John Lawrence Riker (1830-1909)

He was born at Bowery Bay, Long Island, the youngest son of U.S. Congressman Samuel Riker. At seventeen, he entered the counting rooms of Lawrence & Hicks, Commission Merchants, in drugs, dyes and chemicals, etc. After the firm was dissolved, Benjamin H. Field offered him a position in his firm that not only did the same business, but was the leading firm of its kind in New York. He quickly won the confidence of his employer and promotions came rapidly thereafter until he was offered partnership in 1854. He resigned in 1860, going into business with his brother, Daniel Smith Riker, to establish J.L. & D.S. Riker, Commission Merchants, in chemicals etc. He remained the senior partner for 40-years during which time the firm became one of the most successful of its kind. He was also Vice-President of the Bank of New York; Atlantic Trust Co.; Fifth Avenue Safe Deposit Co.; and, the New York Chamber of Commerce. He was also a Director of the Second National Bank, Laflin & Rand Powder Co., etc. 

His became a well-known colletor of art and his collection included works by J. B. C. Corot, Emile Van Marcke, Daubigny, Adolph Schreyer, Fromentin, John Frederick Kensett, William Trost Richards, Leon Richet, Edward Allan Schmidt, Charles Emile Jacque, and Jules Dupre. He was a Member of the Holland and St. Nicholas Societies, the Sons of the Revolution, Society of Colonial Wars, and the St. Nicholas, Union League, Metropolitan, City, Riding, New York Yacht, Seawanhaka-Corinthian Yacht, and New York Athletic clubs. In 1857, he married Mary, daughter of John Clews and Martha Moore (Riker) Jackson. They lived between 17 West 57th Street and Seabright, New Jersey. He left a will valued at $7-million and each of his 7-children (listed) received circa $750,000.