Frederic James de Peyster was a prominent American soldier, lawyer, and member of New York Society during the Gilded Age.
Early life
Frederic James was born on February 5, 1839 in New York City. He was the first of five children born to James Ferguson de Peyster and his second wife, Frances Goodhue de Peyster. His father was a widower of Susan Maria Clarkson, with whom he had one child, a half-sister named Susan Maria de Peyster, who married Robert Edward Livingston of Clermont. Through his half-sister Susan, he was the uncle of Goodhue Livingston, the prominent New York architect. Frederic was the only child from his parents marriage to marry and have children. His maternal grandfather was William Ashton. His paternal grandparents were Helen Livingston Hake and Frederic de Peyster who fought for the British crown during the American Revolution and was descended from Arent Schuyler and Abraham de Peyster. His uncle was Frederic de Peyster. De Peyster prepared for college at the private school of Dr. Dennis. He graduated from College of the City of New York in 1860 with an A.B. degree and later an A.M. degree. He studied law at Columbia Law School, graduating in 1862 with an LL.B. degree, and in 1864 with an LL.M. degree.
Career
After being admitted to the bar, de Peyster practiced law in New York for many years. He was associated with the firm Tremaine & Tyler. From his father, he inherited a significant fortune, enabling him to avoid being "tied down to his professional duties, and much of his time has been spent in the interests of charity." De Peyster, who was "deeply interested in historic and patriotic subjects," served as president of the Holland Society, governor of the Society of Colonial Wars, president of the New York Dispensary and chairman of the New York Society Library. He was also involved with the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, serving for several years as the New York trustee and treasurer. He served as treasurer of The Bank for Savings in the City of New-York.
Society life
In 1892, both de Peyster and his wife Augusta were included in Ward McAllister's "Four Hundred", purported to be an index of New York's best families, published in The New York Times. Conveniently, 400 was the number of people that could fit into Mrs. Astor's ballroom. De Peyster was a member of the Saint Nicholas Society, serving as president. During his time as president, he was awarded the Order of Orange-Nassau by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands.
Helen Van Courtlandt de Peyster, who married Dr. George Augustus Lung in 1908.
Frederic Ashton de Peyster, who married Alice Abercrombie-Miller, daughter of James Abercrombie-Miller, in 1908. They divorced in 1934 and he married Louise Todd in 1939.
Frances Goodhue de Peyster, a philanthropist who did not marry.
Augusta Morris de Peyster, a philanthropist who did not marry.
Ella Morris de Peyster, who married William Brock Shoemaker, brother of Henry W. Shoemaker, in December 1905. Shoemaker was only 22 years old when he died in a tragic death in an elevator accident a few months after their wedding. She married Morton L. Schwartz, a banker and horse breeder, in 1915. They divorced in 1926, and she purchased Crossways, the former villa of Stuyvesant Fish and Marion Anthon Fish in Newport.
De Peyster died in Lakewood, New Jersey, where the family vacationed, on May 11, 1905. He was buried in his family's vault in Trinity Church Cemetery. His entire estate was left to his widow and five children with his widow receiving 3/8ths and each child receiving 1/8th.
Descendants
Through his eldest daughter Helen, he was the grandfather of George Livingston de Peyster, who married Shirley Tucker Hull in 1942. Through his son Frederic Ashton, he was the grandfather of Alice Townsend de Peyster, who married James Todd Jr.; Frederic Ashton de Peyster Jr. ; and Helen Van Courtlandt de Peyster, who married Erica A. von Raits; James Abercrombie de Peyster, who married Dorothy Shelby Sims, the daughter of Princess Irbain-Khan Kaplanoff.
