Isaac Green Pearson (1791-1874)

He was born in Boston, Massachusetts and was said to have been brought up by his uncle and aunt, William and Elizabeth (Greenleaf) Parsons. He came to New York as a young man and went into business as a partner in the firm of Cambreleng & Pearson of 67 South Street. He was the first Secretary of the Merchant's Exchange and co-founded the Mutual Life Insurance Company of which he was a director. He acquired considerable real estate and is remembered for building LeRoy Place, among others. He was described as, "a large-hearted, benevolent gentleman". He married Eliza Doane and all three of their daughters married sons of the Knickerbocker Group writer and U.S. Secretary of the Navy, James Kirke Paulding. When he first came to New York, he lived at No. 1 Beaver Street on the corner of Broad Street. In 1835, he paid $56,511 for the historic Hamilton Grange where he lived until he was declared bankrupt in 1842. In 1859, he was living in a brownstone at No. 12 West 9th Street, later the home of Uma Thurman. By the time of his death, he was living next door at No. 14 West 9th Street.