The "My Never Ending Search: The History Of Lancaster" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Walking along Buchanan Ave. looking for the Abraham de Peyster statue that I had never seen before.  I have walked Buchanan Ave. as well as nearby Race Ave. many times during my lifetime, but never remember seeing the statue that was featured in a story in our local newspaper.  

Abraham de Peyster

Buchanan Park borders Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA to the west and holds many other statues which my grandson, Caden, and I have viewed in the past several years.  A statue of famous boxer Leo Hauck can be found near another statue of James Sheckard, a former Baltimore Orioles player.  There is also a large monument that tells the tale of those from Lancaster who were in the Spanish-American War as well as another large statue of Lancaster's only President of the United States, James Buchanan.  After reading the newspaper story about having to move the statue of Mr. de Peyster to accommodate a new building on the campus, I figured I could find the de Peyster statue in no time.  Wasn't long before I saw it.  It was fenced in and near Franklin & Marshall's North Museum.  I asked a worker if I could step inside the fence to take a photo and he motioned to me to step inside the fence.  How I could have missed this statue is a mystery, since it is rather large with a beautiful patina covering the bronze likeness of Abraham de Peyster.  So who is this guy and why is there a statue in the park to commemorate him?  Naturally had to Google him and found he was the 20th Mayor of New York City and later served as Governor of New York from 1700 to 1701.  He was born in New Amsterdam in 1657 and was the brother of Johannes de Peyster who also served as Mayor of New York.  During Abraham's years of service he began a program that provided public support to the poor of the city.  During his lifetime he also served as an alderman, Associate Judge and then later Chief Justice as well as Treasurer for New York and New Jersey provinces.  He was also a Colonel in the militia.   He married his second cousin, Catharina de Peyster in 1684 and had three children.  Pretty neat for a young lady to get married and not have to change her name!  In 1695 he erected a mansion which was at one time the headquarters of George Washington.  It was demolished in 1856.  In 1699 he donated some of his property for the construction of a new city hall which was later named Federal Hall and served as the first capitol of the United States as well as the site of the first inauguration of George Washington as President.  

Statue of Abraham de Peyster that is
standing at Franklin & Marshall College.

In 1728 he commissioned the creation of a bell to be placed in the Middle Dutch Church which was cast in Amsterdam in 1731.  The bell is known today as the "Liberty Bell" and is located at the Middle Collegiate Church.  His three-time great grandson John Watts de Peyster commissioned a statue of his grandfather in the late 19th century.  It was sculpted by George Bissell and placed in Bowling Green Park in Manhattan in the late 1890s.  It was moved to make way for the subway in 1972 and placed in Hanover Square.  It eventually was placed in a warehouse until 2013 when it was restored and placed in Thomas Paine Park near the Supreme Court building.  Abraham de Peyster donated both books and money for a new library at Franklin & Marshall College so his grandson had a duplicate statue cast to be placed at F&M to honor him.  That statue is the one I took a photo of for my story today.  Seems I learn more of the history of Lancaster County every day.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

Closeup of the statue showing the beautiful patina that covers the statue.