Jacob Schieffelin was born in Philadelphia on 24 August 1757, a son of Jacob Scheuffelin and Regina Margaretha Ritschauer, immigrants from Württemberg [Germany].
His family moved to New York City in 1760 and on to Montreal in 1769, where his father died when Jacob was eleven years old. On 25 June 1770, at the age of twelve years, he was sent to work as a clerk in the mercantile house of Lazarus Davids of Montreal, where he remained until 2 July 1776.
While still working as a clerk, he enrolled in the Montreal Militia in 1775, and fought against Ethan Allen's attack on Montreal on 25 September 1775. He also fought in the Battle of Bennington (in present-day Vermont) on 16 August 1777.
He was appointed First Lieutenant of Captain LaMothe's Detroit Volunteer Artillery in 1777. While in Detroit, he conducted an extensive trading business, and became the Lieutenant and Secretary of the Indian Department in Detroit in 1778.
Jacob Schieffelin left Detroit on 7 October 1778 and helped to take Fort Patrick Henry (renamed Fort Sackville) from the Americans. He was captured by the Americans at Fort Sackville (present-day Vincennes, Indiana) in February 1779 and sent as a prisoner to Williamsburg, Virginia, arriving more than six months later on 31 August 1779. He escaped from prison on 19 April 1780 and made his way to the Chesapeake Bay, where he passed himself off as a shipwrecked French sailor, knowing the language fluently. Following his escape, he was transported to New York City, then under British control, arriving on 9 July 1780, where he was appointed First Lieutenant in the Queen's Rangers on 16 July 1780.
While in Manhattan, he met and married Quaker poetess Hannah Lawrence, then sailed for Quebec with his bride, returning to Detroit, where he resumed his trading enterprises, and was again Secretary of the Indian Department from 1781 to 1784.
He was reportedly "a very good woodsman, [who] speaks several Indian languages very fluently".
He lived in Montreal from 1784 until 1794, and was a government auctioneer. He removed to Detroit in 1794, then on to New York City in March 1794, where he established a wholesale drug trading firm, thereafter becoming quite wealthy. In 1797, he rented Walton Mansion at 326 Pearl Street in Manhattan for $1000 per year. Afterward, he lived at 107 East Broadway in Manhattan.
He served as a Grand Juror for the Court of General Sessions of the Peace at the November 1800 and February 1802 sessions.
Jacob Schieffelin was one of the original planners of Manhattanville in 1806. He had a country home, Rocoa Hall, at 143rd Street in Harlem.
He retired from the drug house of Jacob Schieffelin & Son in 1811.
In 1813 and 1814, he lived with his family at 16 Park Place in Manhattan (on the block now occupied by the Woolworth Building and the 30 Park Place hotel and condominium tower).
In 1822, he was reportedly among the wealthiest men in New York City.
In 1823, through monetary and property donations, he and his wife established Saint Mary's Church at Manhattanville, the first free Episcopal church in America.
Jacob Schieffelin died at his home at 107 East Broadway in Manhattan on Thursday 16 April 1835 aged 77 years, 7 months and 23 days.
His family moved to New York City in 1760 and on to Montreal in 1769, where his father died when Jacob was eleven years old. On 25 June 1770, at the age of twelve years, he was sent to work as a clerk in the mercantile house of Lazarus Davids of Montreal, where he remained until 2 July 1776.
While still working as a clerk, he enrolled in the Montreal Militia in 1775, and fought against Ethan Allen's attack on Montreal on 25 September 1775. He also fought in the Battle of Bennington (in present-day Vermont) on 16 August 1777.
He was appointed First Lieutenant of Captain LaMothe's Detroit Volunteer Artillery in 1777. While in Detroit, he conducted an extensive trading business, and became the Lieutenant and Secretary of the Indian Department in Detroit in 1778.
Jacob Schieffelin left Detroit on 7 October 1778 and helped to take Fort Patrick Henry (renamed Fort Sackville) from the Americans. He was captured by the Americans at Fort Sackville (present-day Vincennes, Indiana) in February 1779 and sent as a prisoner to Williamsburg, Virginia, arriving more than six months later on 31 August 1779. He escaped from prison on 19 April 1780 and made his way to the Chesapeake Bay, where he passed himself off as a shipwrecked French sailor, knowing the language fluently. Following his escape, he was transported to New York City, then under British control, arriving on 9 July 1780, where he was appointed First Lieutenant in the Queen's Rangers on 16 July 1780.
While in Manhattan, he met and married Quaker poetess Hannah Lawrence, then sailed for Quebec with his bride, returning to Detroit, where he resumed his trading enterprises, and was again Secretary of the Indian Department from 1781 to 1784.
He was reportedly "a very good woodsman, [who] speaks several Indian languages very fluently".
He lived in Montreal from 1784 until 1794, and was a government auctioneer. He removed to Detroit in 1794, then on to New York City in March 1794, where he established a wholesale drug trading firm, thereafter becoming quite wealthy. In 1797, he rented Walton Mansion at 326 Pearl Street in Manhattan for $1000 per year. Afterward, he lived at 107 East Broadway in Manhattan.
He served as a Grand Juror for the Court of General Sessions of the Peace at the November 1800 and February 1802 sessions.
Jacob Schieffelin was one of the original planners of Manhattanville in 1806. He had a country home, Rocoa Hall, at 143rd Street in Harlem.
He retired from the drug house of Jacob Schieffelin & Son in 1811.
In 1813 and 1814, he lived with his family at 16 Park Place in Manhattan (on the block now occupied by the Woolworth Building and the 30 Park Place hotel and condominium tower).
In 1822, he was reportedly among the wealthiest men in New York City.
In 1823, through monetary and property donations, he and his wife established Saint Mary's Church at Manhattanville, the first free Episcopal church in America.
Jacob Schieffelin died at his home at 107 East Broadway in Manhattan on Thursday 16 April 1835 aged 77 years, 7 months and 23 days.
Jacob Schieffelin was born in Philadelphia on 24 August 1757, a son of Jacob Scheuffelin and Regina Margaretha Ritschauer, immigrants from Württemberg [Germany].
His family moved to New York City in 1760 and on to Montreal in 1769, where his father died when Jacob was eleven years old. On 25 June 1770, at the age of twelve years, he was sent to work as a clerk in the mercantile house of Lazarus Davids of Montreal, where he remained until 2 July 1776.
While still working as a clerk, he enrolled in the Montreal Militia in 1775, and fought against Ethan Allen's attack on Montreal on 25 September 1775. He also fought in the Battle of Bennington (in present-day Vermont) on 16 August 1777.
He was appointed First Lieutenant of Captain LaMothe's Detroit Volunteer Artillery in 1777. While in Detroit, he conducted an extensive trading business, and became the Lieutenant and Secretary of the Indian Department in Detroit in 1778.
Jacob Schieffelin left Detroit on 7 October 1778 and helped to take Fort Patrick Henry (renamed Fort Sackville) from the Americans. He was captured by the Americans at Fort Sackville (present-day Vincennes, Indiana) in February 1779 and sent as a prisoner to Williamsburg, Virginia, arriving more than six months later on 31 August 1779. He escaped from prison on 19 April 1780 and made his way to the Chesapeake Bay, where he passed himself off as a shipwrecked French sailor, knowing the language fluently. Following his escape, he was transported to New York City, then under British control, arriving on 9 July 1780, where he was appointed First Lieutenant in the Queen's Rangers on 16 July 1780.
While in Manhattan, he met and married Quaker poetess Hannah Lawrence, then sailed for Quebec with his bride, returning to Detroit, where he resumed his trading enterprises, and was again Secretary of the Indian Department from 1781 to 1784.
He was reportedly "a very good woodsman, [who] speaks several Indian languages very fluently".
He lived in Montreal from 1784 until 1794, and was a government auctioneer. He removed to Detroit in 1794, then on to New York City in March 1794, where he established a wholesale drug trading firm, thereafter becoming quite wealthy. In 1797, he rented Walton Mansion at 326 Pearl Street in Manhattan for $1000 per year. Afterward, he lived at 107 East Broadway in Manhattan.
He served as a Grand Juror for the Court of General Sessions of the Peace at the November 1800 and February 1802 sessions.
Jacob Schieffelin was one of the original planners of Manhattanville in 1806. He had a country home, Rocoa Hall, at 143rd Street in Harlem.
He retired from the drug house of Jacob Schieffelin & Son in 1811.
In 1813 and 1814, he lived with his family at 16 Park Place in Manhattan (on the block now occupied by the Woolworth Building and the 30 Park Place hotel and condominium tower).
In 1822, he was reportedly among the wealthiest men in New York City.
In 1823, through monetary and property donations, he and his wife established Saint Mary's Church at Manhattanville, the first free Episcopal church in America.
Jacob Schieffelin died at his home at 107 East Broadway in Manhattan on Thursday 16 April 1835 aged 77 years, 7 months and 23 days.
His family moved to New York City in 1760 and on to Montreal in 1769, where his father died when Jacob was eleven years old. On 25 June 1770, at the age of twelve years, he was sent to work as a clerk in the mercantile house of Lazarus Davids of Montreal, where he remained until 2 July 1776.
While still working as a clerk, he enrolled in the Montreal Militia in 1775, and fought against Ethan Allen's attack on Montreal on 25 September 1775. He also fought in the Battle of Bennington (in present-day Vermont) on 16 August 1777.
He was appointed First Lieutenant of Captain LaMothe's Detroit Volunteer Artillery in 1777. While in Detroit, he conducted an extensive trading business, and became the Lieutenant and Secretary of the Indian Department in Detroit in 1778.
Jacob Schieffelin left Detroit on 7 October 1778 and helped to take Fort Patrick Henry (renamed Fort Sackville) from the Americans. He was captured by the Americans at Fort Sackville (present-day Vincennes, Indiana) in February 1779 and sent as a prisoner to Williamsburg, Virginia, arriving more than six months later on 31 August 1779. He escaped from prison on 19 April 1780 and made his way to the Chesapeake Bay, where he passed himself off as a shipwrecked French sailor, knowing the language fluently. Following his escape, he was transported to New York City, then under British control, arriving on 9 July 1780, where he was appointed First Lieutenant in the Queen's Rangers on 16 July 1780.
While in Manhattan, he met and married Quaker poetess Hannah Lawrence, then sailed for Quebec with his bride, returning to Detroit, where he resumed his trading enterprises, and was again Secretary of the Indian Department from 1781 to 1784.
He was reportedly "a very good woodsman, [who] speaks several Indian languages very fluently".
He lived in Montreal from 1784 until 1794, and was a government auctioneer. He removed to Detroit in 1794, then on to New York City in March 1794, where he established a wholesale drug trading firm, thereafter becoming quite wealthy. In 1797, he rented Walton Mansion at 326 Pearl Street in Manhattan for $1000 per year. Afterward, he lived at 107 East Broadway in Manhattan.
He served as a Grand Juror for the Court of General Sessions of the Peace at the November 1800 and February 1802 sessions.
Jacob Schieffelin was one of the original planners of Manhattanville in 1806. He had a country home, Rocoa Hall, at 143rd Street in Harlem.
He retired from the drug house of Jacob Schieffelin & Son in 1811.
In 1813 and 1814, he lived with his family at 16 Park Place in Manhattan (on the block now occupied by the Woolworth Building and the 30 Park Place hotel and condominium tower).
In 1822, he was reportedly among the wealthiest men in New York City.
In 1823, through monetary and property donations, he and his wife established Saint Mary's Church at Manhattanville, the first free Episcopal church in America.
Jacob Schieffelin died at his home at 107 East Broadway in Manhattan on Thursday 16 April 1835 aged 77 years, 7 months and 23 days.
Inscription
[inscription on vault]
JACOB SCHIEFFELIN'S
VAULT
Family Members
Siblings
Children
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Edward Lawrence Schieffelin
1781–1850
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Henry Hamilton Schieffelin
1783–1865
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Effingham Schieffelin
1785–1789
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Anna Maria Schieffelin Ferris
1788–1843
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Effingham Lawrence Schieffelin
1791–1863
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Jacob Schieffelin
1793–1880
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John Lawrence Schieffelin
1796–1866
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Cornelia Schieffelin
1798–1800
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Richard Lawrence Schieffelin
1801–1889
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