DUANE, James
Born in New York, 1732. His father came from Galway and his mother was a daughter of Abraham Kettletas, an important merchant and Alderman of New York. He became a lawyer and was admitted attorney of the Supreme Court, 1754; in 1759 he married a daughter of Colonel Robert Livingston, then proprietor of Livingston's Manor. He took part in most of the celebrated lawsuits of the day. In 1764, when it was decided that Vermont was part of New York State, he bought about 64,000 acres there, costing $8,000 and subsequently large sums for fees and expenses. He attended the Phila delphia Conference as delegate from New York and after the conference had discussed the matter he recommended that some means be found to safeguard Colonies though retaining allegiance to the King. In 1775 he was elected a member of the Provincial Council. He continued in Congress until 1777, and became Mayor of New York in 1784. He died in 1797.
