Anthony Lispenard Bleecker

Anthony Lispenard Bleecker (June 13, 1741 – April 26, 1816) was a banker, merchant and auctioneer, and one of the richest men in New York. He worked as well as a vestryman and churchwarden for Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan. He is the namesake for Bleecker Street and Lispenard Street in lower Manhattan. His mother was the daughter of Anthony Lispenard and granddaughter of Antoine L'Espinard

His maternal uncle was the New York City merchant, politician and landowner Colonel Leonard Lispenard, whose family married with Benjamin Franklin's family (Bache), the Roosevelts and Van Cortlandts.

His paternal grandparents were Albany Mayor Rutger Jansen Bleecker and Catalina (née Schuyler) Bleecker, of the Schuyler family.

His nephew, James W. Bleecker, became the 4th President of the New York Stock Exchange and 1st Treasurer of the Board.

Bleecker was also involved in New York's historic Trinity Episcopal Church, situated across from Wall Street. He became a vestryman there in 1785. He served until 1807 when he became a warden for five years. He purchased the family vault in its churchyard in 1790 where Bleecker family burials took place well into the 20th century. He was by far the most powerful Bleecker in New York City history.

Property He owned the farm where the present-day Bleecker Street in Manhattan lies. His residence was 74 Broadway, across from Rector Street, where the Bleecker family lived for many years. The New York Times obituary of his grandson, Anthony J. Bleecker, (d. 1884) recalled the story of Bleecker coming into his house one day to announce he had bought 160 acres "out in the country" and that his friends laughed at him for wasting his money. That land would eventually become the present day Greenwich Village where Bleecker Street runs today.

The size of his land, and his political and business influence is well documented. However, it is probably the quality of his descendants in the 19th century, and the families they married into, which shows the respect he had. Among the names: Roosevelt, Neilson and Harriman.

Personal life On May 4, 1763, Bleecker married Mary Noel.

James Noel Bleecker (1764–1842), Anthony Bleecker (1770–1827) His will was proven on May 8, 1816, leaving everything to his wife Mary and mentioned sons James, Garrat and Anthony as executors. He and 25 other members of the Bleecker family remain interred in a private vault under Trinity Church.

Bleecker family Members of the Bleecker family include : Jan Jansen Bleecker (1641/42-1732), Dutch settler in New Netherland, Mayor of New York Johannes Bleecker Jr. (1668–1738), colonial merchant, fur trader, Commissioners for Indian Affairs Rutger Jansen Bleecker (1675–1756), colonial merchant, married to a member of the Schuyler family Ann Eliza Bleecker (1752–1783), American poet, fled during the American Revolution Anthony Bleecker (1770–1827), American author and lawyer, friend of Washington Irving Harmanus Bleecker (1779–1849), US Congressman from New York, Ambassador to the Netherlands James W. Bleecker (1787–1864), 4th President of the New York Stock Exchange George W. Bleecker (1800–1859), N.Y. state politician, father was personal friend of George Washington Leon Bleecker (c.1881–1933), New York State assemblyman and politician Katherine Russell Bleecker (1893–1996), American filmmaker in silent era Maitland B. Bleecker (1903–2002), American inventor, instrumental in modern helicopter design Julian Bleecker (born ca. 1967), American mobile artist and technologist