OF  YEW  YORK CITY                     865
 

CHAPTER  XXXVII.

I have never mentioned the name of a prominent old
merchant, even Incidentally or accidentally, without In¬
tending to give, sooner or later, a full sketch of him.
In the first series I mentioned among the wealthy
contributors to the loan of 1814, Isaac Clason, who
loaned to Government $500,000. I have intended to
give a complete history of this once eminent merchant.
A man who could loan this sum, fifty years ago, was a
great merchant — for $100,000 was a greater sum then
than a mUlion is now. On one occasion Mr. Clason
wished to get a large loan ($200,000, I believe,) in
specie, from the Manhattan Bank, to send out In the
ship " Francis Henrietta " — which he was fitting out
to China — without an endorser. To obtain it, he
swore he was worth $750,000.

Originally he was a grocer, and kept his store,
" Flour and Grocery," at 14 Albany pier, as early as
1789. His dwelling was in Smith (William) street.
He had a clerk named John Duffie at one time. The
latter had a clerk named Samuel Tooker. The last
started In business on his own account as early as 1798,
at 18 Coenties slip, in the very store formerly occupied
by Isaac Clason, who moved to No. 51 Broadway,
Samuel Tooker did an immense business, and had sev-