Beneath the middle aisle in the church lie the bones of the eldest son of Stephen (Etienne) De Lancey—James De Lancey. He was Chief Justice of the Colony of New York in 1733, and Lieutenant-Governor in 1753. He died suddenly in 1760 at his country house which was at the present northwest corner of Delancey and Chrystie Streets. A lane led from the house to the Bowery.
Home of The De Lanceys
Thames Street is as narrow now as it was one hundred and fifty years ago, when it was a carriageway that led to the stables of Etienne De Lancey. The Huguenot nobleman left his Broad Street house for the new home he had built at Broadway and Cedar Street in 1730. In 1741, at his death, it became the property of his son, James, the Lieutenant-Governor. It was the most imposing house in the town, elegantly decorated, encircled by broad balconies, with an uninterrupted garden extending to the river at the back.
After the death of Lieutenant-Governor De Lancey in 1760, the house became a hotel, and was known under many names. It was a favorite place for British officers during the Revolution, and in 1789 was the scene of the first "inauguration ball" in honor of President Washington.
The house was torn down in 1793. In 1806 the City Hotel was erected on its site and became the most fashionable in town. It was removed in 1850 and a line of shops set up. In 1889 the present buildings were erected.
A tablet on the building at 113 Broadway, corner of Cedar Street, marks the site, reading: