Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

the American Revolution. He waa also
commissary for New York, and a mem-
ber of tlir Committee of Safety previous
to the outbreak of hostilities between the
colonics and the mother country. When
war came, however, he joined the col-
onists and entered the army, in which he
held the rank of colonel. He died May
17. '7'X>
Colonel Duer married Catherine Alex-
ander, daughter of Major-General Wil-
liam and Sarah (Livingston) Alexander.
Major-General Alexander was a member
of the King's Council for the Colony of
New York and New Jersey before the
Revolution, after which he became a
major-general in the American army.
The wedding was performed at Basking-
ridge, New Jersey, the home of the bride.
General George Washington gave the
bride away, and the ceremony was per-
formed by his own chaplain, the Rev. Mr.
Armstrong. Colonel Duer was a brother-
in-law of the Hon. George Rose, the
friend and correspondent of Pope, and
whose eldest son, Lord Strathnairne, was
one of the heroes of the Crimean War.
The children of Colonel Duer and Cath-
erine .Alexander were: I. William Alexander
Duer. one of the first midshipmen
of the United States Navy. He left the
sea at an early age and studied law. He
assisted Edward Livingston in the fram-
ing of the famous State Constitution,
known as the Louisiana Code, and since
that time used as the frame and standard
ENCY< LI >PEDIA OK UK >GK MMIV
rietta. 5. Catherine Alexander. 6. Maria
Theodora. 7. Henrietta Elizabeth. 8.
Alexander.
(II) William Alexander 1
>ncr. LL. I).,
son of Colonel William and Catherine
(Alexander) Duer, was born September
8, [780, and died Ma\ 30, [858. He married,
September n. 1806, Hannah Maria
Denning, daughter of William and Amy
(Hawxhurst) Denning. She died July
17. [862. Their children were: I. Hen-
rietta, born 1808; died September 18,
1824. 2. Frances Maria, born December
24, 1809; married April 7, 1836, Henry
Sheaf Hoyt. 3. Catherine Theodora, born
December 24, 1811 ; died June 3, 1877. 4.
William Denning, mentioned below. 5.
Eleanor Jones, born Kebruary 6, 1814;
married, May 17, 1838, George Templar
Wilson; died November 11, 1892. 6. Edward
A., born 1815; died in 1831. 7.
Sarah Henderson, born January 28, 1817;
died August 5, 1856. 8. Lieutenant-Commander
John King, born December 26,
1 S 1 8 ; died June 14, 1859; married, September
21, 1 84 1, George Anna Huyler. 9.
Elizabeth Denning, born July 25, 1821 ;
married May 8, 1845, Archibald Gracie
King; died March 21, 1897. 10. Charlotte
Lucretia, born May 28, 1828; died Janu-
ary 8, 1832.
(Ill) William Denning Duer, son of
William Alexander and Hannah Maria
(Denning) Duer. was born December 6,
181 2. He married, May 8, 1837, Caroline
King, daughter of James Gore King.
for the constitution of each State entering Their children were: 1. Sarah Gracie. 2.
the Union. He was appointed judge of
the Third Circuit Court of New York,
and in 1830 was elected to the presidency
of Columbia College of Xew York. 2.
John Duer, judge and eminent jurist ; his
books are even now recognized and used
as text books on the laws of Xew York
State. 3. Francis Duer. 4. Sarah Hen-
187
Edward Alexander: married, April 26,
1870, Anna Van Buren, daughter of John
Van Buren. 3. James G. K.. married,
June 2, 1864, Elizabeth, daughter of Orlando
Meads. 4. Lieutenant Commander
Rufus King Duer, United States Navy,
died at sea, June 28, 1869. 5. Amy Hawx-
hurst. 6. William Alexander, married,