Cornelius Heyer

Cornelius Heyer (1773 – January 5, 1843) was an American merchant and banker.

Early life He was a son of iron monger Col. William Heyer (1723–1800) and Neeltje ( Stoutenburgh) Heyer (1734–1801). Among his siblings was Isaac Heyer, the treasurer of Rutgers College, who married Jane Hendrick Suydam, and was a merchant with Suydam & Heyer. His maternal uncle was Col. Isaac Stoutenburgh, who fought in the Revolutionary War, and was a member of the New York Provincial Congress and the New York State Senate.

Career For many years, Heyer and his brother-in-law, Richard Duryée, were partners of a hardware store at 47 and 48 Walter Street, under the firm of Duryee & Heyer.

On May 12, 1825, he was elected Cashier of the Bank of New York. He served in that capacity until shortly after the resignation of Charles Wilkes, when he himself was elected President of the Bank of New York on November 15, 1832, a position he held until his death in 1843. He was also elected a director of the bank in 1832 (his brother Isaac had been a director since 1815).

He was elected a member of the Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York on February 28, 1835. Together, they were the parents of:

William Henry Heyer (1797–1828), who died unmarried. Jane Eliza Heyer (1799–1877), who married Cornelius Rapalje Suydam, a son of James Suydam and Adrianna Rappelyea. Edward Peter Heyer (1800–1863), who married Louisa Harriet Fish, a daughter of Whitehead Fish, in 1822. Henry Augustus Heyer (1804–1843), who died unmarried. Charles Heyer (1809–1846), who died unmarried.

Heyer died on January 5, 1843 and was interred at New York City Marble Cemetery.

Descendants Through his son Edward, he was a grandfather of Whitehead Fish Heyer (1827–1874), who married Sarah Louise Tunis (a daughter of Caleb Camp Tunis and Rhoda ( Sands) Tunis.