King of the Alley: William Duer, Politician, Entrepreneur, and Speculator, 1768-1799, Memoirs, American Philosophical Society (Vol. 202) - Hardcover

The first full-scale study of the entire career of William Duer (nicknamed "King of the Alley" by Thomas Jefferson), this publication traces the significant role he played in the original organization of the federal government. Duer, as a member of the New York State Convention and the Continental Congress, Secretary to the Board of Treasury under the Articles of Confederation, and Assistant to the Secretary of the Treasury, held immense influence during the Early American Republic and American Revolution. This publication examines his public profile as well as his career as a stock speculator, land promoter, army contractor, and merchant. Though he never tired of attempting to combine public office with private profit, this in-depth profile of Duer nonetheless demonstrates how he belonged to the middle ranks of those who led America to success in her struggle for independence, standing just behind such men as John Jay and Robert R. Livingston.