^
 

21tj                    THE  OLD MERCHA.VTS
 

CHAPTER XXVIII.

It is nearly half •a century since the house of Phelps
& Peck was founded in this city. Both of the ]mrtners
were New England men.

The senior partner, Anson G. Phelps, was, I think,
from Connecticut. He was originally a tinman, and
served out his time as an apprentice to that trade in his
native town. These were the golden, or rather the tin
days of prosperity for pedlars. Mr. Phelps rose to
the dignity of pedlar, and travelled through the South¬
ern States as a pedlar. He sold wooden clocks, japan¬
ned ware, as well as the ordinary tin ware; and this
business laid the foundation of his great fortune. He
came to New York, and started in business alone, at
No. 27 Burling slip, in 1814. He continued alone un¬
til 1818, when he took into partnership Elisha Pe(d<,
and the firm became Phelps & Peck, and their place of
business was No. 181 Front street, corner of Burling
slip. Mr. Peck was from Connecticut. He married a
lady, whose father owned a woolen factory near Patter-
sen. He remained wdth him until he formed a partner¬
ship with Mr. Phelps. In Liverpool the firm was Peck
& Phelps; to that city Mr. Peck went, and remained
sixteen years. He was a man of great energy of char¬
acter.    Phelps & Peck  did  an  immense business  with