Peter T. Curtenius
Encyclopedia
Peter Theobaldus Curtenius (April 3, 1734 New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 - 1798 New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

) was an American merchant and politician.

Life

He was the son of Rev. Anthonius Curtenius, a clergyman of the Dutch Church who had come from Holland to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. In August 1755, he married Catharine Goelet (d. 1806), and their children were Elizabeth Curtenius (b. 1757), Anthony Curtenius (b. 1759), Catharine Curtenius Dunlap (b. 1761), Gen. Peter Curtenius (1763-1817), Janet Curtenius (b. 1765), Philip Curtenius (b. 1768), Jane Curtenius Roosevelt (1770-1846), Mary Curtenius (b. 1773) and Anthony Washington Curtenius (b. 1775).

In 1774, he was a member of the New York Committee of Correspondence
Committee of correspondence
The Committees of Correspondence were shadow governments organized by the Patriot leaders of the Thirteen Colonies on the eve of American Revolution. They coordinated responses to Britain and shared their plans; by 1773 they had emerged as shadow governments, superseding the colonial legislature...

. On May 31, 1775, the New York Provincial Congress
New York Provincial Congress
The New York Provincial Congress was an organization formed by rebels in 1775, during the American Revolution, as a pro-rebellion alternative to the more conservative Province of New York Assembly, and as a replacement for the Committee of One Hundred.A Provincial Convention assembled in New York...

 appointed him Commissary General
Commissary
A commissary is someone delegated by a superior to execute a duty or an office; in a formal, legal context, one who has received power from a legitimate superior authority to pass judgment in a certain cause or to take information concerning it.-Word history:...

, with the rank of colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...

, being in charge of the purchase of provisions for the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...

.

In 1782, after the resignation of Comfort Sands
Comfort Sands
Comfort Sands was an American merchant, banker and politician.-Life:Sands was a member of the New York Provincial Congress, the body which appointed him the first New York State Auditor-General in 1776. He resigned the office in 1782. In 1784, he became one of the first directors of the Bank of...

, he was appointed New York State Auditor
New York State Comptroller
The New York State Comptroller is a state cabinet officer of the U.S. state of New York. The duties of the comptroller include auditing government operations and operating the state's retirement system.-History:...

, holding the post until the creation of the succeeding office of comptroller in 1797.

He died from yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....

 in New York City, and was originally buried at the vault of the Middle Dutch Church on Cedar Street, but he and his son Peter's remains were re-interred in 1857 at the Beechwoods Cemetery in New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state.The town was settled by refugee Huguenots in 1688 who were fleeing persecution in France...

.

His son Peter as the Marshal of the City of New York in 1812 carried out a registration of "Alien Enemies", that is British people, of whom there were about 1500 in the city, following the outbreak of the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...

.

Sources


External links

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