Abraham Brinkerhoff

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Abraham Brinkerhoff (1745–March 7, 1823), sometimes spelled Brinckerhoff, was an American trader and patriot connected to the early Revolutionary movement in New York City. He was born in New York City in 1745 and baptized on July 24. His parents were Joris Brinkerhoff and Maria Van Deusen, and his Dutch ancestry goes back to Joris Dircksen Brinckerhoff, who settled in Brooklyn in 1638.

In 1775, Brinkerhoff was a member of the Committee of One Hundred, a group of New York merchants who worked to promote American independence. The committee moved to seize ships and weapons and to disarm Loyalists with business ties, aiming to take control of New York City for the rebel cause. The committee operated from May 1 to May 23, 1775.

Brinkerhoff was a successful trader. Tax records show $50,000 in personal property in 1815, rising to $60,000 by 1820. In 1822 he lived at 34 Broadway; his house was valued at $11,000 and his personal property at about $60,000. He died at his home in New York City on March 7, 1823, at age 78.