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

OF N'EW YORK CITY.

311

John Duffie, Mr. Todd's father-in-law, was about
forty-four years old when he died, in 1808. lie owned
a large parcel of land at Kip's Bay, nowv on the east
side of Murray Hill, much of which still remains in the
filmily, and though lie was not an old man, lie had
been a successful merchant, and among the men of that
day was regarded as one who had achieved his share of
wealth and independence. The Episcopal Church of
St. John the Baptist, on the corner of Lexington
avenue and Thirty-fiftll street, stands on a portion of the
Kip's Bay parcel, given for the purpose by tle ftmily;
and the Rev.. C. R. Duffie, the grandson of John Duffie, is now tlhe rector. The rumor in that vicinity
goes th thtthe church received its name from firnily affection and veneration for old John Duffie, wlho was a
steady pillar deacon of thle old First Baptist Church
on Golden Hill.
Mr. William W. Todd, like most of the merchants of
this city who have grown wealthy, has aided his fortune
by the judicious purchase of real estate in some location
where it could be foreseen that the fashion or commerce
of a rapidly growing city would largely enhance values. In 1844 lie became the purchaser of a valuable
tract in Brooklyn, with a water front of 235 feet on the
East River, opposite the Wall street ferry, and which
has since been known as Todd's store.
Mr. Todd from early life took an active part in politics, and was a member of the Tammany Society when
it was revived as a Iolitical society in support of Madison's Administration. He was one of the thirteen Sachems for twenty-five years, and for one year filled the
office of Grand Sachem.
In 1823 he was one of the leaders of the People's
party, which was a split from the Tammany party, and