Historic Pelham: Obituaries And Notice of Art Auction Published Upon the Death of John Hunter of Hunter's Island in 1852

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.

Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

During the 19th century, when wealthy New Yorkers built some of the region's most beautiful mansions along the shore of the Long Island Sound in the Town of Pelham, the mansion of one wealthy New Yorker stood out among all others. It was the home of John Hunter on Hunter's Island in Long Island Sound. The mansion since has been razed. The "island" on which it once stood is now attached to the mainland due to landfill used to create Orchard Beach Park. In its heyday, however, the mansion stood on a beautifully-landscaped island and contained the nation's finest private collection of old master art. The island and its mansion were even the locales for a visit from U.S. President Martin Van Buren. See Historic Pelham Blog Posting, November 3, 2005: President Martin Van Buren's Visit to Pelham in July 1839.

John Hunter was born August 4, 1778 and died in his home on Hunter's Island on September 12, 1852. He was a son of Robert Hunter (born ca. 1735, died 1800) and Ruth Hunter (born ca. 1757, died 1840). He graduated from Columbia College in 1799 and married a wealthy heiress, Elizabeth Desbrosses who died in 1839. He was a New York City businessman and a politician who served for eight years in the New York State Senate representing the Second District. He also served as a member of the Constitutional Convention that revised the New York State Constitution in 1846. Before 1812, Hunter bought an island in the Town of Pelham known as "Appleby's Island," afterward known as Hunter's Island. His mansion became an historic showplace in the Town of Pelham.

I have written on many occasions about John Hunter, his mansion, and Hunter's Island. At the end of this posting I have included links to many examples of such articles. Today's Historic Pelham Blog Posting transcribes several obituaries that appeared after Hunter's death on September 12, 1852. It also includes an advertisement for an auction scheduled by the family in 1866 to sell the 400 old master paintings held in Hunter's collection at the time of his death. At the conclusion of today's posting, I have embedded rare images of the front and rear of John Hunter's mansion as well as four equally-rare images of the interior of the mansion.

The first item below is the advertisement for an auction of John Hunter's art collection published well after his death in 1866. Beneath that item I have transcribed its text to facilitate search. Thereafter, I have transcribed the text of several obituaries that appeared following Hunter's death. To end this post I have embedded a series of six images depicting the mansion and its interior in 1882. (I am unable to resize these images to render them aesthetically and appropriately-sized for this blog posting because they are embedded views of images on another site.)

1866 Advertisement for Auction of Entire Art Collection of

John Hunter, of Hunter's Island, Who Died in 1852. Source:

IN NEW YORK By HENRY H. LEEDS & MINER, Albany Journal

[Albany, NY], Jan. 16, 1866, p. 3, col. 4.

"IN NEW YORK
By HENRY H. LEEDS & MINER, Auc'rs,
Offices No. 93 Liberty Street.
TO BE SOLD AT AUCTION, ON
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday Eve'gs,
January 17th, 18th and 19th.
at 8 o'clock each evening, at the DUSSELDORF GALLERY, No. 548 Broadway, next door to Tiffany's,

The Hunter Gallery of Ancient and Modern
OIL PAINTINGS,
Being the ENTIRE COLLECTION of the late Mr. JOHN HUNTER, of Hunter's Island, Westchester Co.,, N.Y., comprising in all nearly 400 GENUINE WORKS of the old masters.

The sale will afford to connoisseurs a rare opportunity for the selection of fine Pictures, being the

Largest and Finest Collection

Ever exhibited or offered for sale in this country. The late owner, Mr. Hunter, formed the principal part of it from the year 1800 until 1835; no picture having been added since 1850, many of the finest were purchased especially for him by his European Agent, Mr. Hobson, during the revolutionary troubles in France. The balance being the careful selection of the late owner during a period of fifty years. It has always been esteemed the BEST REPRESENTATIVE GALLERY OF THE OLD MASTERS in the United States. There are no other pictures embraced in this catalogue, it comprising the ENTIRE COLLECTION of the late Mr. Hunter only. The sale will be POSITIVE and WITHOUT RESERVE.

They may be VIEWED on and after TUESDAY, January 3d, at the GALLERIES as above.

CATALOGUES may be obtained at the GALLERIES, at the office of Messrs. E. H. LUDLOW & CO., No. 3 Pine Street, or at the office of the AUCTIONEERS, No. 96 Liberty street.

CATALOGUES May be obtained at the office of this paper."

Source: IN NEW YORK By HENRY H. LEEDS & MINER, Albany Journal [Albany, NY], Jan. 16, 1866, p. 3, col. 4.

"DEATH OF HON. JOHN HUNTER. -- Hon. John Hunter, for many years a prominent politician of Westchester county, died at his residence, on Hunter's Island, on Saturday last. Mr. Hunter represented the 2d district in the Senate of this State for eight years, and in 1846 was a member of the Convention that revised the Constitution of the State of New York. Mr. Hunter wielded a considerable political influence, and in 1848 was an ardent supporter of Martin Van Buren for the Presidency."

Source: DEATH OF HON. JOHN HUNTER, The Troy Daily Times, Sep. 16, 1852, Vol. 2, No. 386, p. 3, col. 3.

"DEATH OF HON. JOHN HUNTER. -- Hon. JOHN HUNTER, for many years a prominent politician of Westchester County, died at his residence, on Hunter's Island, on Saturday last. Mr. Hunter represented the Second District in the Senate of this State for eight years, and in 1846 was a member of the Convention that revised the Constitution of the State of New York. Mr. Hunter wielded a considerable political influence, and in 1848 was an ardent supporter of MARTIN VAN BUREN for the Presidency. We believe he leaves but one child, a son, to inherit his vast estate."

Source: DEATH OF HON. JOHN HUNTER, Oswego Daily Times [Oswego, NY], Sep. 20, 1852, Vol. 6, p. 2, col. 4. See also DEATH OF JOHN HUNTER, Syracuse Standard [Syracuse, NY], Sep. 22, 1852, Vol. 6, No. 71, p. 2, col. 2 (same text).

"We see that the Westchester county papers announce the death of Hon. John Hunter. Mr. Hunter was a leading democratic senator in this state for a number of years and was extensively known to our people. He was a gentleman of wealth and taste, living elegantly in his country seat, in the town of Pelham, on an island in the East River called Hunter's Island. His loss will be much felt in Westchester county and throughout the whole State."

Source: [Untitled], Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Sep. 23, 1852, Vol. II, No. 226 [erroneously printed 223], p. 2, col. 2.