Henry La Tourette de Groot (1789-1835)

He was born in Bound Brook, New Jersey, the son of a Lieutenant in the Continental Army. He went into business in New York City becoming a successful importer with extensive interests in England. In 1831, he moved to London where he bought a mansion in Regent's Park and had coaches and liveried servants. He died in 1835 and is buried at St. Marylebone's Church, London. He is the maternal grandfather of Thomas Hastings, and it was de Groot's fortune that allowed him his education that saw him become one of the most revered architects of the Gilded Age.