The old merchants of New York City / by Walter Barrett.

230

T1HE OLD.MERCIHA.NTS

NEW YORK, May 30th, 1804.
DEAR SIR Your obliging letter of the 8th instant I
duly received, and I thank you for the information it contains. The success of the Republican cause at the last
election (Democratic) is even beyond what you and
myself calculated upon before we left Albany.
Your good friend, Doctor McKnight, enjoys his
usual health. We have engaged his son to preach for
us till next fall, in order to assist Doctor Rodgers. I
am, dear sir,
Your obedient humble servant,
JOHN BROOME.
To comprehend the letter, it is necessary to say that
this old merchant was a leading member in the Wall
street Presbyterian Church, that stood on the north
side, between Broad and Nassau streets. Its first pastor
was Doctor Rodgers. He became a pastor in the
Presbyterian church here as early as 1765. He found
the Broomes among his members. After the War of
the Revolution, in 1784, the Legislature incorporated
the First Presbyterian Church, and among the trustees
was William Neilson, Daniel Phoenix, and Samuel
Iroome. That church was destroyed during the war
by fire. There was a poor box in the church, and
every one put in it such a sum as he saw fit. The collections were not taken up as now. For years every
Sunday was found in this box a gold Joe (Johannes),
No one knew, or was it imagined who placed this valuable contribution in the box. Nor was it known until
after the death of John Broome, when there was found
in his desk a roll of these same rare pieces.
He was born on Staten Island, in 1738. His father,
Samuel Broome, came from England in early life, and