Rufus King Delafield

Rufus King Delafield (November 18, 1802 – February 6, 1874) was an American banker and manufacturer. Early life Delafield was born at his father's residence, 16 Wall Street in New York City, on November 18, 1802, and named after Rufus King, the first U.S. Senator from New York who was then serving as the U.S. Minister to the United Kingdom. His godfather was Alexander Hamilton. He was the youngest of nine sons and four daughters born to Anne (née Hallett) Delafield (1766–1839) and John Delafield (1748–1824), a merchant who emigrated to New York from England in 1788 and was a founder and director of the Mutual Insurance Company, becoming one of the wealthiest men in the country. His father's summer residence, built in 1791 on the East River opposite Blackwell's Island, was known as" Sunswick" and was one of the largest and best appointed private houses near New York. Among his siblings were older brothers John Delafield, Joseph Delafield, Henry Delafield, William Delafield, Maj. Gen. Richard Delafield, and Dr. Edward Delafield. His younger sister, Susan Maria Delafield, was married to Henry Parish. Rufus, his father, and his four brothers were painted by Morton H. Bly, which is today owned by the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society. His maternal grandparents were Joseph Hallett and Elizabeth (née Hazard) Hallett and his aunt, Mary Hallett, was the second wife of U.S. Representative Benjamin Tallmadge. His paternal grandparents were John Delafield and Martha (née Dell) Delafield, a daughter of John Dell of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England. His nephew, Dr. Francis Delafield, was married to Katherine Van Rensselaer, and was the father of Connecticut representative Edward Henry Delafield.