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

28

THE OLD.MERC'THA.N7TS

the door of Mrs. -, who had recently lost her daughter. She was poor. To his surprise, she handed him a
very large sum - so large, for her, that he hesitated
about accepting it. She put an end to his scruples by
saying, " Take it all. I had laid it up for my daughter,
as her portion. I am determined that He who has my
daughter, shall have her portion," too. The principal advisers of Mr. Rodgers were William Smith, the historian, John Morin Scott, Joseph Hallet, Andrew Elliott,
Collector of the Port, and James Jauncy. In 1771,
Eliot Smith & Jauncy, of the Presbyterian Church,
took sides with the King. When the British got possession, Dr. Rodgers left New York, and did not return
until December, 1783, after the evacuation. He found
Presbyterian affairs about used up. His parsonage
house was burned up - both houses of worship in a
state little short of ruin - his flock scattered, and what
remained in the city exhausted in pecuniary resources.
It would be many months before the churches in Wall
and Beekman streets could be fixed up. During the interval old Trinity offered to him the use of St. George's
and St. Paul's chapels, and the offer was gratefully accepted, and the chapels used until June, 1784. Mr.
Trent did not come back after the war. The Legislature of the State, in the first session after the conclusion
of the war, passed an act in reference to all religious
denominations, allowing them to appoint trustees to
take care of the temporalities of their congregations.
The first Presbyterian church immediately appointed
Daniel McCormick, William Neilson, Joseph Hallet,
Daniel Phoenix, John McKesson, Eleazer Miller, Samuel Broom, Archibald Currie, and Peter Van Burg Livingston.
In 1798, the Rev. Samuel Miller became assistant to
Dr. Rodgers. In 1796, through the liberality of