Archibald Gracie (June 25, 1755 – April 11, 1829) was a Scottish-born shipping magnate and early American businessman and merchant in New York City and Virginia whose spacious home, Gracie Mansion, now serves as the residence of the Mayor of New York City.
Contents
Early life
Archibald Gracie was born June 25, 1755, in Dumfries, Scotland. He was the son of a weaver named William Gracie. In 1776, Gracie moved to Liverpool and clerked for a London shipping firm. He used his earnings to purchase a part interest in a merchant ship.
Career
In April 1784, he sailed to America with a cargo of goods that were his own profit stock. He used the proceeds to invest in a mercantile company in New York City. He later moved to Petersburg, Virginia, and engaged in the export of tobacco to Great Britain. In 1793, he moved back to New York and became a commissary merchant and shipowner (Archibald Gracie and Sons, East India Merchants). Gracie was a business partner of Alexander Hamilton and a friend of John Jay.