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work, and he can be recommended for his sobriety and honesty. Likewise has for sale, choice Madeira, particular, and New York wines, in pipes, hogsheads, and quarter casks; a parcel of choice lime juice from Curaçoa; a parcel of raix ginger; some lignum-vitæ of Porto Rico; also, a good foresail for a sloop. He traded steadily to West India ports for some years, and must have made a fortune, and been prosperous. He married May 18, 1770, to Mary Pels. I presume she died, for I find that Oct. 3, 1775, he married Mary Waldron. He must have married a third wife, for I find that Sept. 9, 1807, he lost his wife Jane, aged 48 years. At any rate, he was father of twenty-one children. In 1775, just previous to the breaking out of the war, he did a very heavy business at his store in Burling slip. It was in a frame house. He owned two brick stores adjoining, 18 and 20. Of late years the stores have been rebuilt, and one of them has been occupied for many years by Lucius Hart, maker of Britannia ware.

In 1775 he still kept up a trade with Curraçoa, and owned the sloop "Charity," Capt. Drugal. She always lay at Cruger's Wharf.

At that time, while living in the slip, he gave notice that his store was suited for weighing logwood, Nicaragua, and all other kinds of dye woods, and that he had provided himself with materials to weigh iron, sugar, cocoa, tobacco and hemp, and every other article usually bought or sold by weight; and he pathetically stated that he would be much obliged to all gentlemen who would favor him with their custom, and he would en

deavor to give all possible satisfaction, and he promised that he himself would duly attend the scales.

In those days weighmasters were not known. Every merchant weighed his own goods, unless some brother merchant of integrity would get the proper scales, &c., and weigh himself. Such was the case with Mr. Nexsen. The future first Collector of the port of New York after the Revolution was Elias Nexsen. He was not afraid to do any kind of legitimate business.

At that time, 1775, the Military Club met every night. On Wednesday night, August 23, 1775, Mr. Nexsen and several of the citizens determined that the cannon should be removed from the Battery. They collected and went thither. They were joined by a part of the City Artillery, who stationed themselves on the Battery where they could prevent the landing of men from the "Asia" man-of-war that lay off the Battery. When the men reached the Battery, they found one of the barges of the "Asia" lying there, a short distance from the shore. She fired a musket at the citizens on the Battery. They returned it with a constant fire. Upon this the "Asia" fired 30 guns loaded with grapeshot. Nexsen and his friends were not killed or wounded, but carried off 21 pieces of cannon mounted on carriages.

Elias Nexsen was the first Collector of the port of New York, under the Continental Congress. At that time, or thereabouts, the British fleet arrived in the bay, from Charleston. It was under command of General Clinton. There was an agreement made by the New York authorities to supply them with fresh pro

visions, and on that condition, they agreed to leave our market boats unmolested, while conveying their proceeds to the city. Elias Nexsen, under this arrangement, had occasion to see General Clinton, who requested him to be the bearer of a letter to Governor Tryon. He agreed to do so, but on putting the letter in his vest pocket, he slipped his finger under the edge of the paper, so as to loosen the wafer, which was yet moist. On reaching the city, he carried the letter to General Washington, who read, and then re-sealed it. The General's headquarters were at Marketfield street, corner of Broadway. The house is standing still. The letter gave notice to Governor Tryon of the projected battle at Long Island, and enabled General Washington to arrange accordingly.

When New York was occupied by the British after the battle of Long Island, Mr. Nexsen took his family, and left the city. He left all of his property behind. He located himself and family in New Jersey, on the Passaic River, then called Second River, and he remained there until the peace of 1784. During his exit from the city, after two or three years absence, feeling very desirous to hear of some friends, who were left in the city of New York, he ventured the risk of coming here. He was taken up for a spy, and put on board one of the prison ships. He, however, was soon released, and finally arrived safe in New York, without shoes to his feet. He was more successful in returning, and got safely back to his family once more. On his return to New York, in 1784, after the war, he went to his home, in Burling Slip, and found it occupied by the

paymaster of the British troop, whose name was Nixon. He told him that he had occupied his house so long, he thought it but just that he should pay him some rent, which, contrary to the expectations of Elias Nexsen, he made no objections to do. He asked him what rent he required, and paid the amount asked. The sum was about 150 guineas.

Shortly after this, in 1784, he purchased an Albany sloop, to send to Canton. She was commanded by Captain Deane - and here I have to relate a very curious fact. The celebrated Isaac Sears, known as King Sears, during the Revolution, went out as supercargo of this vessel. He had recently come to New York, from Boston, and was very poor. By the treaty of peace, all debts due to English merchants were secured. To repair his fortune, Capt. Sears sailed from this port in the sloop commanded by Capt. Deane, in 1784. On their way out to Canton, the sloop put into Batavia. There old Captain Isaac Sears took a fever and died. John Pintard's life and papers, which are now being carefully prepared for publication by me, says: "I have seen a picture descriptive of the funeral of Capt. Sears, at Batavia." The sloop belonging to Mr. Nexsen proceeded to Canton, with a cargo of ginseng and specie. As I have stated, it was the first voyage direct to China from any port on the continent of America. Captain Deane was unacquainted with the customs of the port of Canton. He did not know that the "Cuinshaw" duty was as large on a sloop of 100 tons, as on a ship of 1,000 tons. The $5,000 duty paid by the sloop used up all the profits of the voyage, and she returned to

New York, making her owner poorer than when she started, except what Mr. Nexsen gained by a knowledge of the high tariff in China.

This is the true fate of old King Sears. One of his daughters, Hester, married Paschel N. Smith, February 14, 1774. He was a sea captain before the war, and commanded the sloop Speedwell, that traded between this port and Boston. He was mixed up with his fatherin-law, all through the war. Paschel N. Smith became one of the most eminent merchants in the city. When the Columbian Insurance Company, with $500,000 capital, was chartered in 1801, Paschel N. Smith was its president. He died about 1805. His daughter, Hester Henrietta, in 1812, married Doctor S. A. Walsh.

There seems to have been some confusion about the name of Isaac Sears. I have seen a paper from high authority, stating that his fate was unknown. That doubt may arise from seeing that Isaac Sears was elected a member of Assembly from this city in 1784 and 1786. He was probably re-elected as a compliment, or thinking he would be back by 1786.

The 1784, or 7th Session began January 21st, and ended May 12th, 1784. It met in New York city. Mr. Sears was present undoubtedly.

The election was held in 1785. The 9th Session began in New York city, Jannary 12th, and ended May 5th, 1786. Though Isaac Sears was elected, yet he could not have been present, for he had died in China in 1785, though his fate was unknown, until the ship Empress " returned. Captain Deane who commanded

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