David Clarkson (NYSE)

For other people with the same name, see David Clarkson (disambiguation).

David Clarkson (March 27, 1795 – June 3, 1867) was an American banker who was president of the New York Stock Exchange from 1837 to 1851.

David Clarkson
President of the New York Stock Exchange
In office 1837–1851
Preceded by	R. D. Weeks
Succeeded by	Henry G. Stebbins
Personal details
Born	(1795-03-27)March 27, 1795
Died	June 3, 1867(1867-06-03) (aged 72) New York City, New York, U.S.
Spouse	Elizabeth Streatfield Clarkson ​ ​ (m. 1822)​
Children	11
Parent(s)	Matthew Clarkson Sally Cornell Clarkson

Early life

He was the eldest son of eight children born to Gen. Matthew Clarkson and, his second wife, Sally (née Cornell) Clarkson (1762–1803).^[1] From his father's first marriage to Mary Rutherfurd (a daughter of Walter Rutherfurd and sister of U.S. Senator John Rutherfurd), he had one half-sister, Mary Rutherfurd Clarkson, who married her cousin Peter Augustus Jay (the eldest son of Chief Justice John Jay). His father was a Revolutionary War hero who served in the New York State Assembly and Senate and was the 6th President of the Bank of New York.^[2]

His paternal grandparents were David Clarkson (a direct descendant of the English born Puritan clergyman, the Rev. David Clarkson)^[3] and Elisabeth (née French) Clarkson (a direct descendant of Phillip French, the 27th Mayor of New York City) and his uncle, Thomas Streatfeild Clarkson, was the grandfather of Thomas S. Clarkson, the namesake of Clarkson University. His maternal grandparents were Samuel Cornell and Susan (née Mabson) Cornell.^[2]

Career

Clarkson served as president of the New York Stock Exchange from 1837 until 1851 when he was succeeded by his vice president, Henry G. Stebbins (later a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 1st district).^[4] An earlier vice president under his presidency was Edward Prime, a son of Nathaniel Prime and partner in Prime, Ward & King.^[5] After his tenure as president of the Exchange, he was chosen as president of the Gallatin Fire Insurance Company,^[6] serving practically until his death in 1867.^[2]

Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, he served as a governor of the New York Hospital "so that for one complete century, from 1770, when the board organized, to 1870, the name was on the board."^[2]

Personal life

On March 27, 1822, he was married to Elizabeth Streatfield Clarkson. Elizabeth, his cousin, was the daughter of Thomas Streatfeild Clarkson and Elizabeth (née Van Horne) Clarkson.^[7] Together, they were the parents of eleven children, including:^[2]

• Matthew Clarkson (1823–1913),^[8] who married Susan Matilda Jay, the youngest daughter of David's half-sister Mary and her husband Peter Augustus Jay, in 1852.^[9]
• Thomas Streatfeild Clarkson (1824–1902), who married Ann Mary Clarkson (1827–1910), a daughter of Thomas Streatfeild Clarkson and Elizabeth (née Clarkson) Clarkson.^[2]
• David Clarkson (1826–1904),^[2] "the eldest of five brothers who lived with their sister at the old family residence," 112 East 23rd Street.^[10]
• Augustus Vallete Clarkson (1829–1907),^[2] an Episcopal minister who served as Rector of the Church of St. Augustine in Croton, New York.^[11][12]
• Frederick Clarkson (1830–1901),^[2] a member of the Sons of the Revolution, the Society of Colonial Wars, the Society of Foreign Wars and was a supporter of the American Museum of Natural History.^[13]
• William Clarkson (1832–1895), who did not marry.^[2]
• Frances Selina Clarkson (1834–1835), who died in infancy.^[2]
• Augustus Levinus Clarkson (1835–1910),^[2] who did not marry.^[14]
• Robert Clarkson (1837–1849), who died young.^[2]
• Elizabeth Clarkson (1839–1856), who died young.^[2]
• Catherine Goodhue Clarkson (d. 1918),^[15] who lived at 16 West 48th Street and died unmarried in 1918.^[16][17]

Clarkson died on June 3, 1867.^[7]

References

1. The Clarksons of New York: A Sketch. Bradstreet Press. 1876. p. 197. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
2. Bergen, Tunis Garret (1915). Genealogies of the State of New York: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation. Lewis Historical Publishing Company. p. 1028. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
3. Reynolds, Cuyler (1914). Genealogical and Family History of Southern New York and the Hudson River Valley: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Building of a Nation. Lewis Historical Publishing Company. pp. 1023–1029. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
4. The New York State Register. J. Disturnell. 1845. p. 225. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
5. Ruggles, Edward (1846). A Picture of New-York in 1846: With a Short Account of Places in Its Vicinity; Designed as a Guide to Citizens and Strangers ... Homans & Ellis. p. 58. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
6. Currie, Gilbert Eggleson (1864). "The United States Insurance Gazette, and Magazine of Useful Knowledge". G.E. Currie: 173. Retrieved 2 December 2019. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
7. Browning, Charles Henry (1891). Americans of Royal Descent: A Collection of Genealogies of American Families Whose Lineage is Traced to the Legitimate Issue of Kings. Porter & Costes. p. 574. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
8. "Obituary -- CLARKSON" (PDF). The New York Times. 13 March 1913. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
9. "Obituary -- CLARKSON" (PDF). The New York Times. 30 June 1910. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
10. "David Clarkson". The New York Times. 22 July 1904. p. 7. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
11. The Triangle. New York University. 1898. p. 10. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
12. Convention, Episcopal Church General (1865). Journal of the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. p. 411. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
13. "Frederick Clarkson". The New York Times. 6 February 1901. p. 9. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
14. "CLARKSON--Augustus Levinus". New-York Tribune. 28 December 1910. p. 7. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
15. "Died" (PDF). The New York Times. 23 April 1918. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
16. Appeals, New York (State) Court of (1919). New York Court of Appeals. Records and Briefs. New York Court of Appeals. p. 58. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
17. "REFUSES LUNACY INQUIRY.; Justice Hotchkiss Decides Miss Clarkson Needs No Guardian" (PDF). The New York Times. 12 April 1918. Retrieved 2 December 2019.

Business positions
Preceded by R. D. Weeks	President of the New York Stock Exchange 1837 – 1851	Succeeded by Henry G. Stebbins