions of fourth President and inaugural Treasurer of the New York Stock Exchange.[2]
Career
In New York City, Bleecker operated as a shipping merchant and real estate auctioneer, becoming one of the era's most affluent and influential individuals. In 1775, he served as a Major in the 1st Regiment Provincials under Colonel Henry Jackson.
During the British control of New York City, his family resided in New Jersey. When General George Washington made his return to Manhattan in 1783, Bleecker participated on the committee responsible for greeting him.
After settling back in New York City, he developed the family’s real estate and auction enterprise. By 1792, 'Anthony L. Bleecker and Sons' appeared among stock brokers, and by 1818 four members of the Bleecker family held seats on the New York Stock Exchange. His autograph is found on the original subscriber list for the Manhattan Company’s capital stock issued in 1799.
Bleecker also played an active role at Trinity Episcopal Church near Wall Street, serving as vestryman beginning in 1785 and later as warden from 1807 to 1812. In 1790 he secured ownership of the family vault there where burials of Bleecker relatives continued well into the twentieth century. He is recognized as the most influential member of the Bleecker family in New York City history.
Property
He possessed the farmland that now encompasses present-day Bleecker Street in Manhattan. The Bleecker family resided for many years at 74 Broadway, situated across from Rector Street. An obituary of his grandson noted that Bleecker acquired 160 acres "out in the country," a transaction initially met with skepticism but which eventually evolved into what is now Greenwich Village, including Bleecker Street.
His vast real estate assets and combined political and commercial influence are well recorded. Equally significant is the distinction of his descendants, who intermarried with prominent families such as the Roosevelts, Neilsons, and Harrimans.
Personal life
On May 4, 1763, Bleecker wed Mary Noel, a native of Cádiz, Spain, daughter of Garrat Noel from a reputable English lineage connected to the Earls of Gainsborough. Together they had multiple children, including:
- James Noel Bleecker (1764–1842), who united with Elizabeth Garland Bache, thereby linking the family to Benjamin Franklin’s network and notable families like the Roosevelts and Van Cortlandts
- Frances Bleecker (1766–1839)
- Garret Noel Bleecker (1768–1841)
- Anthony Bleecker (1770–1827)
- Mary Bleecker (1771–1858)
- Alexander Noel Bleecker (1775–1844)
- Abigail Bleecker (1779–1861)
- Elizabeth DeHart Bleeker McDonald (1781–1864)
- Alice Bleecker (1783–1842)
- Jospha Matilda Bleecker (1786–1854)
- Leonard Augustus Bleecker (1786-1841)
He drafted his will on November 3, 1814, and passed away on April 26, 1816. Interred at Trinity Church Cemetery, his estate was inherited by his wife Mary, with sons James, Garrat, and Anthony appointed as executors. The Bleecker family vault at Trinity Church contains his remains along with those of 25 other family members.
Bleecker family
Distinguished individuals within the family include:
- Jan Jansen Bleecker (1641/42-1732), Dutch immigrant and Mayor of New York
- Johannes Bleecker Jr. (1668-1738), colonial-era merchant and fur trader
- Rutger Jansen Bleecker (1675-1756), colonial merchant affiliated with the Schuyler family
- Ann Eliza Bleecker (1752–1783), poet active during the American Revolution
- Anthony Bleecker (1770–1827), lawyer and author associated with Washington Irving
- Harmanus Bleecker (1779–1849), United States Congressman and Ambassador to the Netherlands
- James W. Bleecker (1787-1864), fourth President of the New York Stock Exchange
- George W. Bleecker (1800-1859), New York politician linked to George Washington
- Leon Bleecker (c.1881–1933), member of the state assembly
- Katherine Russell Bleecker (1893-1996), filmmaker during the silent film era
- Maitland B. Bleecker (1903–2002), inventor noted for contributions to helicopter technology
- Julian Bleecker (born ca. 1967), artist and technologist specializing in mobile media