Israel PINKNEY's NYC Grocery & Liquor License Sold to Eales & Whistler, ca 1819
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In reply to:
Stephen, Wm., & Israel, NY City merchant sons of Wm. & Hannah PINKNEY, in 1811
george stevens 4/04/04
1. The "Minutes of the Common Council of the City of New York, 1784-1831," Volume X, "7 Sept 1818 to 28 Feb 1820," (Pub. by the City of New York, NY, 1917), p. 821, record the remission of an apparent fine, levied by the City of New York, against Messrs. Eales and Whistler for selling liquor without a proper license at a grocery which they had purchased from Israel PINKNEY, prior to 5 April 1819. The minutes read as follows:
"The Attorney, on the petition of Eales and Whistler, Reported: 'That the facts appear to be that they bought Mr. Israel Pinkney's Stock in Trade in the Grocery business at the corner of Beekman and William Streets, and without [361] taking out any license in their own names proceeded to retail liquor under the Licenses of the said Israel Pinkney. It appears that they are Strangers in the City and state that they were not aware of the necessity of having the licenses transferred or renewed but believed they could sell under the Licenses of the said Israel Pinkney which he had purchased.' (signed) A. Sherman, Attorney. Whereupon the fine was remitted on payment of costs." This hearing occurred on 5 April 1819.
2. A. [Alpheus] Sherman is the same New York City Corporate Attorney and Notary (of 13 Beekman Street) who witnessed the Will of Israel Pinkney's father, William Pinkney [d. 8 February 1811], which was dated 5 January 1811 and proven on 13 February 1811.
3. It is recorded in Thomas B. Wilson, "Inhabitants of the City of New York, 1774-1776," (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publihing Co., 1993), pp. v, x, and 247, that the name of "William PINKNEY" of New York City and County was recorded among the "Names of the Principal Male Inhabitants of New York, Anno 1774," published as an appendix to "Manual of the Common Council of New York, 1850," pp. 427-442. Of this listing of names, it is noted that "In response to an act of the Legislature directing that all buildings to be erected in the City of New York should be of stone or brick, covered with slate or tiles, a petition was signed by nearly 3,000 persons (2977 by actual count) was presented to the governor on 2d May 1774 praying for a suspension of the act. The prayer of the petition was not granted. The citizens later paid dearly for their opposition to the act as a fire broke out in 1776 which destroyed 500 buildings including Trinity Church."
4.In this same volume by Thomas B. Wilson (ablve) it is further recorded that the name of William Pinkney of New York City and County was included on a "List of Liquor Sellers in New York City," published by New York Secretary of State, "Calendar of Historical Manuscripts Relating to the War of the Revolution," Albany, NY, 1868, Vol. I, pp. 287-292. The list included 268 names, of whom 41 were women.
5. It is possible that Israel PINKNEY's Grocery Busines and Liquor License (and those of his brothers Stephen and William, elsewhere recorded as New York merchants) derived from the family business of their father, William PINKNEY, 1749-1811.
George H. Stevens
Fort Washington, Maryland
[email protected]
More Replies:
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PINKNEY Records @ St.Paul's/Eastchester; St.John's/Yonkers; Trinity/NY City
george stevens 4/24/04