Edward John Woolsey (1803-1873)

He was born in New York City. He married Emily, sister of the shipping giants William H. Aspinwall and John Lloyd Aspinwall, whose fortunes in the 1830s were considered greater than that of Cornelius Vanderbilt. Edward Woolsey lived between Casina which he inherited from his father and Woodcliff, their summer home at Lenox, Massachusetts, which was considered, "one of the finest in the state". They were the parents of fours sons. To his eldest son, Edward John Woolsey Jr., "he gave by his will $100,000, and his real estate in Newtown, L.I., with the furniture, books, pictures, wines, crops and farm utensils and stock, and a farm and island adjoining".