William Plumsted

William Plumsted (November 7, 1708 – August 10, 1765) was the mayor of Philadelphia in 1750, 1754, and 1755.

Early life

Plumsted was born on November 7, 1708 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The son of Clement Plumsted, who was also a mayor of Philadelphia, he served also as councilman, register of wills, and justice.^[1]

Career

Plumsted served as the mayor of Philadelphia in 1750, 1754, and 1755.^[2]

He was also a founder of the Academy and College of Philadelphia (now the University of Pennsylvania), of which he served as a trustee until his death.^[1]

Personal life

Plumsted was married to Rebecca Kearney, daughter of Philip Kearny of Philadelphia, and whose sister Mary was the wife of Chief Justice John Kinsey. Before her death in 1741, they were the parents of:^[3]

• Elisabeth Plumsted (1735–1799), who married Andrew Elliot, a younger son of Sir Gilbert Elliot, 2nd Baronet of Minto.^[4]
• Mary Plumsted (b. 1736), who died unmarried.^[3]
• Rebecca Plumsted (1737–1799), who married Charles Gore in c. 1760.^[3]
• Clement Plumsted (1738–1738), who died young.^[3]
• Clement Plumsted (1739–1739), who died young.^[3]
• Thomas Plumsted (b. 1740), who married Mary Coats in 1762.

After Rebecca's death, he married Mary McCall by the Rev. Robert Jenney at Christ Church, Philadelphia on the September 27, 1753. Mary was the daughter of George McCall and the sister of Samuel McCall Jr., his fellow Trustee of what became the University of Pennsylvania. Together, they were the parents of:^[3]

• William Plumsted (1754–1756), who died young.^[3]
• George Plumsted (1755–1756), who died young.^[3]
• Clement Plumsted (1758–1800), who died unmarried.^[3]
• Ann Plumsted (1760–c. 1772), who died unmarried.^[3]
• Catherine Plumsted (1760–1802), who died unmarried.^[3]
• George Plumsted (1765–1805), who married Ann Helena Amelia Ross in 1795.^[3]

Plumsted died on August 10, 1765.^[5]

Descendants

Through his daughter Elisabeth, he was a grandfather of Agnes Murray Elliot (1763–1860), who married Sir David Carnegie, 4th Baronet, and Elizabeth Elliot (c. 1764–1847), who married William Cathcart, 1st Earl Cathcart.^[1]

References

1. "Plumsted family papers 1787". www2.hsp.org. Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
2. Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania. 1828. p. 240. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
3. Young, John Russell (1895). Memorial History of the City of Philadelphia: From Its First Settlement to the Year 1895. New-York History Company. p. 289. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
4. Eugene Devereux (July 1887). "Andrew Elliot, Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of New York". The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography. Vol. 11, no. 2. pp. 129–150. JSTOR 20083194.
5. "William Plumsted". archives.upenn.edu. University Archives and Records Center. Retrieved 28 October 2022.

External links

• William Plumsted at the University of Pennsylvania

Preceded by Thomas Lawrence	Mayor of Philadelphia 1750–1751	Succeeded by Robert Strettell
Preceded by Charles Willing	Mayor of Philadelphia 1754–1756	Succeeded by Attwood Shute