... 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 ... summer residence, built in 1791 on the East River opposite Blackwell's Island, was known as "Sunswick" (later Ravenswood) and was one of the largest and best appointed private houses around New York. ...
