Paul Cushman - Richard Varick: A Forgotten Founding Father: Revolutionary War Soldier, Federalist Politician, and Mayor of New York

Other books by Paul Cushman

Soldiers, Civil Servants and a Silversmith: William Gilbert, Theunis Dey and their Dutch-American Families Participate in the Development of 18th Century America. A biography of William W. Gilbert, silversmith.

Paul Cushman: The Work and World of an Early 19th Century Albany Potter. Albany Institute of History and Art, 2007. (Contributing author)

RICHARD VARICK

A Forgotten Founding Father

REVOLUTIONARY WAR SOLDIER
FEDERALIST POLITICIAN &
MAYOR OF NEW YORK

Paul Cushman

RICHARD VARICK

A FORGOTTEN FOUNDING FATHER

2010 Paul Cushman

All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be copied,
transmitted, or reproduced without permission.

Jacket design: Lynne Adams
Book design: Lisa Carta

ISBN 978-0-9772337-6-2

Library of Congress Control Number 2009940618

Cushman, Paul.

Richard Varick : a forgotten founding father : Revolutionary War soldier,
federalist politician, & mayor of New York / Paul Cushman.
p. cm
ISBN: 978-0-9772337-6-2
1. Varick, Richard, 1753-1831. 2. Founding Fathers of the United States
Biography. 3. United StatesPolitics and government18th
centuryBiography.I. Title.
E302.5 C87 2010
973.3092dc22
2009940618

34 Main Street #9

Amherst, Massachusetts 01002

www.modernmemoirs.com

413-253-2353

Preface

I N SEARCHING FOR THE INFLUENCE of Richard Varick on the development of my native city and state of New York, I was unable to find any standard biography for reference. There is only an unpublished, typewritten PhD thesis by John Rommel, a Columbia University graduate student, from 1956. The only two copies are in the New-York Historical Society and Columbia University library system archives. After reading this well-written, carefully researched thesis, it was clear to me that Varick was an accomplished person in several fields besides municipal government. It was also evident that his life story deserved to be brought out from these archival sites for appropriate uses. As the last decade has seen a plethora of biographies of notable Americans of the late eighteenth century who contributed extensively to the genesis of the United States government, often termed the founding fathers, it seemed appropriate to consider Varick.

Fortunately, there are scores of primary documents pertaining to Varick for study. As a result it is possible to flesh out the decades of his long life, explore the multiple areas in which Varick was active, and assess his roles and contributions in historical context.

The author is grateful to numerous individuals and institutions for assistance. Most important are my wife, Paulette Cushman, and my daughter, Clare Cushman, both of whom contributed many helpful suggestions and whose support of and interest in this project were invaluable. So is Courtney Smith, whose enthusiasm, encouragement and linguistic skills rescued many a passage and stimulated many others. The staffs at the New York City Hall, New-York Historical Society, New York Public Library, New Jersey State Archives, Office of the Manhattan County Clerk of New York City, Albany Institute of History and Art, Columbia University's Butler Library, and the Library of Congress were invaluable resources.

As a result of searching through the available materials, I can readily conclude that Richard Varick richly deserves credit for his contributions to the American Revolutionary War and for his participation in the success of the new republic in New York. He should be a founding father, perhaps on a secondary list. Why he has not been recognized warrants explanation. Primarily, he seems best cast in a supporting role rather than as a feature player. Second, he did not leave a trail of important letters to the other founding fathers, which would have kept his name and actions in the foreground. Third, his main locus of action was limited to New York City, and New York State to a lesser degree. Nevertheless, these two entities were of great importance in the establishment of the new republic. Fourth, his departure from the mayoralty elicited words of joy from his opponents, and only a few words of gratitude from his supporters. He and the other Federalist officeholders were being swept away dramatically, to be replaced by those with more populist or democratic leanings. Fifth, he came across as an elitist, a somewhat remote but highly educated figure. Although much admired for his business acumen, he seemed to possess relatively little charisma. These failings, so unusual in modern politicians, may have contributed to his swift disappearance from the main political stage.

He was born in 1753 in Hackensack, New Jersey, into a well-established Dutch-American community. On his final return there for burial in 1831, he was a national hero. During this long journey in life, he achieved much as a lawyer, soldier, a major Federalist political figureincluding serving as New York City's mayor for twelve yearsand a public-spirited philanthropist. Perhaps his editing of the Washington papers and his roles in both the early days of Jersey City and the evolution of Columbia University are his most enduring contributions. Unfortunately, today he is almost forgotten. Few New Yorkers realize why his mayoral portrait continues to hang prominently in New York City Hall, as it has for over 200 years, and why the adjacent Varick Street bears his name.

Edward Livingston gives us a word picture of the man in his prime:

Austere and lofty, he was a tall figure in his close fitting broad cloth breeches, silver buttoned coat and spotless stock. Renowned no less for his philanthropies than his entertainments in the ball room of his house on Broadway, he sustained the dignity of the old Federalist directorate and added to the prestige of his class.

C. H. Hunt
Life of Edward Livingston

This is the story of Richard Varick.

Illustrations

Silver sugar bowl by William W. Gilbert. His son Gerrit married Richard Varick's sister Maria Varick.

Richard Varick in uniform when he was a colonel in the Revolutionary Army. The badge is the Order of the Cincinnati, of which he was a major leader especially in New York. Portrait ca 1787 by Ralph Earl (17511801). (Courtesy Albany Institute of History and Art)