Industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper is probably best remembered as the founder of Cooper Union (1857).

Myles Cooper, who was ordained a priest in the Church of England in 1761, came to the colony of New York in 1762, was appointed assistant to Dr. Samuel Johnson, president of King's College (now Columbia), and succeeded him a year later as president of that institution. About 1768 Cooper journeyed to Boston where his portrait was painted by Copley. In 1817 the donor gave that original to the Society, which presented it to Columbia College in 1820. Hutchings' copy was made at that time.

This portrait was copied from the original which Charles Loring Elliott painted ca. 1845. Twitchell, who spent most of his career as a portrait painter in Albany, had studied with Elliott, who had also begun his career in Albany--then the social, economic, and governmental hub located about 55 miles from the subject's family estate at Cooperstown.

Edward Cooper, son of Peter Cooper (1791-1883), was a powerful industrialist who became director of the United States Trust Co. and of several iron and steel works, railroads, and elevator companies. He was a member of the "Committee of Seventy" which was instrumental in the overthrow of the Tweed machine, and he served as mayor of New York from 1879 to 1881. His portrait was a gift to the Society from his grandniece.

Emily (or Emelie) N. Neilson was the youngest daughter of William Hude Neilson and Caroline Kane (Mills) Neilson. She married Middleton Schoolbred Burrill (1859-1933), a lawyer of New York, on November 17, 1885.

Sarah Smith was the daughter of William Henry Smith and Hannah (Cooper) Smith whose progenitors founded Smithtown, Long Island. Their home was at St. George's Manor. This portrait and its companion (1966.10) came to the Society as part of the bequest of the great-granddaughter of Mrs. Keteltas and her husband.

The subject was the son of John and Mary (Lenox) Kennedy. He was named after his great-uncle, David Sproat.

The subject was a physician and surgeon in New York.

Mary Holliday Davidson was the third daughter of Dr. Richard and Eliza Noel (Pintard) Davidson; her mother was the daughter of John Pintard, founder of The New-York Historical Society. She married George Hancock (1798-1875) in 1834.